I Can Handle It

Mindful Mantras #1

by Laurie Wright

Korean edition of [I Can Handle It] by Laurie Wright. Your children will incorporate the mindful mantra 'I Can Handle It' almost immediately after reading this book. In a tough situation, they will think 'I can handle it', and when they are dealing with tough emotions, they will think 'I can handle it!'. Even if they aren't saying the words out loud, if they learn and practice this mantra it will become a part of their self-talk. Korean edition translated by Choi Eun Ha.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Emotion, Mental Health, Parenting, Kids, Fiction

Hardcover

First published March 27, 2017

About the author

Children's author and publishing coach, Laurie Wright is a silly but smart, busy mom of three who laughs at her own jokes just a bit too much. The minivan is her sanctuary, and the only place she can sing out loud without being shushed. She’s known for her short term memory and extreme love of chips and dip. Usually on her best behavior, watch out when her filter wears off! Never without her laptop and a notebook. Trust her with your kids and your books, but not your coffee!

Reviews

[Rachel Nicole Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can handle this!

This is an inspiring and encouraging book. I really love the illustrations throughout and the message that it represents. I think this will give children confidence that they can handle whatever comes their way :)

xo
Rach

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure if I can handle it, but this little guy is ready for everything life throws his way.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

A reminder that no matter what happens a person can handle it. Wright offers a variety of ways to cope with each emotion/situation for this young person to handle.

[BreeAnn (She Just Loves Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! If you have a child or know a child, who gets annoyed with a sibling, frustrated with themselves, angry with a parent, or has a variety of other emotions…

Oh wait. That’s every kid. So, every child should have this book!

I Can Handle It provides real advice that is quick to digest and easy to understand for children, but it does so in an adorable and humorous way!

We follow Sebastien as he goes through a whole bunch of emotions individually. He questions if he can handle each one, then provides a few ideas on how he can handle it.

I loved the short descriptions of the issue. They are extremely relatable to children. It’s situations like losing one shoe or frustration with a sibling. Then the following page provides ideas that are funny but are also real advice. For the shoe, we can take out a lost ad in the newspaper…or wear another pair… As I read this with my kids, I was giggling right along with them, but also having wonderful conversations about what good ideas these are.

The illustrations are absolutely adorable. They fit each situation perfectly, but also provide just the right amount of humor. For the “wear another pair” solution from above, Sebastien is putting on a pair of elf shoes. It’s funny, but the kids also completely understood that they could put an actual other pair of shoes on. We loved looking at each illustration. They were all great!

Overall, this was a book that both of my children and I enjoyed immensely. We initially read this because I was provided a copy to review, so it was one of our bedtime books. Afterward, though, I knew this was going to become a tool in our emotional toolbox. So, I Can Handle It now sits on the bottom shelf of my bookshelf where we keep easy-to-grab books about emotions for when we are frustrated! Everyone should have this on their shelf too.

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

My full review of this book will be on my blog on 2/1/21.
All of my children's book reviews can be found at
https://shejustlovesbooks.com/all-chi...

[Melanie Carr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Missing deeper substance

I read this book keeping in mind a specific student. This book is a well written and thoughtful book. The illustrations are very sweet. For me, it’s just missing a brief explanation of consequence and the perceived disrespect when emotions can’t be controlled. I think it’s ok to let the child know that when he’s not “handling it” he needs to take a time out to reflect and regain control.

[Dora D · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disgusting

I’m really surprised that this book got so many positive reviews. It’s encouraging to put children to bed and let them cry out before the bed time. Really??? Absolutely rubbish. Waste of time. You will be better off finding your child some positive and full of love books.

[Angela Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Can Handle It! Offers a Wonderful Opportunity to Discuss Choices in Coping with Frustrations. The author presents many common frustrations that children face, from boredom to little sibling irritations. When you first read through her character's brainstormed solutions--you will find an assortment of solutions on each page. Some terrible ideas are presented--along with some more reasonable possibilities as well. While I am not sure that most young children would benefit from this book without some adult guidance and conversation--I can say that the book is a simple, much-needed introduction to coping with emotions and decision making.

I Can Handle It! is Easy to Read and Relatable. I would love to say that no child should ever feel that crying herself to sleep is her only option when sad at bedtime--but the reality is: many do because they do not yet know how to do something more positive. I don't think my daughter really ever wanted to turn her little sister into a puppy when she was bored--but I do expect the fantasy thought crossed her mind a few times! The book is short, easy to read with realistic challenges that kids face--and many options for them to consider (and weigh with a caregiver, teacher, or parent).

Would I Recommend I Can Handle It! by Laurie Wright? This book may be a short, little children's book that you can read with your child in just a few minutes--but it offers a lot more in terms of teaching valuable life lessons. If you actually sit down and discuss the content as you read the pages and spend time discussing Sebastian's thoughts and ideas as he tries to cope with his everyday challenges--you will likely be able to revisit this book again and again as your child grows and develops. I liked that the author presented silly coping choices--and some darker ones--because it offers families many opportunities to discuss decision-making and positive thinking. I have not seen other books from this series yet--but, I am interested in checking them out. I don't think I would recommend this as a read-alone book for little ones because I think the book's real value is to help children learn to weed out the bad decisions in favor of more positive ones. I would recommend it to parents, caregivers or teachers seeking to open some doors with children learning to cope with daily life's ups and downs.

I think that every child needs to have more of the I Can Do It! confidence level, but he needs to know that "I" can also include a supportive adult to help them work through difficult emotions!

I received a copy of this book from the author or publisher for use in a blog review. All opinions are my own.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rating but I round up

This is the first book I’ve read in the Mindful Mantras series by Laurie Wright. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I must admit I didn’t set my thoughts high enough on the scale.

The illustrations keep the book light, though the text is far deeper. It reinforces positive, empowering thoughts, rather than negative, as immediate reactions to situations.

As I mentioned, this book was much more than I expected. While the content could have felt like preaching, the addition of humor made it feel very child-friendly. Plus the illustrations brought the text to life. Here is an example:
The boy mentions that he's disappointed when he wants a pet but isn't allowed to have one. But he can
1. pretend his sister is a pet
2. Make one
3. Play with his friend's pet and his friend can play with his sister

He then decides he can handle it.

Just imagine the illustrations Ana Santos was able to contribute to this text. Your little one is sure to be left smiling. But you will be able to reinforce the point that there are options. All of the fun examples in the book offer opportunities to stop and talk about various options children might consider.

Each concern is similar to the example above. Fun, but something easily relatable. And the ending should please all children.

I Can Handle It immediately piqued my interest in the Mindful Mantras series. Whether adult or child, positive mantras need to take the place of the negative chatter that can worm its way into our thoughts.

If you have young children or are in a position to share with kids, this would be a good addition to any library.

My thanks to iRead Book Tours and the author for a review copy. I was free to post whatever my opinion was of the book.

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Can Handle It is a cute children's book written from the POV of a little boy named Sebastian. I'd say he's about five years of age or so. He's learning to deal with some new feelings, and he comes up with creative ways to "handle" different feelings and situations. Some of his ideas are silly and a bit over-dramatic (like crying himself to sleep because he doesn't want to go to bed).
And, as parents know, kids are always overly dramatic, especially at that age. As the parent to a five year old son on the spectrum and a teenage boy, I know all about big feelings and having to learn to deal with them right along with my kids.
I found this book to be fun and silly, and it's a good way for parents to talk to their kids about their feelings. Parents can help their child come up with their own creative solutions for dealing with things like shame, boredom, and disappointment. It's also a good way to discuss how normal it is to have negative feelings. It's okay to be cranky and frustrated sometimes.
The illustrations that accompany the story are adorable and fun to look at. They bring to life Sebastian's silly ideas for dealing with his emotions, and I think kids will enjoy that.
While not all of Sebastian's solutions are meant to be taken seriously (they're meant to be a bit ridiculous because kids tend to sensationalize things), there are some good ideas within the pages for helping kids understand negative emotions.
5 stars from me!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Can Handle It! is the perfect book to help young ones especially in this time of pandemic. And its message is helpful for both young and old!

Sebastian is a young boy who goes through various emotions, for example, being sad when his best friend is mad at him or frustrated when adults don't listen. He then goes through various scenarios about how he will handle them. Some are funny or silly and others are simple but powerful solutions on dealing with these emotions or situations. I love that the author names specific emotions, such as annoyed, ashamed, miserable and cranky. This helps children recognize and voice how they are feeling in an intellectual way rather than just feel the emotion in a physical way. When a child learns how to be specific about what he/she is feeling, such as "I am feeling lonely" or "I am feeling scared", then these specific emotions can be addressed as well as their underlying cause.

I was truly impressed by this book. With a few sentences, it demonstrates to a child that when problems arise there are ways of coping and dealing with them and it's up to us to choose how to handle them. "I can handle it": four small words that can help us believe in ourselves. I'm a big fan of positive psychology. The earlier in life we learn how to positive self-talk the better it is for our mental health.

I Can Handle It! is an excellent resource book and would make a good addition to any home or school library. Highly recommended.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found another good book. This one is to help with your mental health. Though it is for children. The adult may enjoy it as well. It has a Mindful Mantra that may help you or your child or children how to handle tricky situations. It is called “I Can Handle It!”

This book is a good read and teaches you how to handle some situations that you may end up in your children. It deals with some different emotions that everyone goes through. It is easy to read. Parents will want this to read to their children to help with improving their confidence.

This will help your child or children with difficult emotions and with some of their problems. This book may have some ideas to help them to deal with some of the problems that they may have. The pictures are done well. It was written well.

Parents can read this to their child or children. They will learn to practice these Mantas or saying I Can Handle it as they read it. They will have this to fall back on after they read and reread this book. It is a wonderful teachable book. I enjoy the pictures. They show off some things that we can do to solve some of our emotions that are hard to express or deal with.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose to read this book after receiving a free copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I Can Handle It! is not only a cute book and fun to read, but it can help children to handle anything. It should help them to incorporate the “I can handle it” mantra into their lives. Even now, I remember the frustration I felt sometimes as a child when upset or cranky and not knowing how to deal with it. This book has great suggestions for children to try and handle anything on their own!

Each issue starts with I’m when... For example: I’m sad when my best friend is mad at me. I can handle it. The next page lists ways Sebastien comes up with to deal with the issue. In this case: I can give him a hug. I can try to make him laugh. I can draw a picture! I can handle it. Each suggestion has a picture of Sebastien acting it out. It’s adorable! Not all of Sebastien’s solutions are serious. Some may cause a giggle or two, but that makes the book more fun!

I highly recommend I Can Handle it! It’s a great resource, and it’s easy to read so that children can go back to it again and again.

[Joey · Rating 5 out of 5]

During the Covid-19 pandemic, many of us felt symptoms of depression and anxiety. The urge to know when things would get better, to see fill the separation void of being unable to see our loved ones. This book focuses on how to better our mental health by providing positive self-thoughts to deal with the different emotions that we might encounter. In psychology, we are taught that it takes 7 days to form a habit and most importantly children learn through repetition. By instilling the thought of "I can handle this" and believe it, it boosts the confidence behind moving past these difficult situations. While the illustrations were very light in literary elements, they are very colorful. With support from the text, it provides a much deeper meaning. The repetition allows for children to remember what to do the next time that they are facing an emotional situation. As a child, this would have been a great for me to read to learn that not every emotion needs to be taken seriously. A person experiencing anxiety will constantly repeat the trigger in their head, leading to overthinking, and then leading to even more anxiety.

[Kimmie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Love Hedgehogs! (Okay now that I have that out of my system…)
Sebastien is a typical kid dreaming up some funny ideas of how he could accomplish things. It brought to mind the adage “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again.” I really enjoyed Laurie Wrights’s style of writing and I can see my classroom of kids loving how it speaks their language. The illustrations also added another element of cuteness and engagement geared towards kids. From Sebastien’s best friend (who is a Hedgehog) to all the creative ways he thinks of ways to handle situations Laurie Wright emphasizes that kids can do things and she leads them to some really helpful ways to process how to do them.

I think that this book is one every kid needs to read and grasp the concepts of. It helps take “I Can’t” out of their dictionaries and replaces it with “I Can Handle It." I HIGHLY recommend this book and give it 5 out of 5 stars.

*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.

[Cynthia Gutzwiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this well written Laurie Wright book. Young children, as well as older children should like these coping skills book. When adults are not around and when kids will not say what is wrong they need something to do to get them through, I Can Handle It, is a great book for this time.
Sebastian is sad because his best friend made him mad. He gave a hug and Then tried to make him laugh and then he drew a picture. He is not sad any more, I Can Handle It.
He is frustrated when adults don't listen to him sometimes. He tried saying, Excuse me. He writes a letter. Then he told someone else. I can handle it.
What does he do when he is upset or discouraged? You will need a photo of your young one or a pencil or crayon for the back of the book. Wonder why? Your will have to look and read to find out. I can handle that.
I found this book on a website for free for an honest review.

[Elizabeth Ryder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a boy named Sebastian and how he handles different things in life. He talks about simple tips for when a friend is mad at him, when adults are frustrated at him, when adults won't listen to him, or when his sister is bugging him. It gives tips like, saying "Excuse me," or asking politely. I think it's main theme is teaching kids that they can handle it when things don't go their way, and how to do so. Kids often have melt downs when they don't get their way and I chose this book because I thought it was a cute way to teach them how to regulate their emotions at school or home. I personally liked it because I felt like growing up it would have been a useful tool in my classrooms. I recommend it because it's lighthearted and teaches kids to not take things so seriously when they don't get what they want, and how to manage those emotions.

[Lily Ovens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book follows Sebastien and all of the problems and difficult emotions he faces throughout the day. However, no matter what situation he is in, he has a positive attitude and he lists out things he can do in order to change his emotion, or he looks at the brighter side of things.

This would be an amazing book to use to help kids learn how to deal with their feelings and the right responses to a bad situation. An activity to do with this book is to have kids make posters or brainstorming webs using the bad emotion/situation and surrounding that with ways to respond or things they can do in order to get out of that situation.

Wright, L., & Santos, A. (2016). I can handle it! Laurie Wright.

[Connie Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for all parents and children. I read this book with my 7 and 9 year old sons. Each page presents a "obstacle" that a child may face. For example - "I feel ashamed when I do something wrong - Can I handle it?" Then there are several different ways they can react. For this question - the options are: I can draw an I'm sorry picture, I can do chores without being asked for once, I can go to my room and stay there until I'm 80, or I can handle it. It really made my children think each and every scenario and we went over each answer and compared it. My 7 year old can get overwhelmed quite easily - and I have seen him reading this book on his own.
I received a copy of this book through IRead book tours - all thoughts are my own.

[LAWonder10 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a clever, whimsical and helpful book for very young children - and even for the older ones.

I Can Handle It focuses on the various situations in an individual's life and various scenarios one can use to deal with each one....Some are silly, but most are great suggestions.

At the end of the story is a page where the child can personalize the books. It contains a wonderful author's message, the two blank pages which can also be used to personalize the book.

The simple, whimsical illustrations by Ana Santos, are large and simple enough, young children will love and be more able to stay focused on. They are very, pleasingly colorful.

*This book was gifted me with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review.

[Lisa's Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Children may be small but they have grown-up size feelings. They get frustrated, angry, sad, and all the other feelings that adults feel. The difference in them and adults is that they don’t yet understand how to deal with their feelings.

Children need to be taught good coping mechanisms in order to handle all the problems that life throws at them. The best way to teach them is by stories that relate to their real-life situations. This book does that.

I loved the book and think that it’s a great teaching book. But, it’s also fun and has some great humor. I love all the references to his little sister. The artwork is great, too. The illustrator captures many of the expressions that children regularly make.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Can Handle It is a great children's book, especially when a child may be feeling frustrated or annoyed. I chose it due to the high reviews, and I can see reading this to my kinders as well as to children up to the second grade. Heck, I'm an adult and I enjoyed it! It takes many situations that are likely to happen to children, and follows with "I can handle it!" It shows that situations that seem out-of-control truly aren't. This is a fiction book in the sense that the pictures are cartoons, but it's very nonfiction in the way that the situations are presented. I would read this book to my students every couple of weeks to remind them that we try our best and we can handle anything!

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

• I think this book is extremely motivational. A lot of times I can get caught up in the moment of my distress and focus on that rather than pursuing a solution to the problem. Even when Sebastien felt most discouraged, he analyzed the situation and brainstormed ideas. This book was encouraging to me and I will one day read it to my students. I would definitely recommend it to others because it is moving.
• I would give this book 5 stars.
• Three words I would use to describe this book: powerful, motivational, encouraging.

[Peter J. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought it would have mantras

I thought this would be a more positive book with some nice mantras/affirmations for kids. Instead it talks about what you can do in many situations for kids. Like “when my friend is mad at me I can...” and gives options. Sometimes it’s okay to just be sad and not do anything about it, but that’s not in this book. Also, when the child says he did something and felt ashamed, one of the options was go to his room and stay there until he’s 80. I didn’t find this a great book for kids, sorry.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Can Handle It is part of the Mindful Mantras series by Laurie Wright. I thought it was a great little book for younger readers. I thought it taught a good and valuable lesson that the children are able to take care of any situation. It is a great way for them to have new ideas on how to deal tough times in the future. They will be able to say they can handle it. I think it is a good way to help with their mental health. Especially, during this difficult time the world is experiencing at this very moment.

I really enjoyed the illustrations in I Can Handle It. Ana Santos’s talent shines through in the pictures throughout the book. They followed the story perfectly. The pages were so beautiful and vibrant that would catch any young reader’s eye. I adored the colorful pictures on every single page.

I Can Handle It is getting a very well deserved five plus stars from me. I highly recommend it for young readers of all ages, especially for those that four to nine years old. I think many that have displayed some feelings of not being confidant on making certain decisions. It would be a perfect tool to show that they really can handle it. I will be looking for more books by Laurie Wright and her Mindful Mantras series in the future.

I received I Can Handle It from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for younger children (ages 3-5). It suggests things children can do when faced with seemingly overwhelming feelings (frustration, sadness, annoyance, etc.). It is a valuable resource to help children build confidence.

The book is well-written, and the colorful illustrations perfectly match the words. I love that some suggestions are silly, thus helping the child to learn not to take everything so seriously and to have a more positive attitude. It teaches a mantra that is perfect for children - and adults: I can handle it!

I highly recommend this book for young readers.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for all Kids

I really enjoyed reading this book with my son who is a struggling reader. This was a nice book to read for those who struggle reading but want a no babyish book. This is a bit on the long side and some of the words are long. The repetition of phrases and words will help a child with confidence. Good topic, especially for the child who might struggle with self control of emotions.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a light-hearted way to show children how, even in situations they feel uncomfortable in, they can handle themselves and their emotions. Beautifully illustrated by Ana Santos, I loved the book's creativity and sometimes funny ideas for coping with situations, and my nieces and I had great discussions about ways they'd handle the situations too. I'd highly recommend these books to any children, but especially those who find unusual situations uncomfortable.

[Augusta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for a Read Aloud inside a kindergarten classroom. It shows the main character facing many challenges and trying to figure out a way of handling all of them on his own. The important message is: "I am able to handle this, no matter how complicated it sounds". I actually read this book to my students and then created an actor chart with classroom challenges that they might face and possible solutions to them.

[Lauren Harrienger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book is about anxiety and depression, I think it is a great stepping stone into larger topics. I found this book to be a great reminder that no matter how hard a situation may be, or how uncomfortable you may feel, you can still handle it. It relates to the chapter book Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine because Caitlin, the main character faces many obstacles along her journey to find closure for the loss of her brother.

Grade level-PreK-3rd
32 pages
Reading level- 3-8years

[Book Dragons TBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an awesome book!! I cannot get enough kids books that teach mindfulness and mantras! They are such a great learning tool. This book shows ideas of how to overcome different situations by "handling" them differently. Some of the ideas had be laughing out loud. I really liked the page in the back that your child can fill out with their name and picture.

Overall it was a very quick read filled with humor, great illustrations and helpful coping methods in the form of mantras!