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Calm Down, Coco
Coco pounces, Coco breaks.
Calm down, Coco!
Take three deep breaths.
When the rambunctious Coco the cat acts out, her wise mouse friend demonstrates a variety of ways that she can channel her energy and self-regulate her emotions.
Key
• This social-emotional board book provides a fun way for parents, caregivers, and teachers to introduce and reinforce calming techniques that young children can use when they are feeling stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed.
• Young readers can learn, mimic, and practice deep breathing, counting, yoga poses, and other self-regulation strategies along with Coco.
• The bright, graphic illustrations and simple, sparse text are ideal for babies, toddlers, and youngsters just learning to read.
Youngsters will enjoy following along with the two animal friends while learning key lessons about impulse control and relaxation that will serve them for years to come.
Calm down, Coco!
Take three deep breaths.
When the rambunctious Coco the cat acts out, her wise mouse friend demonstrates a variety of ways that she can channel her energy and self-regulate her emotions.
Key
• This social-emotional board book provides a fun way for parents, caregivers, and teachers to introduce and reinforce calming techniques that young children can use when they are feeling stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed.
• Young readers can learn, mimic, and practice deep breathing, counting, yoga poses, and other self-regulation strategies along with Coco.
• The bright, graphic illustrations and simple, sparse text are ideal for babies, toddlers, and youngsters just learning to read.
Youngsters will enjoy following along with the two animal friends while learning key lessons about impulse control and relaxation that will serve them for years to come.
24 pages, Board Book
Published October 28, 2025
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 13, 2025
When a rambunctious cat causes mayhem around the house, it’s time to implement some calming strategies. With beautiful and inviting illustrations, readers learn to count to 10, do a yoga pose, or wrap in a blanket to calm themselves. This is a heartwarming story that is perfectly relatable. It’s a wonderful reminder to the little ones and fun to read, too!
November 15, 2025
"Calm Down, Coco" (Board Book) by Joan Waites
This book is an absolutely perfect and invaluable resource for toddlers and young children learning how to recognize and manage big feelings. It earns the highest rating because it successfully translates a complex social-emotional learning concept into a simple, relatable, and visually engaging format suitable for the target age group
Why 5/5? Essential Social-Emotional Learning
Direct and Relatable Theme: The book focuses entirely on Coco the little monkey (or similar character) dealing with a moment of overwhelming frustration or anger (the "meltdown"). This situation is universally recognizable to both children and parents.
Practical Coping Strategy: Instead of just naming the emotion, the book introduces a simple, actionable strategy for calming down (e.g., taking a deep breath, hugging a toy, counting). It gives children a concrete tool they can immediately apply.
Perfect Board Book Format:
Durability: Board books are designed to withstand little hands and repeated reading.
Visual Appeal: The illustrations are bright, clear, and expressive, making Coco's emotions easy to identify and discuss.
Concise Text: The language is minimal, rhythmic, and easy to memorize, which aids in comprehension and routine reading.
Excellent Parenting Tool: This book is fantastic for parents and caregivers, offering a non-confrontational way to talk about feelings and introduce self-regulation techniques before a crisis occurs.
Conclusion:
"Calm Down, Coco" is a must-have addition to any toddler's library. It's more than just a cute story; it's a foundational lesson in emotional intelligence delivered effectively and with great charm. It helps kids and adults alike navigate the messy reality of big, powerful feelings.
This book is an absolutely perfect and invaluable resource for toddlers and young children learning how to recognize and manage big feelings. It earns the highest rating because it successfully translates a complex social-emotional learning concept into a simple, relatable, and visually engaging format suitable for the target age group
Why 5/5? Essential Social-Emotional Learning
Direct and Relatable Theme: The book focuses entirely on Coco the little monkey (or similar character) dealing with a moment of overwhelming frustration or anger (the "meltdown"). This situation is universally recognizable to both children and parents.
Practical Coping Strategy: Instead of just naming the emotion, the book introduces a simple, actionable strategy for calming down (e.g., taking a deep breath, hugging a toy, counting). It gives children a concrete tool they can immediately apply.
Perfect Board Book Format:
Durability: Board books are designed to withstand little hands and repeated reading.
Visual Appeal: The illustrations are bright, clear, and expressive, making Coco's emotions easy to identify and discuss.
Concise Text: The language is minimal, rhythmic, and easy to memorize, which aids in comprehension and routine reading.
Excellent Parenting Tool: This book is fantastic for parents and caregivers, offering a non-confrontational way to talk about feelings and introduce self-regulation techniques before a crisis occurs.
Conclusion:
"Calm Down, Coco" is a must-have addition to any toddler's library. It's more than just a cute story; it's a foundational lesson in emotional intelligence delivered effectively and with great charm. It helps kids and adults alike navigate the messy reality of big, powerful feelings.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews