When our Free Spirit authors aren’t writing for our blog, they’re busy writing books! Today we’re revealing our newest titles coming out this fall. Which one(s) are you most anticipating? Tell us in the comments!
Children’s Books
First up is a new Best Behavior® book, Screen Time Is Not Forever out in board book (left) and paperback (right)! Both publish July 20, 2021. With vivid illustrations and straightforward suggestions, these reassuring books offer children and families invaluable, accessible information about screen-time safety and setting healthy screen-time boundaries. A section for adults includes additional information and activities to help navigate screen time and screen-free time with children.
And we get the second book in the We Say What’s Okay series, We Check In with Each Other, publishing September 21, 2021! Building on the body awareness theme of the first book, the We Say What’s Okay series continues with a story that helps children develop personal boundaries and understand they can change their minds at any time. Perfect for read-alouds, this story follows Harrison as he checks in with himself and with his classmates throughout the day to see if they’re still having fun and feeling safe.
If you loved Sometimes When I’m Sad, you’ll want to get the forthcoming Sometimes When I’m Mad too. Anger is often an overwhelming emotion for children. Using gentle and straightforward language, this story describes a child’s experience with anger and the many ways it can surface, as well as ways to manage it. Includes a special section with tips for adults.
We’re excited to announce a brand new series coming August 17, 2021! If you like the Laugh & Learn® series, you’ll want to check out the Little Laugh & LearnTM series for children ages 6 to 9. We kick off the series with Ease the Tease, which has 10 easy-to-learn tools to help kids ease the pain of teasing and stand up for themselves, and Make a Friend, Be a Friend, which has practical—and fun—tips for starting and growing friendships.
Middle Grade and Teens
An updated edition of The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder (And Their Parents) is coming to you June 22, 2021! This positive, straightforward book offers kids diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) their own comprehensive resource for both understanding their condition and finding tools to cope with the challenges
they face every day.
The book addresses questions (“What is ASD?” “Why me?”) and provides strategies for communicating, making and keeping friends, staying safe and smart online, and succeeding in school. Body and brain basics highlight symptom management, exercise, diet, hygiene, relaxation, sleep, and toileting. Emphasis is placed on helping kids handle intense emotions and behaviors and get support from family and their team of helpers
when needed.
Help empower teens to take charge of their digital lives with Slaying Digital Dragons, coming October 19, 2021. Without avoiding the dark side of technology, this book gives teens what they need to stay safe and take charge online. Pulling back the curtain
on the hidden aspects of the digital world, award-winning author Alex J. Packer, Ph.D., guides readers through the process of evaluating their relationships with their screens, social media, and tech in general.
The book invites teens to join the resistance and learn how to thwart the manipulative forces trying to control and profit off their users. But it doesn’t demand that readers ditch smartphones or deactivate social media. Instead, it suggests strategies for playing favorite games and posting on favorite apps while also doing good in the world and bringing joy and encouragement to others.
Educator Resources
Recognize and support twice-exceptional (2e) learners to help them succeed in school—and beyond—with Teaching Twice-Exceptional Learners in Today’s Classroom, publishing August 28, 2021. Twice-exceptional (2e) learners have often been misunderstood, disciplined, unchallenged, and left behind. They’re called lazy and unmotivated. But they’re not: a diagnosis, such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, or anxiety, masks their giftedness. Or their giftedness blocks educators from seeing their struggles. Often, educators don’t have the tools to meet their needs. This book bridges that gap to help teachers recognize, support, and meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of 2e students.
Out September 28, 2021, Empowering Underrepresented Gifted Students helps underserved high-potential students claim their right to an education that addresses their
unique needs. In gifted education, an important and contentious issue that has yet to be sufficiently addressed is the systemic underrepresentation of gifted students who have been discriminated against in school-based gifted and advanced learner programs because of their race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or other realities. This book gives a voice to those students and brings their stories into focus.
Nearly 30 contributors in the field of gifted education share their knowledge to help educators move closer to ensuring equity, access, and excellence in gifted education. By arming historically marginalized gifted students with self-advocacy strategies, these remarkable students will be better enabled to fulfill their dreams.
Publishing October 12, 2021, Bright, Complex Kids is a field guide for understanding the complex characteristics and SEL needs of high-ability kids. Many bright kids do not feel understood or supported. This book offers ideas for gaining entrance to their internal world, including how and why to listen and respond, self-monitor adult biases, avoid communicating awe of high ability, apply knowledge of learning disabilities, and help high-ability children and teens make sense of themselves. Additional information is provided about characteristics, anxiety, perfectionism, resilience, underachievement, twice-exceptionality, and hidden distress.
Bilinguals
First up in our bilingual collection are two new English-Spanish editions of the Happy Healthy Baby® series, coming September 21, 2021. Rest/Descansar highlights the quiet moments of baby’s day and Eat/Comer features babies as they explore and enjoy the many foods that help them grow healthy and strong. These editions complete the English-Spanish bilingual set of Happy Healthy Baby books!
We also have two English-Spanish editions to add to the Learning About Me & You series, coming September 21, 2021. I Play/Yo juego vividly shares with toddlers and
preschoolers the pleasures and discoveries of play as it explores playing
independently, observing others, playing side by side, sharing, taking turns,
and cooperating. I Share/Yo comparto guides young children to see that sharing
is their choice, why they might choose to share, and how sharing can be good
for everyone.
Check out these new releases and more recent titles on Free Spirit’s website.
© 2021 by Free Spirit Publishing. All rights reserved. The views expressed in this post represent the opinion of the author and not necessarily Free Spirit Publishing.