Allison Edwards is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist who specializes in working with children, adolescents, and their families. She received her undergraduate degree in Education from Northwest Missouri State and a graduate degree in Counseling from Vanderbilt University.

Before opening a private practice, Allison developed and maintained a play therapy program for at-risk and immigrant children in the public school system. In her current practice, she sees children of all ages, consults with parents, supervises counselors, and writes about childhood anxiety. She also serves as an Affiliate Professor at Vanderbilt University where she enjoys teaching future counselors how to work with kids.

Steliyana Doneva is a children's book illustrator living in Sofia, Bulgaria. Her love of painting and drawing started in early childhood. Steliyana studied applied arts in Sofia, specializing in children's toys. Then she graduated with a degree in graphic arts, where she found her love for children's book illustration.

This book has made the perfect addition to my calming corner. It has great strategies for students (and even adults) to use when they feel stressed or have feelings of panic. I highly recommend this book for your classroom!

In this beautifully illustrated picture book the reader meets a young child who notices the beat, beat, thump of their heart when they feel nervous. However, as they begin to pay attention to and listen to their body, the sound of their heartbeat becomes a touchstone and a way of grounding. This is such a powerful tool to introduce to young people. Being able to focus on their heartbeat or breathing can give children the opportunity to self regulate. It also allow them to recognize cues that their body sends them when they are feeling certain emotions (whether it is anxiety, joy, sadness, excitement or anger). This awareness is key to being able to regulate, express and manage these feelings. I absolutely love the message that this book carries, especially because it doesn't emphasize only using this technique when you are feeling anxiety or anger.

Beat, Beat, Thump is an excellent story that addresses anxiety in children and what that may feel like. From explaining the symptoms that this young child feels, to when and why he may start to feel this anxiety, and finally to showing coping mechanisms, this story just outlines it all so wonderfully. As a parent and avid picture book reader I appreciated how the story went full circle: turning the Beat, Beat, Thump from a negative to a positive. A must have addition for every home library.