Blossom Plays Possum

This sweet story follows Blossom the possum as she learns to overcome her shyness to make friends, share her skills and interests, and participate more fully in her life. Blossom wants to speak up in class, and she wants to spend time with friends at lunch and at recess. She also loves to jam on her flute, make glitter glam headbands, and recite poetry...but you might not know that, because Blossom is also very shy. She wants to participate in school and with friends, but whenever she tries, she freezes up and plays possum instead. And playing possum is not the best way to make friends. With some gentle encouragement from her peers and her music teacher, Blossom learns that taking risks usually isnt as bad as she fears, and can have a big payoff. She might still be shy, but shes getting better at putting herself out there and having fun. Includes a Note to Parents and Other Caregivers by Julia Martin Burch, PhD, with more information on the cognitive-behavioral strategies Blossom uses to cope with shyness and ways to encourage your own shy child. Excerpt: Theres nothing wrong with being shy; as many as 50% of kids describe themselves as shy, and shy kids are often described by teachers as being more cooperative and better listeners. However, its important for children to find a balance between feeling comfortable and challenging themselves to face their shyness so that they can do the things they value and enjoy.