What Is A Witch Afraid Of? - A Children's Picture Book


BLURB:
“Why does the night have to be so dark?” the big dog named Drake gave a low bark.

Not everyone likes Halloween. In fact, the big dog named Drake is afraid of the costumes and the decorations and the dark. He really only likes the candy his boy drops.

Lucky for Drake, the old dog named Zoe is there to help him forget his fears with a fun game.

Drake and Zoe can’t wait for you to play along. 

Note From The Author to the Parents:

What Is A Witch Afraid Of? is more than a story to help children overcome
their fears. What Is A Witch Afraid Of? is a book about acknowledging a children's
fears and dealing with them in ways that do not stifle a child's imagination and
creativity. So, indulge me while I state a few ideas.

Children can easily be made to feel small and defenseless in this big
world, while at the same time, children have very vivid imaginations, which
can cause further anxiety over things that are intangible, confusing, and scary.
Therefore, how we deal with a child's fears may have tremendous implications
on how we foster, or hinder, their creative growth.

While fear can be a manifestation of imagination, so too can compassion
and empathy. Compassion is a product of the imagination as well, being able to
‘see’ ourselves in another’s shoes. So, it only stands to reason, that if we stifle
the imagination, we may be stifling the child’s potential to care for the world
around him later on. A creative mind is a terrible thing to waste.

We all know that fears or phobias cannot be easily coerced away by mere
rational or logical arguments. Instead, it seems a better approach to
acknowledge a child's fears and show him or her that you know how he or she
feels. We can try to diminish the fears by making light of it and making the
child laugh. Ah, laughter is the best medicine! I have read psychologists who
recommend playing with fears by role-playing until the child laughs or by
drawing silly pictures of the object of the fear with the same intention.

With all of this in mind, I came up with this story. I hope the idea of a big
dog being afraid of witches and ghosts is silly enough to begin with, along with
the playful Halloween-ish images and the funny rhyming patterns. But more, I
hope the games the old comes up with will be games your child can also play to
eliminate his or her own fears. Most of all, I wish for you and your child to
enjoy the story. May you laugh!


Reviews for What Are You Afraid Of?:


 This book is beautifully written with bright photos and poetry woven throughout.  The author has written in such a way that the child can identify with Drake and if he can overcome his fears then of course, the reader can... the idea of "picturing in your mind" is well put and easy to understand. I recommend this book to parents for their little ones who are still grasping at things they don't quite understand yet. As a teacher, it is always good to find a book that a child and parent can share to get life's lessons taught in a good and positive way." ~Paulette L. Harris, Teacher

“I'd say the book is an excellent children's book that teaches kids of all ages how to overcome fears and insecurities. I read "What Are You Afraid Of?" with my two children ages 10 & 12, and both enjoyed the book very much. The book seems to be one which will work for multiple age groups. Kiki Howell does an excellent job of sparking interest through the illustrations and the rhyming passages throughout the story. I would not be surprised to see many more children's books released by this multi-talented writer.” ~Emily Martinez at http://emilysfrugaltipsforclarkcounty.blogspot.com/

"I thought this book was an adorable and refreshing read. It goes over a very real problem that every child faces and gives a simple but fun way to deal with it. We are dog lovers in our house and have two ourselves, so we can also appreciate the characters and the wonderful pictures. The kids really love the rhyming especially since Mama adds the fun voices when reading it. Hopefully this was the first of many children's books we see from Kiki Howell. " ~Crystal at http://www.inspiredlangley.com/


Second Edition Available Now at Amazon in Print & Ebook