Title: Little By Little

Authors: Amber Stewart & Layn Marlow

Themes: Anxiety, Mindfulness, Coping Skills, Friendship, Self-Esteem

Age Recommendation: Elementary School

Summary: Little By Little tells the story of Otto, an otter who can't swim. Otto is debilitated by his fears and embarrassed that he can't swim, he is frustrated that something which seems to come to others so easily feels impossible to him.  Eventually it is Otto's sister who helps him face his worries and develop strategies for managing his distress. Otto takes gradual risks and learns, not only to swim, but also how to handle overwhelming feelings.

Ideas / Interventions: This is a great book to use when introducing the possibility of change to children who struggle with anxiety, OCD, or perfectionistic tendencies. It not only gives an example of how to break down a difficult task, it normalizes fears about taking risks and addresses issues of self-esteem.