Author Julia Cook connects with MLES students
Kid language.
Definition: the innate ability to creatively enter the world view of children and translate that into engaging and entertaining story picturebooks is how one speaks kid language – a type of special dialect.
This is what prolific children’s author, Julia Cook – a former school counselor and teacher turned national award-winning children’s author, parenting expert and inspirational speaker – can do.
And she has proven that ability, having approximately two million books in print covering 76 titles – and climbing. Cook writes books for children that let them laugh while learning to solve their own problems, use better behavior, learn social skills and develop healthy relationships. Illustrator for her books is Anita Du Falla.
Cook, who is currently one of the travelling authors taking part in the Children’s Author and Illustrator Program coordinated by the Southwest West Central Service Cooperative’s (SWWC) Student Activities Department, visited Mountain Lake Public Elementary School (MLES) this afternoon (Thursday, March 23). She presented two separate programs – one for students in grades kindergarten-to-two and a second for grades three-through-six – focusing on age-appropriate books – lessons included – for each group.
This SWWC program brings children’s authors and illustrators into local elementary classrooms, giving students a chance to connect with a published author/illustrator. Presenters show students what it takes to become a writer, how to generate ideas, inspirations, challenges and successes.
In addition to MLES, participating school districts include Comfrey, Edgerton Public, Ellsworth, Fulda Memorial Library/Elementary, KMS (Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg), Lakeview (Cottonwood), MACCRAY (Maynard, Clara City, and Raymond; both East and West), Marshall (Holy Redeemer, Park Side and West Side), Pipestone, Redwood Area and Wabasso Public School and St. Anne’s (hosted by Wabasso Public Library).
Pick a topic – any topic – and Cook has written a book about it. Some of those titles and topics include:
- Bully B.E.A.N.S. (bullying)
- But It’s Not my Fault (taking responsibility)
- The “CAN in Cancer (dealing with cancer)
- Cheaters Never Prosper (lying)
- The “D” Word (divorce)
- Grief is Like a Snowflake (death and dying)
- Hygiene . . . You Stink! (good hygiene)
- I Am a Booger . . . Treat Me with Respect! (health and hygiene)
- I Can’t Believe You Just Said That (using your social filter)
- I’m Not Scared . . . I’m Prepared (disaster preparedness)
- My Mom Thinks She’s My Volleyball Coach . . . But She’s Not (parents who coach their kids from the sidelines)
- My Mouth is a Volcano! (interrupting)
- Peer Pressure Gauge (peer pressure)
- Ricky Sticky Fingers (stealing)
- Soda Pop Head (anger)
- Study Skills . . . Not!!! (study skills)
- Table Talk (table manners)
- The Anti-Test Anxiety Society (text anxiety)
- The PROcrastinator (procrastination)
- Well I Can Top That (one-upmanship)
- Wilma Jean the Worry Machine (anxiety)
- Winners Don’t Whine and Whiners Don’t Win (winning and whining)
Sibling rivalry, coping with a bad attitude, valuing differences of others several topics broached
Cook shared the reading of, and life lessons from, several of her books with the students.
One of the topics she – and her toutou-clad chihuahua, Kirby (playing a feature role) – discussed with kids from kindergarten-through-grade two was about sibling rivalry.
The book, I Want to Be the Only Dog, Cook presents siblings – in this cases, dogs – to teach lessons in tolerance, patience, sharing and conflict resolution. The first dog, Jake remembers what it was like when his life was perfect, and he was still the only dog. Angus hates being stuck in the middle. And Kirby just feels like she is always bossed around.
Two of the titles Cook presented to students in grades three-through-six included Badtitude and The Judgmental Flower.
Badtitude tells the story of Noodle, a boy whose attitude, “or baditude,” is alienating everyone around him. Can Noodle let go of his angst and try to find the brighter side of life? With help from a teacher and his mom, Noodle learns how to turn his “have tos” into “get tos” – and his baditude into gratitude.
Asked Cook of the students, “Do you want to be ‘balcony people’ or ‘basement people.’ It’s your choice whether to live up – or down.”
The Judgmental Flower teaches the skill of valuing the differences of others. This book focuses on a flower patch – a flower patch that has always been the same. Purples hang with other Purples. Blues hang with Blues. Talls hang with Talls. Shorts hang with Shorts. But when Purple moves into the Blue Patch, Blue just isn’t sure how he feels about that! Fortunately, Blue’s Mom is around to point out how much Blue and his friends can learn from the wind, the rain and the bees, who treat all flowers the same.
About the author
Cook was born and raised in Salt Lake City Utah. While living in Utah, she became actively involved in teaching children how to ski. That experience led to a love of teaching in general. Julia now lives in Fremont, Nebraska. She has a Master’s degree in Elementary School Counseling.
While serving as a school counselor, Cook often used children’s books to enhance her classroom lessons. Her second career life began when Cook was searching for an effective story to teach children about the differences between tattling and telling. When she couldn’t find the right resource, she decided to write her own book – A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue.
Fast-forward, and she now sports a library of her own authored books, travels the country and abroad encouraging others to follow in her footsteps and delivers keynote addresses at national education and counseling conferences.
The goal behind all of Julia’s books and efforts is to actively involve young people into her fun and creative stories and teach them to become life-long problem solvers.
Inspirations for her books come from working with children and carefully listening to parents and teachers. Julia’s books have been referenced in such publications as Parent’s Magazine, The New Yorker, Green Child Magazine, Parenting Magazine, The Huffington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Yahoo.com, dr.laura.com and babyzone.com. She has also been featured on CNN’s HLN News, The Daily Buzz and several large metropolitan networks.
She is the recipient of numerous book awards including The National Parenting Seal of Approval, Mom’s Choice Gold Award, and Association of Educational Publisher’s – Distinguished Achievement Award.
In her spare time, Julia enjoys spending time with her husband and family.
To learn more about Julia and her books, visit her website at www.juliacookonline.com.
Crafting child authors
On top of spreading the guidance found in her books to her young audience, Cook used her time at MLES to also inspire the students to use their childs’ imagination and put their ideas onto paper, possibly en route to writing their own books – books other kids would want to read.
“Why?”
A better question to ask – “Why not?”
“Because who knows better what you want to read – than you!” encouraged Cook.
