Lessons of a LAC

Reviewed By  Grasshopper2       June 1, 2018

 

Author  Lynn Jenkins Illustrated by Kirrili Lonergan

Distributor:      EK Books/Exile Publishing
ISBN:                 9781925335828
Publisher:         Exile Publishing/EK Books
Release Date:   May 2018  

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What is a LAC you ask? A LAC is a Little Anxious Creature. You may have one at home, or know of one in your family. To begin a conversation with a LAC about feeling anxious and insecure one needs a prompt, and for that, this book would be a great resource.

These creatures (the LAC’s) live on the side of a mountain. They go to school where they learn lessons such as “What if… I’m never going to be able to…I don’t think I can.” These are the only messages they hear and they act accordingly, with fear and trepidation. They never learn calming or friendly thoughts and are so busy being afraid that there is little in life they appreciate. Loppy the Lac decides to visit the top of the mountain one day to look down at the strange group there.

On the other side of the mountain live the Calmsters. As their name suggests, they go to school and learn uplifting thoughts, which they can put into practice. When Loppy gets to the top of the mountain, he looks through his binoculars and sees….someone, looking right back at him! As the Calmster approaches, Loppy is frozen to the spot. His thoughts are so negative that he cannot move. Luckily Curly the Calmster is friendly and kind. He suggests that he can help Loppy and begins to teach him how to breathe.

There are a few techniques mentioned for calming worries, and children and adults will be able to discuss others. This is a great way to introduce the topic of anxiety and to let children explore the ideas presented in the book. The art work on the cover and throughout the book is reminiscent of Dr Seuss. It makes this book interesting and fun to read. The pages have a white background, with the text mostly in black, but sometimes interspersed with red.

There is a website suggested for those who would like to explore this area further and look at other books in the series.