My Mouth Is A Volcano: A Picture Book About Interrupting

by Julia Cook, Carrie Hartman (Illustrator)

Teaching children how to manage their thoughts and words without interrupting.

Louis always interrupts! All of his thoughts are very important to him, and when he has something to say, his words rumble and grumble in his tummy, they wiggle and jiggle on his tongue and then they push on his teeth, right before he ERUPTS (or interrupts). His mouth is a volcano! But when others begin to interrupt Louis, he learns how to respectfully wait for his turn to talk.

My Mouth Is A Volcano takes an empathetic approach to the habit of interrupting and teaches children a witty technique to help them manage their rambunctious thoughts and words. Told from Louis’ perspective, this story provides parents, teachers, and counselors with an entertaining way to teach children the value of respecting others by listening and waiting for their turn to speak.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, School, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Counselling, Emotion

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

"In order to teach children, you must enter their view of the world."
~ Julia Cook

JULIA COOK, M.S. is a national award winning children’s author, counselor and parenting expert. She has presented in thousands of schools across the country and abroad, regularly speaks at national education and counseling conferences, and has published children’s books on a wide range of character and social development topics. The goal behind Cook’s work is to actively involve young people in fun, memorable stories and teach them to become lifelong problem solvers. Inspiration for her books comes from working with children and carefully listening to counselors, parents, and teachers, in order to stay on top of needs in the classroom and at home. Cook has the innate ability to enter the worldview of a child through storybooks, giving children both the “what to say” and the “how to say it”.

Reviews

[Linda (NOT RECEIVING NOTIFICATIONS) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Louis likes to talk.

And blab,
intrude,
spill the beans,
blather,
blurt out,
jabber,
run off at the mouth
and
yakkity-yak.

His problem followed him from school to daycare to his home. He was scolded, earned time-out and was sent to his room. The next day he went to school and two other children acted out the same way while Louis was talking; he learned what it felt like to be interrupted. This is a charming lesson by Julia Cook for children 5 and up regarding manners.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good book about children who interrupt too much, but I did not love how the boy blamed it all on his volcano mouth. He needs to take responsibility for his actions!

[Chance Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of people could learn lessons about not interrupting others, even though you really want to talk. Me included.

[Mercedé Khodadadi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good for both kids and adults who don't know they shouldn't interrupt others.

[Ashley Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect guide for young kids who have a hard time knowing when to share their important thoughts. Helps foster perspective-taking.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book about not interrupting and waiting your turn to speak.
#socialemotional #preschool

[Hugh Gleysteen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too wordy. I’m bored, let alone the 8 year old I’m trying to get to read this. There’s no sugarcoating for a kid, just a long series of anecdotes about kids in a classroom.

[Paige Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

1) This book is about a young boy named Louis, who has a problem with interrupting others when they are talking. He compares his mouth to a volcano, as it is always erupting. He interrupts the teacher, his classmates, his mom, his sister, and everyone around him. He is told many times that he shouldn't interrupt but he's convinced he can't help it. It isn't until he is doing a presentation as star student in front of the classroom when some of his classmates begin to interrupt him that he realizes the problem. He thought his classmates were being so rude, and couldn't believe that was the same thing that he was doing.
2) Age Level: 5-8 years, Grade Level: Preschool-3rd grade
3) Classroom use could be used as rules and following directions if your class is having a hard time with that.
4) Individual students who might benefit from this book would be students that have a tendency to interrupt you when you're talking and do not realize the impact it has on other people.
5) As far as small group use for this book, it could be used as a way of showing the value of respecting others and waiting their turn to talk within a conversation.
6) As far as whole group use, this book could be used if your class has not been following directions to put them in your shoes and perspective of how it feels to be interrupted and disrespected.
7) Related Books: What if Everybody Did That?, A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue, & Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun
8) Not an audible version, but there is some videos of the book on YouTube available for viewing the pictures and reading.

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was really funny

[Yuckamashe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for verbal diarrhea!

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

The idea for this book is great. I got this for my preschool class as I have a lot of interrupters, however I think this book is just a tad long for their attention spans.

[Kallen Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great metaphor- we can relate to wanting to share something instantly like bursting volcano. Learning to wait your turn it’s important. This book would be great to read early on in the school year!!

[Vickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've got a child who interrupts a lot, this could help.

[Ikoy ･ ･ﾟ*☆ ☽ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Louis is probably a gemini

[Amanda Woo · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Mouth Is a Volcano is a realistic fiction that will surely burst right out of the book! It is a book to help children manage their thoughts and words without interrupting.

Louis believes that his thoughts are of the upmost importance out of anything. His thoughts are extremely important to him that when he has something to say, his words begin to wiggle, and then they do the jiggle, then his tongue pushes all of his important words up against his teeth and he erupts by interrupting others! His mouth is a volcano! However, when others begin to interrupt Louis, he starts to learn how to respectfully wait patiently for his turn to talk. My Mouth Is a Volcano takes an empathetic approach to the habit of interrupting and teaches children a witty technique to capture their rambunctious thoughts and words for expression at an appropriate time. This story is narrated from Louis’ perspective and it provides readers with an entertaining way to teach children the value of respecting others by listening and waiting for their turn to speak.

I can see this book being used as an SEL lesson to teach students how to be patient. My Mouth is a Volcano is a great book for younger ages to learn the importance of taking turns talking and being respectful when others talk. This book could be a great introduction at the beginning of the school year to talk about rules and routines in the classroom.

[Crissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mouth is a Volcano is a “Mom’s Choice” award winning picture book aimed at elementary aged students in preschool and older. It tells about Louis, a young boy who is constantly interrupting others with his important words. It is not until he himself is interrupted during an important presentation that he realizes what his interruptions do to others. I gave this book 5 stars, and it deserves every single one of them. It is a fantastic book for life skills and manners, and is ag appropriate in every way. When Louis talks about interrupting, he calls it “erupting” just like a volcano. He is aware that he’s erupting, but believes he is unable to control it. He accepts punishment when it happens, and yet blames “his volcano.” He exaggerates time in a way that readers can relate to, and his excitement is evident when he gets the opportunity to share and be in the spotlight. Likewise, when he is interrupted during this time, his anger is understandable and relatable. The characters in the story with him are just like the friends, teachers and family members any child reading the story might have. The “a-ha” moment when he realizes how his interruptions might make others feel is communicated beautifully and the way he works with his mother to try and fix it is brilliant. The illustrations are interesting and colorful, and they hold the attention of the reader without detracting from the words. This is a must read in any classroom!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

My third grade student C wrote this book review:

I read a book called my mouth is a volcano, by Julia Cook. The book is about a boy who erupted a lot. I chose this book because it looked interesting. The AR level is 3.8.

The main character is Louis. Some other important characters are his family. Louis has like orange hair. The story takes place in his house and school.

In the beginning of the story, Louis was going to school. When he got there, he wanted to say something when the teacher was talking, he could not wait anymore that he erupted. In the middle of the story, Louis said to the class that he had been fishing. Then, Richard interrupted Louis, so the teacher scolded him. After Louis finished talking about fishing, Louis talked about when he broke his arm. Then, Courtney interrupted Louis, so the teacher scold her. When he got home, Louis told his mother about it. At the end of the story, his mother taught Louis how to not interrupt.

I like the book because it was interesting. It taught me that it is rude to interrupt. I recommend to people because it teaches how to not interrupt.

[Alicia Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want so much to like this book, but I don't and neither do my kids.

The premise is awesome and I checked it out for the second time, after many years in between, because our 4-year-old guy is a *terrible* interrupter. I had hoped that the book would be enjoyed enough that I could use terminology to re-direct him, but that didn't happen. The older kids and I take turns reading books to him before nap-time, we homeschool so this is an everyday occurrence. None of us wanted to read this to him again.

In trying to pindown the problem, I think the book is too juvenile in its most repetitive phrase. "My tummy starts to rumble and then it starts to grumble, my words begin to wiggle, and then they do the jiggle, my tongue pushes all of my important words up against my teeth and then...." is so grating that I felt annoyed at myself just for reading it aloud. And you have to read it over and over again. I just don't talk like that. It was too babyish for me.

I feel like a grump for writing this out. Ugh. I feel like I need to apologize to my kindergarten teacher.

[Julie Robinson · Rating 1 out of 5]

“My Mouth is a Volcano”. By Julia Cook
Dangerous book! Teaches discrimination against children with Tourette and Tic Disorders who suffer from vocal tics by labeling children with unexpected speech as universally “rude without consideration of their diagnosis. Perpetuates the myth that all children can inhibit speech and promotes disability harassment. No wonder more than 50% of children with Tourette engage in self-harm before the age of 18 when we teach children to be ostracized. Shame on any teacher or parent that buys this manual on disability harassment.

[Ashley Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book 5 stars because it is a great story to teach students a social skill, being respectful and not interrupting others when they are speaking. This story is a fictional story about a boy who constantly interrupts his teacher, friends, and family when they are speaking. The fictional aspect is that the boy has a “volcano” inside him. It is realistic fiction because the story could happen with children interrupting others, but the story does not really happen. It gives a great visual for children because it talks about how the boy has a volcano in his body that “erupts” and he “explodes” which is when he is interrupting others. It shows how his friends, family, and classmates get upset because he is always interrupting and the boy has it happen to him so he understands how it feels. At the end of the story the boy learns a strategy to calm his “volcano” and not interrupt others and he learns a valuable lesson.

This book is great to use in the beginning of the school year and throughout the year to teach children about being respectful to others when they are speaking. A lesson to use with this book is bring in a soda bottle and shake it up in front of the class. Ask students what would happen if you open the soda bottle right away? Next, start to open the bottle to show all of the bubbles that start to come of the top. Then as you read the story let the soda bottle sit there without opening it. At the end of the story have students discuss the theme and how we can connect this story to our own lives. Open the soda bottle and see what happens when you give something time and wait to open it. Discuss with students that it is important to wait to speak and give it a little time so that you don’t “explode.” Have students complete a writing activity where they connect to the main character and a time that they were a volcano. Then have them describe how it feels when someone was a volcano to them. Finally, have them connect what they will do to not have their mouth be a volcano. Make sure students understand different strategies they can use. This is a great book to reference throughout the year.

An extension activity would be to connect this book to an informational text about volcanoes. Students could research about what happens when a volcano erupts. They could create a diagram to show a volcano erupting. Then they can use this knowledge to explain why the author decided to say the boy had a volcano in him and it erupted. They can make inferences about why the author chose to use this analogy about the boy being a volcano and how it impacts the message in the story.

[Atiyeh]

Julia Cook’s My Mouth Is a Volcano! is a humorous and relatable picture book that addresses a common childhood behavior: interrupting. Aimed at children ages 4–8, the story follows a boy named Louis who struggles to keep his thoughts to himself and constantly bursts out with interruptions—because, as he puts it, his words “push and wiggle and jiggle” their way out of his mouth like a volcano.

Using a vivid and creative metaphor, Cook helps children visualise and understand their impulsive behaviour in a playful, non-judgmental way. Louis's "verbal eruptions" are not portrayed as malicious but as an enthusiastic inability to wait, which makes the character easy to empathise with. When Louis himself gets interrupted later in the story, he finally understands how it feels—and learns strategies for managing his impulses.

Carrie Hartman's lively and exaggerated illustrations are a perfect match for the story's energetic tone. Her cartoonish style, bright colours, and expressive characters add to the humour while also reinforcing the book’s message. Kids will laugh at Louis’s over-the-top outbursts while absorbing important social skills about listening and patience.

What sets this book apart is its ability to teach without preaching. The tone remains light and fun, even as it delivers a clear, practical message. The book also provides a useful springboard for parents, teachers, and counsellors to talk with children about self-control and respectful communication.

Pros:

Engaging and funny metaphor that resonates with kids

Empathetic and relatable main character

Energetic, colourful illustrations that enhance the story

Teaches a valuable social skill in a non-critical way

Cons:

The story may feel repetitive to older readers

Could benefit from more concrete strategies for self-regulation

Overall Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)

My Mouth Is a Volcano! is a fun and effective tool for teaching children about interrupting and the importance of listening. Julia Cook’s imaginative storytelling and Carrie Hartman’s dynamic illustrations make it both entertaining and educational—ideal for home or classroom use.

[Hailey Henley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book because I feel as if it is a great tool to use if your child has issues controlling the time they talk (like most tend too). The little boy in this book just cannot contain himself and interrupts people every time he has something to say. He does not realize that what he is doing can be disruptive in class or rude to others trying to speak. Of course his peers, teachers, and family all tell him he needs to stop interrupting because it is rude but he continues to do it anyway. That is until one day he gets interrupted he realizes he does not like it at all. Later that day when he goes home he tells his mom that story and she basically says now you know how we all feel. So from that day on he learns to no longer interrupt people and to wait his turn to speak.

The illustrations in this book are different in the sense that all the characters heads are drawn to big for their bodies. I always find that interesting because it is not the same size to them like how characters are typically drawn. I also thought it was interesting how the author never used words like "self-control" or anything like that when he would reference the child talking out of turn he always would say "oh that's my volcano" and I thought that was a unique way to explain it. It made the story more fun, imagine a child walking around saying oh sorry it's my volcano talking, that would be quite funny. Also, the author bolds words over some of the images to emphasizes what the character is saying, and I thought that was interesting because its showing how he kind of yells over other people when they are talking. This book would definitely be a good source to use to read to your child if they are having problems with interrupting people, its a good way to show them that they probably wouldn't like it if someone did it to them.

[Krystal McGee · Rating 5 out of 5]

1. This story is about Louis and how he learns to deal with his “volcanic mouth.” Louis has a hard time not interrupting. He does it with his friends, his parents, and even at school. When he feels the rumble and grumble in his stomach, and the words wiggling and jiggling in his mouth, he can’t stop his words from exploding out. This tends to get him in trouble. Soon, Louis’ friends start to interrupt him, and he doesn’t like it one bit. One night, his mom sits him down and shows him how to control his words until there is a more appropriate time to speak them. The next time Louis’ stomach begins to rumble and grumble, he uses the technique his mother taught him. Does it work? Read the story to find out.

2. The running theme in this book is the bad habit of interrupting and learning about self-control.

3. As a parent, I've realized children think everything they have to say is important and needs to be said immediately. While I do believe their words are important, it is imperative they learn how to control the impulse to speak out. I read this book to my children and it was a great conversation starter about interrupting and ways to control it.

4. I recommend this book because it shows both sides of being interrupted; the person interrupting and being the person that is interrupted. It gives children insight into the feelings of both scenarios. I think it will help children learn self-control when it comes to talking out of turn.

[Pablo Enrique · Rating 3 out of 5]

This picture book tackles the very common childhood habit of interrupting. It follows a boy named Louis, whose "volcano" mouth constantly erupts with words at inopportune times, until he finally learns how it feels to be on the receiving end.

The book's central message about the importance of waiting one's turn and listening to others is undeniably valuable. The story effectively uses a relatable scenario—having Louis experience being interrupted himself—to foster empathy and understanding in young readers.

However, I did have some reservations about the specific coping mechanism the book suggests. The advice to "bite down hard" to hold back words, while well-intentioned, struck me as potentially problematic. It felt imprecise for a young audience and could be misinterpreted in ways that might lead to unintended physical habits, like teeth grinding or even accidentally biting one's tongue. When it comes to giving children physical instructions, precision is key, and this particular suggestion gave me pause.

On a purely stylistic note, the artwork wasn't to my personal taste. It's very quirky and energetic, which fits the book's theme, but I tend to prefer a less outrageous visual style. This is simply a matter of preference, however, as the illustrations are certainly dynamic.

Overall, this is a serviceable book that effectively addresses an important social skill. While I had some concerns about the specific advice offered, it gets its core job done.

[Sydney Wilt · Rating 4 out of 5]

"My Mouth Is a Volcano!" is a clever and engaging story that helps children understand the importance of listening and waiting their turn to speak. The book follows Louis, a young boy who struggles with blurting out his thoughts. He says they "erupt" from his mouth like a volcano! Through a relatable and humorous narrative, Julia Cook highlights a common childhood behavior: interrupting. Louis learns empathy and self-control when he experiences how it feels to be interrupted himself. The story provides simple strategies kids can use to manage their impulses, such as "biting down on their words" and counting slowly in their heads.

This story is an excellent choice for my classroom because the story of Louis, a boy who can't seem to hold his thoughts in, introduces students to the concept of self-control using the vivid and memorable metaphor of a "volcano mouth." This imagery helps young learners better understand their own impulsive behavior and gives them practical tools to manage it. The story also encourages empathy, as Louis experiences what it's like to be interrupted himself, allowing students to reflect on how their actions affect others. The language is engaging, repetitive, and easy for students to remember, which makes it useful for teachers to reference throughout the day when reinforcing behavior expectations. Additionally, the book supports key social-emotional learning goals like emotional regulation, empathy, and respectful communication.

[Erin Hirsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Louise is a boy who has so much to say that it bursts out of his mouth at the most inconvenient times. At home, at school, and even at daycare! His words just won't hold back. That is, until he's giving a presentation at school and some of his friends interrupt him! Then he realizes how much his words impact others.

Not only was this a relatable and funny story about a child who has so much to say, it was a glimpse into the perspective of a child who finds it hard to control what he calls his "important words". We've all been there! What I liked most about this story is the fact that it not only focuses on the impact that Louise has with his words, but also that it recognizes Louise's feelings and troubles. His mom lets Louise know how others might feel while being interrupted, but she also gives him a way to cope with his feelings in a way that he understands. As much as this story is funny and light-hearted, I think it can be a really good learning experience for elementary school age kids. On another note, though the illustrations weren't my favorite style, they did a wonderful job at giving context and making the story fun for the readers. I loved the scenes where Louise's volcano "explodes" and his mouth is open incredibly wide, almost like he can't control it. I think its a good way of showing what it might feel like to kids! Overall, I really liked this book.

[Taya Boston · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story of a young boy who often speaks out of turn or says things that may not be appropriate at that time. Noodle is the main character who often is being reminded to wait before blurting. He learns that before he says something that he feels it beginning in his stomach before it erupts out of his mouth. The story helps to show Noodle that he also does not like it when others interrupt him and this is the beginning of his turn around to mange is own actions. Noodle learns that he can wait and that this helps others around him too. The story creates a great visual of what blurting feels like for a person and this allows for it to be recognized and managed. This book is well written and the author really uses already identified concepts of social awareness issues to bring alive with her words and pictures. The book is a great teaching tool that is also fun to read. This book would make an excellent tool in the classroom to use either with a social skills program or in isolation. It would be great to uses with the whole class to help build common language about blurting and interrupting. The book really is written for use within the school setting but would also be a great bridging resource between school and home.

[Paige Blair]

This story is about Louis and how he always interrupts! His mouth is a volcano, and his words are very important to him so when he has something to say, his words rumble and grumble in his tummy, they wiggle and jiggle on his tongue and then they push on his teeth, right before he ERUPTS! Louis goes through some obstacles and sees why it's important not to interrupt and the importance of being patient! The main character is Louis and the setting is his school, daycare, and home. The illustrations are cartoonish and use lots of action words to emote and describe how Louis is feeling. This book is a great aid for the talkative and social students in class or the students who struggle with listening. This book not only shows perspective but gives resources on how students can prevent themselves from interrupting and how to be patient and attentive. I think this book can promote an inclusive classroom because it shows how different everyone can be when it comes to their thinking and what they want to say and how it's important we listen and are attentive to everyone. Also, this is a great inclusive book because children with autism can struggle with back-and-forth conversation so this could be a good representation for them.

[Mikhail Seymour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: Louis is a young boy who speaks without having permission to talk and will interrupt his teachers, friends, and family. He gets in trouble for this at school and at home and is told to wait his turn, but he can’t help his mouth from “erupting.” When Louis is presenting his Star Student poster, Rude Richard and Rude Courtney interrupt him, and he gets very upset. After telling his mother what happened, his mother shares that other people feel that way when his mouth erupts while they are talking. His mother teaches him how to breathe in his words to prevent his mouth from erupting like a volcano, and it works!

The major themes of this book are growing up, identity, anger, and family.

I enjoyed this book as it can teach children a lesson on how it is rude to interrupt people and teaches kids how to stop themselves from interrupting others. Additionally, I enjoyed the pictures and fun words used throughout this book.

I recommend this book, because it teaches kids a very important lesson and gives children a solution to the problem. Teachers could benefit from reading this book to their class if they are having trouble with kids speaking out of turn.

[Niharika · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Mouth Is A Volcano is an interesting read. It has repetitive text which makes it suitable for all age groups to read. It's about Louis who like a volcano erupts be it in class or at home. Louis is so fond of speaking that he doesn't wait for his turn and starts blabbering. This irritates his teachers and friends in school. Even at home, when his parents are speaking to each other. His volcano mouth starts erupting which causes unease among his parents. However, Louis learns a lesson when he has to deliver a speech in class. He was looking forward to this day and has been preparing hard for it. To his dismay, his friends start interrupting while Louis is speaking. Louis finds his friends rude and understands how someone feels when he interrupts them. Finally, Louis realizes that when thoughts pop into his head his tummy feels jumpy. Then, he needs to take a mindful breath and wait for his turn to respond. A valuable lesson that his mother taught him.
At dinner time, Louis's sister had something important to share. Louis was about to erupt but then he reminded himself to pause to breathe. After that, Louis spoke his heart out.