New in Middle Grade

August 2022

978-1-63198-640-6 $10.99 Juvenile Nonfiction/Life Skills 128 pp., full-color, 51/8" x 7" Paperback Ages 8–13

Key Features

• Builds on the popularity and success of Free Spirit’s long-running Laugh &

Learn series, which has more than 1 million books in print • Humorous yet supportive tone and hilarious illustrations draw readers in and keep them engaged • Straight-to-the-point expert advice for kids who have phones and parents who want to keep phone trouble at bay

Kids learn about the super awesome powers of their phones—and how to use them safely

You Got a Phone! (Now Read This Book)

by Elizabeth Englander and Katharine Covino, illustrated by Steve Mark Kids don’t want to hear about all the news on screen-related cyberbullying, neurological changes, and sleep problems that come with having a phone. Adults can give kids this book along with their new phone to teach them safe smartphone use without the lecture. With humor and approachable language, this new addition to the Laugh & Learn series helps kids learn about digital misunderstandings and misinterpretations, cyberbullying, stress and anxiety, safely sharing photos, and screen-life balance.

54

Say Cheese—Uh, Make That PLEASE

There are a few good ways to make sure you don’t cross a line when taking and posting photos. They all involve asking questions.

Ask the person in the photo if it’s okay. Actually, ask them before they are in the photo—ask them if it’s okay to take a picture of them. After you take it, maybe you want to post it. Maybe you got a terrific shot of your buddy doing a cannonball at the pool. But even if it’s a terrific shot, it’s possible your friend does not want that picture out in the world. Make sure you ask someone before you post or share that photo.

It doesn’t matter if you’re posting a picture on social media, putting it on your blog or website, or just texting it to someone else, anytime you send a photo in any way to any location, you are “sharing” it, and you need to ask permission first. This is true even if you didn’t take the photo yourself. If someone else sent it to you and you want to post it or send it on to others, ask first.

That also goes for photos that aren’t of the person but are of something that belongs to them or is associated with them. This includes things like their bedroom or home, their belongings, even their family members. You might think that picture of a pet pig in a hat is super cute, but maybe the owner doesn’t want others to see that. You don’t know! That’s why you have to ask. 55

Dr. Elizabeth Englander is the founder and executive director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center at Bridgewater State University. As a researcher and a professor of psychology for 25 years, she is an award-winning and nationally recognized expert in the areas of bullying and cyberbullying, childhood causes of aggression and abuse, and children’s use of technology. She lives near Boston, Massachusetts. Katharine Covino, assistant professor of English studies at Fitchburg State University, teaches writing, literature, and teacher-preparation classes. Prior to teaching at the university level, she taught middle school and high school in Austin, Texas. In addition to her work as a teacher, researcher, and mentor, she is also a children’s book author. She lives near Boston, Massachusetts. Steve Mark is a freelance illustrator and a part-time puppeteer. Steve has illustrated many books for children, including all the books in the Laugh & Learn® series and in the Little Laugh & Learn™ series for younger kids. He lives in Minnesota.

Sound advice—with a silly side—that kids, tweens, and teens can turn to for help with real-life anxieties and issues

Self-help, kid-style! Realistic topics, practical advice, silly jokes, fun illustrations, and a kid-centric point of view all add up to one of the most popular series that young people turn to for help with school, families, siblings, and more. Kids ages eight to thirteen can tote these pocket-size guides anywhere and learn to slash stress, give cliques and rude people the boot, get organized, behave becomingly, and in general hugely boost their coping skills.

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Available Now

Each book: Juvenile Nonfiction/Life Skills 80–128 pp., full-color, 51/8" x 7" Paperback Ages 8–13

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