Clovis Keeps His Cool

Clovis #1

by Katelyn Aronson, Eve Farb (Illustrator)

Clovis used to struggle with his temper, but ever since he took over his late grandmother’s china shop, he’s been learning how to manage it. He pours tea, listens to soothing music, and always keeps Granny’s words in mind: “Grace, grace, nothing broken to replace.”

But when rivals from his football days come to heckle him at the shop, Clovis faces a big challenge that even Granny’s words and deep breaths might not be enough for.

Readers will fall in love with Clovis’s gentle soul in this heartwarming and entertaining story about finding inner peace and second chances.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Emotion, Fiction, Friendship, Humor

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 17, 2021

About the author

Katelyn Aronson grew up in Southern California, where she went on to work in independent children's bookshops as a handseller, manager, and purchaser.

She won her first trip to Paris in a bookstore window display contest, and the rest was history. She moved to France permanently a few years later.

She has a degree in Liberal Arts, a degree in Language Didactics, and a bilingual Master’s in English/French from La Sorbonne University, Paris. Today, she lives between France and Switzerland and works as a bilingual language instructor.

She has 8 children's books in the publishing pipeline, as well as poems published in various children's magazines.

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clovis is a bull with a temper. And since he has taken over the grandmother's china shop, he tries to control it because the result would be a bull in . . . well, you get it. But Clovis finds it hard to practice anger management when some old rivals come around and start mocking him.

The story has some anger management tips and provides a reminder that sometimes a little outburst once in a while can be justified and quite effective . . . but that doesn't mean it cannot be controlled.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh wonderful! I don't know if the particular solution to the 'hecklers' would work, but *never* does losing my temper work. Even if angry, even if anger is the right response, keeping calm is much more likely to lead to some sort of solution, or at least the ability to move along.

I particularly liked that granny actually had *two* mottoes. Aronson didn't forget the other side of the issue.

And it's a cute, funny story, too. Even if a reader doesn't think it applies to him or her at all, s/he can still get a big kick out of it. Recommended.
---
I've now read the third Clovis book and, while it was good, it made me wonder if my high praise for the first was justified. Hence the reread. And yes, this is almost a five star read. More care is taken in both story and art; it just glows with the creators' dedication to gracing us with a classic.

[Kaethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely book, soothing, calming, restful. The China in the shop is lovely, the front of the China shop is especially lovely in a way most storefronts are not. I don't care for hot tea, but wold love to drop in.

Library copy.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clovis runs a China shop. Clovis is also a bull. Clovis knows full well the hidden meaning there.
He runs the shop in honor of his grandma, Grace. As big emotions cloud up his emotions, he repeats her name.
However, when the heckling of his former friends becomes too much...will Clovis keep his cool?

A book that addresses the big emotion of anger, anger-management, forgiveness, handling change, and learning from mistakes, this book is as poignant as ever. Clovis is a delightful and relatable character. I think we all see parts of ourselves in Clovis.
The illustrations seem to belong in an animated feature film, due to their extreme detail and color.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bull who owns a china shop (LOL) has to try to curb his temper when other animals make fun of him. He uses counting, chanting, yoga, and some other techniques to try to keep from getting angry with these bullies. They ultimately push too many of his buttons and he loses it. Everything ultimately ends happily. The book is good for helping children find techniques to keep from losing their tempers.

[Markeology · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this for my 8-year-old daughter because she sometimes loses her temper, but I read it before she got home from school one day and realized I needed it just as much as she did. It has a wonderful message of forgiveness and grace and turning enemies into friends. It's a beautiful book that I can wholeheartedly recommend for both children and adults.

[Erin Dealey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clovis makes keeping your cool-- COOL. Readers big or small will appreciate his grace under pressure, and what to do when hecklers --and/or life--get the best of you. A perfect read for tea parties or sports teams, classroom read-alouds, or bedtime. PS Have a cup of tea handy... : )

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised at how much I loved everything about this book. It takes the expression "bull in a china shop" to a whole new level!!! Not only that but it's a powerful story about how to manage and control your temper and even offers techniques about how to do that. My son (who struggles with some of these issues) really related to the story and loved the book. A great book to add to any collection of emotional & mental health stories.

[Roxanne (The Novel Sanctuary) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious and great message

[Christa Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learn from Clovis! He is the bomb.

[Benson Shum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clovis Keeps His Cool by Katelyn Aronson and illustrated by Eve Farb. The story is about Clovis who is a gentle soul and works at his Granny’s china shop, but his old football rivals come to taunt him. I love that Clovis repeats a phrase Granny used to say. It shows they’ve had a great relationship, and because of that he learns how to tackle his bullies head on. The illustrations are wonderful and so expressive.

[Charlotte Offsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This brand new adorable and heartwarming picture book features Clovis, a bull with a temper who happens to work in a china shop... what could possibly go wrong?! Clovis works hard to manage his temper (and the book includes some fabulous calming techniques for kids) but when some old football rivals enter the shop he looses his cool. I highly recommend this story of overcoming differences, staying calm when provoked, and making amends.

[Sophia Gholz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meet Clovis, a bull in a china shop. In this fun and heartfelt story, Clovis has to learn to control his temper while a group of bullies drops by. Kids will pick up a few tips on temper and a couple of life lessons through Aronson’s page-turning prose. This book will make a wonderful addition to every classroom, library and bookshelf. A must-have for young readers!

[Patricia Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clovis is the indeed a bull in a china shop, but with a little help from his grandmother and some old friends, he manages to take control of his temper. The illustrations of hulking animals are hilarious and create a perfect juxtaposition against the grace Clovis must master to make a go of his shop.

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A literal bull in a china shop, former football player and now tea shop owner, learns to control his anger. A fun parable, that will be useful to have in the SEL toolkit.

[DaNae · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a cliche meets SEL.

[Julie Hedlund · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hit me so hard! Yes, it’s funny but also has a huge amount of depth. I, for one, love this bull in this china shop!

[Jen Bagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the perfect combination of heart and humor. The giggles come easily as we see sweet (and huge!) Clovis tend to his Granny's china shop. But the story goes much deeper as Clovis struggles to keep his temper when bullied by old football rivals. Readers of all ages will relate to the instinct to lash out in anger and will be inspired by Clovis' ultimate choice. Aronson does a brilliant job of making a difficult subject fully accessible and when paired with Farb's rich and expressive illustrations ... it's the coolest!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clovis is a bull in a china shop - literally - he runs his granny's store in the town square, and he's never dropped a dish. But, he does have a temper, because he used to be a football player. One day he is visited by some rival players who tease him and try to make him mad, but Clovis remembers a breathing technique and keeps his cool. In fact, Clovis knows lots of ways to stay calm, but eventually the other bulls push him over the edge and he charges! His grandmother would be so disappointed - is it too late to make things right?

There are so many books about Mindfulness these days, and I really like this one because Clovis is unable to manage and has to repair and refresh, rather than maintain. A great example for the reader that mindfulness is a thing we continue to practice.

Cross posted to http://kissthebook.blogspot.com

[JaNay Brown-Wood]

This book is great for introducing readers to strategies for keeping their cool when angered, like counting to 10 or meditating (the large bull sitting crisscross applesauce in his overalls and button-up shirt while deep-breathing/meditating was one of my favorite illustrations of the book). This was a fun read! And Clovis was a very likable character!

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book about a hotheaded bull who works to control his urge to charge. The illustrations are really nice, the story moves along and is easy to follow, and it gives examples of several strategies he uses to calm himself down. George loves this book, and we’ve read it a ton.

I know a certain someone who needs to hear this book at school, so I’ll bring it in and hope for the best!

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this for the gorgeous illustrations & the message about taking control of anger + not bullying + helping to right wrongs. And the specific calm down strategies make this useful for sharing with students.

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great book about dealing with anger.

[HL · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations were great and I liked the story, but I really wanted the bullies to get their just desserts. But it did teach a lesson about forgiveness and I guess that’s a good place to start.

[Brianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

So cute, awesome illustrations, fantastic message about tempers and finding your peace. I picked it up because I loved the image of a “bull in a china shop” and was not disappointed.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent conflict-resolution

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kiddo loves this- I love it because it shows what reconciling anger can look like. Also love that my son sees how the main character “defeats” the bullies by focusing on kindness — such a great read!

[Marci · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so adorable—a bull in a China shop with a repetitive phrase about grace addresses anger & staying calm. It also includes an idyllic ending to what we wish would happen to bullies in order to become friends.

[Katherine McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great story about grace and how to pick up the broken pieces. I love this book!

[Dedra Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clovis is a big, lovable fellow who will show readers you can be tough and gentle—and cool! He also shows himself and others there's no need to bully even when you're being bullied. This is a heartfelt story about a bull in a china shop, his grandmother's memory, and how to handle mean kids while being yourself.