Ziggy & Zeke: Even When You're Mad
He ate every single one.
Every. Single. Fly.
That's how the biggest friendship at Willowmere Pond almost ended forever.
Ziggy and Zeke are best friends - a bouncy green frog and a calm blue frog who share a pond, a lily pad, and everything in between. Until the day Ziggy eats the flies on Zeke's side of the pond without asking. Zeke is furious. Ziggy is embarrassed. And suddenly the biggest pond in the world feels very, very small.
What happens next will teach your child something they'll carry for the rest of their life.
THE ZIGGY ZEKE PROMISE
When feelings get big, most children don't know what to do with them. They yell. They shut down. They hold on to the anger until it becomes something worse.
This book gives them something different. Something they can actually DO.
HOP - Move toward your friend. Don't run from the problem.
STOP - Pause. Breathe. Let your brain catch up with your feelings.
SORRY - Say it out loud. Mean it. This is the brave part.
HUG - Forgive. Let it go. Choose your friend over your hurt.
Four steps. Every child can learn them. Every classroom can use them. Every family needs them.
WHY THIS BOOK EXISTS
At 12 years old, Jeffrey Hook was taken away from his mother and placed in an uncontrollable children's unit by the state of Connecticut - then sent to military school. He grew up carrying anger he didn't know how to release.
What changed everything was one person. A Big Brother from Big Brothers Big Sisters who showed him what was possible if he just put in the work. That Big Brother later adopted him. Jeff still calls him Dad today.
At 61 years old - after 35 years in broadcast television, a military career, a 2nd degree black belt, and 28 years of marriage - Jeff is STILL learning to let anger go.
"I wrote this book because nobody gave me these tools as a child. At 61 I am still learning. Imagine what changes if your child starts at five. This book gives children what nobody gave me - a ritual, a promise, and a path from mad to forgiven." - Jeffrey Hook, Author
CASEL-ALIGNED FOR CLASSROOM AND HOME
Trusted by parents, teachers, school counselors, and librarians nationwide. Directly supports the CASEL framework covering Relationship Skills, Social Awareness, and Self-Management. Perfect for Pre-K through 2nd Grade read-alouds, morning meeting, and conflict resolution conversations.
FREE RESOURCES AT ZIGGYANDZEKE.COM
* 45-Minute CASEL-Aligned Lesson Plan
* 20 Discussion Cards for Morning Meeting
* Friendship & Forgiveness Activity Pack
* Read-Aloud Guide with Pause Points
* The Ziggy Zeke Promise Classroom Poster
* 7-Day Family Challenge
* Forgiveness Journal for Families
Everything your classroom or family needs - completely free.
PERFECT FOR: Children ages 4-8 Pre-K through 2nd Grade Classroom read-alouds Bedtime stories SEL curriculum School counselor sessions Gifts for parents, teachers, and school libraries Children who struggle with big emotions Families who want real tools - not just a cute story
Because the earlier we start, the less we have to unlearn.
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