A Sip of Milk and 10 Deep Breaths: Anger Management for Kids
Cute kids book to help calm angry minds and soften misunderstandings
by Mona K
Croissant isn’t happy, and he’s taking it out on the breakfast plate! Toast, Scone, and Milk think he’s being mean, but Croissant thinks they’re being mean to him. A sip of Milk and ten deep breaths help everyone calm down and talk to each other.
The Grumpy Frumpy Croissant is a children’s picture book with fun and colorful hand-drawn illustrations that teach a lesson about misunderstandings any child can grasp. Croissant learns how to let anger pass, and that yelling hurts others’ feelings. It’s a simple story for parents to introduce ideas of managing feelings to children, illustrated by Korey Scott.
The book also features a delicious croissant recipe that parents can make with their children, and full-page coloring activities featuring the characters in the book (kindle and e-reader compatible too!).
- Publisher: Canoe Tree Press (Dartfrog Books)
- ISBN: Hardcover: 978-1735930800, Paperback: 978-1735930824
- Pub Date: Hardcover: November 2020, Paperback: January 2021
- Price: Hardcover: $13.99, Paperback: $7.99
- Age Range: Age range: 0-7
“A quirky and engaging breakfast tale that stresses conflict resolution.” – Kirkus Reviews
Review
The book was definitely cute, and the illustrations were spectacular! So vivid and pretty! Great pick on the illustrator.
I read this book with my 6-year-old son and we enjoyed the overall story with the different breakfast characters and their struggle with tempers. And it helped that he was able to read most of the words!
The story is about a croissant that gets grumpy and upset at his fellow breakfast foods, and how their friend Milk helped them practice calming down techniques. I do wish it went into a bit more detail about them talking about why they were mad, and maybe said “I’m sorry,” but even teaching kids how to slow down and calm their bodies is important.
If you don’t stop to think about it as an adult, it’s a great little story to show kids that anyone can have tantrums sometimes and how to help yourself and others calm down. But if you think about it a little too deeply, the premise becomes a tad awkward when you think about these friends getting consumed as food and drink. But if you think of it from a child’s perspective (as the book is intended for), it is just as easily dramatic/pretend play with kitchen and food items.
I loved that the book comes with a recipe where you can learn to make your own croissant, and even coloring pages for kids to print out and enjoy.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided as part of the tour.
Author Q & A: Mona K
Do you have kids and/or pets?
I have a seven-year-old son going on 27. Intellectual conversations with him usually provide me with ideas for wonderful little fables.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? Or what first inspired you to write?
I used to write poetry growing up. I always wanted to write however never thought that children’s picture books would be the avenue. I started creating anecdotes for my son when he was three. He requested new stories everyday and some stories were great, some not so much. I am not an artist but have a pretty good visual eye. I am able to kind of build the pictorial representation of the story while I write it and that helps a lot.
What do you think makes a good story?
The best litmus test for children’s picture books is a smile on the kid’s face. There need not be a heavy moral or lesson in the story. Illustrations play a critical role in children’s books. A powerful illustration can carry the story from start to finish.
What inspired your story?
The plot for Grumpy Frumpy Croissant stemmed from a tantrum episode from my son at our favorite coffee/croissant shop. He lost his temper when some of my coffee spilled on his croissant by mistake. He squeezed the croissant so hard that the butter oozed out. I asked him to take a deep breath and leave the croissant alone. The croissant slowly regained its shape. I had an instant flash and the Grumpy Croissant was born.
How does a new story idea come to you? Is it an event that sparks the plot or a character speaking to you?
My ideas are all a product of conversations with my son. Usually happens during our conversations or during our activities that we do together. We usually have a weekly ritual to go to library and browse books for an hour. We read together and create new stories. On rainy days, we like to visit our favorite Barnes and Noble.
Is there a message/theme in your book that you want readers to grasp?
Yes, the message is to pause and think before we react. The power of breath is unknown to many. The croissant harnessed this power and human beings can also use this mantra to evolve their life’s outlook.
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
It was much easier to write the book, but the publishing and marketing were much more demanding endeavors.
What was your greatest challenge in writing this book?
Writing the book was not a challenge. Publishing it has been a long journey.
If your book was turned into a movie, who would you like to voice the main characters?
Croissant – Tom Hanks
Milk – Larry David
Toast – Julia Dreyfuss
Scone – Reese Witherspoon
About the Author
Mona K is a statistician by training and loves to weave stories with numbers in her day job as a health services researcher. She is also a children’s book author who believes that picture books are a source of both wisdom and silliness. Mona loves to bake in her free time, and her love for croissants and meditation inspired her to write this debut children’s picture book. She lives in New Jersey with her seven-year-old son and husband.
Website: https://monaswhimsicalbooks.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
Twitter: @monaswhimsicalbooks
