Stuck! (Help, Please!)

By: Karol Ruth Silverstein / Illustrated by: Greg Paprocki I'm stuck, stuck, STUCK!!! Little Ferret is having a frustrating day at the playground. A tricky zipper, a sticky slide, a very scary bridge—he wants to do it himself, but he keeps getting stuck! Grandma Ferret gently reminds him to take a deep breath, calm down, and try again. He can do it—and he can even help others, too! Chicken Soup for the Soul Babies combines sweet stories with humorous lessons to bring out little ones' best behavior! If you like this book, you’ll enjoy these: Chicken Soup for the Soul KIDS & Chicken Soup for the Soul BABIES [TABS] Look Inside Downloadables Download the Cover Download the Series Activity Kit Author & Illustrator Karol Ruth Silverstein, author Karol Ruth Silverstein attended the American Film Institute and works as a writer and screenwriter in LA. She is the author of the award-winning YA novel, Cursed. Read more about Karol. Greg Paprocki, illustrator Greg Paprocki is a graphic artist and children's book illustrator. His books include the top-selling BabyLit alphabet book series. Read more about Greg. Awards & Honors Coming soon! Editorial Reviews Kirkus Reviews Kit and Grandma work through frustrations at the Critter Tot Lot. Kit experiences all kinds of challenging situations while at the playground, such as not being able to zip up their jacket and getting stuck in a tunnel slide. Grandma is there to calmly provide support each time Kit feels frustrated, and finally, when Kit feels frightened while crossing a bridge, they calm themself down and make it across. Showing off those newly acquired skills, Kit helps another playground friend. Silverstein’s rhyming text gives the book a zippy cadence ideal for read-alouds, and the dialogue grounds the story. The note for parents at the end provides useful, basic tips on helping toddlers problem-solve and manage difficult situations and emotions. Paprocki’s illustrations are sweet and match the tone of the book. All of the critters are anthropomorphized; Kit and Grandma appear to be oversize chipmunklike creatures, and there’s a bespectacled mouse and a raccoon wearing a hat, for example, all with expressive faces and movements. The book demonstrates the concept of guiding a child through sticky circumstances and unpleasant feelings while reassuring little ones that tough situations have resolutions. Concisely addresses familiar toddler behavior in a meaningful way. Children's Literature The iconic "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series comes to a board book form suitable for babies, and that result is delightful! The same upbeat tone as can be found in the series' titles for older readers is applied to resolving the real and serious problems shared here, this time in pint-sized form. A feisty ferret named Kit is at the park with Grandma when he is confronted by a series of increasingly frustrating situations. When his zipper is stuck, Grandma demonstrates how calm teamwork does the trick. But after some fun jumping and climbing, Kit gets stuck in the tube slide and then fear makes it hard to cross the bridge. Grandma is nearby to remind Kit to 'try not to shout,' but to 'take a big breath - in and out.' After another few adventures, Kit even can help a buddy struggling to climb the ladder. While Grandma is never far from the action, it is nice that she doesn't jump in too soon. Kit gets to learn some limits and solutions with growing, toddler-levels of independence. The art is detailed, bright, and engaging. Youngsters will enjoy the other titles in the series. A note to parents in the backmatter reinforces these themes. It includes advice on how adults can model calmness, respond to tantrums (frustration expressed without proper words), and teach problem-solving skills to toddlers. Details Board Book ISBN: 978-1-62354-285-6 EPUB ISBN: 978-1-63289-340-6 Ages: 0-3 Page count: 24 6 1/4 x 8 1/4 [/TABS]