Rising Tide is a timely new book for kids published in New Zealand aimed at increasing resilience and emotional intelligence.
We all worry and feel anxiety at times in our lives. Anxiety can impact on children and their families in many ways. The Worry Bug Project seeks to support parents and teachers to recognise and address mild to moderate anxiety.
After the success of their previous books Maia and the Worry Bug and Wishes and Worries published after the major earthquakes in Christchurch, families and schools asked the authors for something for older children. Thus Rising Tide was written and developed for Year 5-8 children as a short chapter book. The story is set in New Zealand...
To most people, Ari McInnis is just an ordinary kid. And that's just the way Ari likes it, because he's got a secret that he doesn't want to share - not with anybody. But then something happens to Ari that threatens to expose his secret to everyone. After he helps his Koro in trouble, everyone thinks he's a hero. If only they knew the truth that is eating away at him. Ari has good skills 'reading' water and when he needs some time alone, he retreats to an old dinghy only he knows about. But when the river starts rising in the rain, he - and his Dad who has gone looking for him - are in danger.
Rising Tide is available in both English and Te Reo Māori. Online versions and an audio component are soon to come. In the back of the book parents and educators will find teaching plans and family exercises accompanying the story aimed at increasing resilience and emotional intelligence, based on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Narrative Therapy. It looks at topics such as avoidance and catastrophising.
This book is great for parents, whānau, teachers and home school families wanting to delve more into the themes explored here of anxiety, family, self-belief and identity. This would also be a good book to support children struggling with reading and writing.
About the authors
Sarina Dickson, opens a new window is a parent, author and teacher (including tutoring in creative writing for children at the Christchurch School for Young Writers). She is passionate about the re-generation of Christchurch and its people.
Julie Burgess-Manning is a parent, author and registered psychologist.
More on resilience for kids
Watch this video of Christchurch parents, kids and teachers talking about mental health and managing anxiety.
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