And

by Kerri Monnerat

"And? And is just one word. How is that helpful?"
 
Bobby is getting ready to go away to summer camp for the first time and is having a lot of feelings all at once. He's excited, but he's also scared and worried. These confusing, big feelings are causing Bobby to feel terrible and act out, even being mean to his best friend, Milo.
 
Luckily, Milo remembers feeling the same way when he first went to summer camp, that is, until he learned the power of AND . He shares his experience and what he has learned with Bobby and helps his friend overcome his fear.
 
AND is a book about feelings, friendship, grace, and permission to feel multiple, conflicting feelings all at once.

38 pages, Hardcover

Published September 1, 2022

About the author

Kerri Monnerat has been a professional educator for over 30 years. She is an award-winning teacher, performer, and director. In her career, she has directed and choreographed over 150 musicals, created curriculums, and served as a board member for theaters in both Los Angeles and Denver. Most recently, she was Executive Director of the Colorado Children’s Theatre (CCT), a musical theater and performance school with four schools and hundreds of students in the Denver and Foothill areas of Colorado.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aimed at children, with an idea helpful to all. Who would guess the small change from BUT to AND could make so much difference to our attitude and emotional well-being. I liked the setting of the story to explain this beneficial change. The art work matched perfectly. The worksheets and activities at the end are an added bonus, and a further chance to internalise this change in thinking. Thank you to Kettlepot Press, BookBuzz.net and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty competently done – if not exactly pretty – this concerns two kids, one of whom cannot work out why he is turning against the idea of summer camp so strongly. The other one tells him about the AND – instead of thinking you are (a) BUT (b), or this BUT that, it is better to have an AND – as Kermode and Mayo have long told us. So you – and others – can have a closer, more accepting relationship with all the dualities in you, recognising, say, fear AND excitement, a MENSA membership AND a potty mouth. It does actually seem a convincing way to get a better handle on all your emotions, and working out how they feed into and off each other.

Visually this likes the near-empty double-page spread, and taking our eye for a walk across other spreads. It's a short read, padded out by activities and creative lesson components, and a letter from the author (or one of them). With its talk of changing language I felt this might be something really wokely objectionable, but even with zero evidence as to whether it would really work and change anyone or anything, I don't think there's a major reason to dissuade people experiencing this.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

AND is more than just a children's book; it's a powerful reminder for readers of all ages that it's natural to feel conflicting emotions and that true friends can help us navigate through tough times. Bobby's about to embark on a new adventure at summer camp, but he's got a whirlwind of feelings swirling inside him – excitement, fear, and worry all at once. It's making him feel terrible, and unfortunately, he's taking it out on his best friend Milo. But don't worry; Milo's got the perfect solution – the power of AND. This book is a beautiful exploration of feelings and friendship, teaching us that it's okay to experience multiple emotions all at once.

[Abigail L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The power of a single word becomes the key to unlocking the emotions of young readers. Bobby, getting ready for summer camp, is overwhelmed with a mix of excitement, fear, and worry. As these big feelings start to take a toll on his behavior, he finds himself being mean to his best friend Milo. Lucky for Bobby, Milo has experienced the same emotions before and knows the secret to managing them – the power of AND. This heartwarming book beautifully explores the complexities of feelings and the importance of friendship.