About the Book
Elsimore has a very important dilemma to resolve! She is a fourth grader who is about to go on a class trip and is absolutely terrified! She has committed to going and thinks she wants to go, but the trip is tomorrow and she is freaking out! Elsimore’s anxiety is a whirlwind that threatens to spin both her, and her mother, out of control.
As her readers, we can see that she has clearly learned some ideas about how to manage anxiety, but the question is will she use them, and will she use them in time to help her get where she needs to go? Her mother is very anxious, too, and needs to use her own skills to cope as well as manage her reactions to Elsimore. Between the two of them, they can make themselves and each other feel a lot better, or a whole lot worse.
Readers can hear Elsimore’s thoughts, her mom’s thoughts, and the author’s thoughts. The author, Victoria Wiley, gets anxious too and wants to help both Elsimore and mom. In a weird turn of events, both Elsimore and mom can hear their author, although they are not quite sure where these new thoughts are coming from.
With Elsimore, mom, and Victoria Wiley all working together, Elsimore may be able to get herself to go on this trip- but we’ll have to read along and wait to see what skills they use and how it all works out!
About the Author
Dr. Weesner is a licensed clinical psychologist who has worked therapeutically with kids, adolescents, and families for over 30 years. She has worked in a variety of settings including private practice with kids, adolescents, adults, families and couples. She currently works as a clinical director and family therapist with patients experiencing eating disorders. As a child and family therapist, she helps kids and their parents understand themselves and one another. She finds that the use of metaphor and story telling helps enhance her work. She enjoys writing to help others learn in creative and interesting ways. Dr. Weesner lives with her husband and their two miniature schnauzers. Her adult daughters are off on their own adventures, each with their own dog. Their voices and personalities can be found in some of Elsimore’s friends. They have shared their wisdom and insight along the way, which is very much appreciated!
