Zach Gets Frustrated - (Zach Rules) by William Mulcahy (Hardcover)

About the Book

Zach and his family go to the beach, but he's is having a lousy day. He kicks sand, yells angry words, and asks his dad if they can just go home now. Instead, his dad teaches him a simple, three-step approach to get a handle on frustration. Illustrations.

Book Synopsis

Zach and his family go to the beach, but Zach is having a lousy day. First, he dropped his toothbrush in the toilet. Then his best friend went to someone else's birthday party instead of joining him. But most frustrating of all, he can't get his kite to fly! Zach kicks sand, yells angry words, and asks his dad if they can just go home.

Instead, his dad teaches him a simple, three-step approach to dealing with frustration so he can find a way to enjoy himself even when things aren't going his way:

1. Name it (why are you frustrated?)
2. Tame it (self-regulation exercises such as deep breathing or visualization)
3. Reframe it (change your thoughts to change your feelings).

Zach Gets Frustrated teaches children social skills they will easily understand and remember when dealing with frustration. The three-point strategy is presented as the three corners of a triangle and is illustrated using the corners of Zach's kite.

Zach Rules Series
Zach struggles with social issues like getting along, handling frustrations, making mistakes, and other everyday problems typical of young kids. Each book in the Zach Rules series presents a single, simple storyline involving one such problem. As each story develops, Zach and readers learn straightforward tools for coping with their struggles and building stronger relationships now and in the future.

Review Quotes

"Not only do the [Zach Rules] books discuss problems most youngsters have, they also give concrete strategies for solving them."

"Zach's feelings are widely recognizable and will be familiar to readers. McKee's brightly colored digital illustrations . . . do a good job of supporting the text and helping to teach the material. This new series is a useful tool for teaching valuable skills."-- "Kirkus Reviews"

Mulcahy introduces strategies to help young children develop relationship skills and learn responsibility for their actions when dealing with everyday situations. In the first book, Zach gets angry and pushes his little brother for playing with his toys. His mother sends him off to cool down and then discusses how he might handle the situation in the future. She explains the four-square apology method and together they work through the problem. Zach apologizes, and he and his brother go out to play together. In Frustrated, everything Zach tries to do goes wrong, even flying his kite. His father helps him remember the three steps to follow to deal with frustration: name it; tame it; reframe it. When Zach uses this method, he realizes that he can handle challenges in a healthy way, and then he can move on and have a better day. Both books combine facts in fictional style. Parents model compassion and understanding while explaining the strategies, which are illustrated with diagrams. Notes for adults to reinforce the concepts and practice the skills are included. Humorous cartoons also reinforce the messages and actions and reflect the mood of the stories. Both titles are suitable for classroom sharing or independent reading and should complement early childhood curriculums.-- "School Library Journal"

"The Zach Rules series does an impressive job covering the issues of anger and frustration--and the consequences that come with acting on them--in child-friendly terms. These books are a must-read for parents, educators, grandparents, and anyone who cares about helping young people become responsible, resilient, and compassionate human beings. I highly recommend this series."--Barbara Coloroso, best-selling author of Kids Are Worth It! Giving Your Child the Gift of Inner Discipline

"William Mulcahy's Zach Gets Frustrated offers great tips and tools for coping with and overcoming frustration. I wish I had this when I was a kid!"--Trudy Ludwig, best-selling author of Better Than You

"Zach does rule--these books are fun! They make important life skills easy to understand and do, and kids will get such a kick out of Zach, they won't even know they're learning."--Dr. Michele Borba, parenting expert and author of No More Misbehavin' and The Big Book of Parenting Solutions

About the Author

William "Bill" Mulcahy, MS, LPC, LMHC, NCC, is a licensed professional counselor, psychotherapist, author and of books and tools for teaching children to cope with the challenges of life in the 21st century.

Bill has served as a supervisor at Family Services of Waukesha, WI, as a counselor at Stillwaters Cancer Support Services, at Empathia Inc., as an employee assistance professional, and has worked with children with special needs. He has been in private practice since 2016.

He is also the father of seven children including two children on the autism spectrum and lives in Venice, Florida with his wife, Melissa.

Darren McKee has illustrated books for many publishers over his twenty-year career. When not working, he spends his time riding his bike, reading, drawing, and traveling.

He lives in Dallas, Texas, with his wife, Debbie.