Helping Children Learn to Work Together

June 7, 2011 - PRLog -- Many young children have difficulty when a project or task requires cooperating with others to reach a goal. Learning how each child can contribute his or her strengths and special interests to the group will enrich a child’s social and emotional skills as well as his/her confidence.

JONI AND THE FALLEN STAR: Helping Children Learn Teamwork (New Horizon Press, June 2011) by Cindy Jett Pilon, MSW, is a heartwarming and beautifully illustrated story. As part of our Let’s Talk series it is sure to become a family favorite promoting social skills, utilizing creativity and fostering teamwork that are all important to a young child’s development. In the story we meet a young girl, Joni. A fallen star named Alkaid asks Joni to help him get back up in the sky to his place in the Big Dipper.

Joni soon realizes that she cannot return Alkaid to the sky alone and asks her friends to help. Each of her friends has a different talent that Joni knows will help her new friend Alkaid get home. When all of the friends contribute, will they accomplish the task together? Will Alkaid arrive home safely to complete the Big Dipper?

JONI AND THE FALLEN STAR shows children that if they work together, difficult tasks can become easier and be finished more efficiently. Working together helps children become better friends, appreciate one another and rejoice in the group’s accomplishment. The engrossing text and engaging illustrations will encourage children to learn more about teamwork and to use this skill in future situations.  










ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Cindy Jett Pilon, MSW, is a psychotherapist with a Master of Social Work degree from Catholic University of America. She lives in Reston, Virginia, with her husband and their young daughter.  

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:
John Hazard is a cartoonist and animator whose art has appeared in children’s books and newspaper strips and on the Nickelodeon network. A graduate of Pratt Institute, John currently lives in Manhattan.

Joni and the Fallen Star
Helping Children Learn Teamwork
By Cindy Jett Pilon M.S.W.
Illustrated by John Hazard
New Horizon Press
ISBN 13: 978-0-88282-353-9
Pub Date: June 2011
Category: Children’s Books
Color Illustrations
Price: $9.95
Trim: 7x8, Trade Paper
Pages: 48

# # #

New Horizon Press focuses on true crime with a hero, battles for justice, psychological problems and women’s and men’s issues. Small Horizons, our illustrated children’s Let’s Talk series, teaches coping, tolerance and service skills.