Book Reviews
Zosia - 11 years old
I would love to read this book to other kids, and show them that helping others and being kind is amazing. I love the rhymes in this book it makes it so fun to read. The messages that are in this book are meaningful examples. Always hold on to hope.
Such a great message
This book has such a wonderful message for children, to empower them to acknowledge their feelings then make good choices moving forward. Wonderful! Refreshing! Great teaching tool for parents and teachers.
Teaches to be kind and it’s fun to read! A winner for kids
This book is fantastic. It’s one you can read just one chapter a night (not super long) and then have a discussion with your kids about it. It’s good values, good manners and teaches you to be a kind person. This should be used in all schools! Love it
Grandkids loved this book!
Got the Angie Quinn book to share with our grandchildren. They loved the illustrations and story. Good lessons on the power of making the right choices and dealing with challenges.
Timely subject matter!!
The illustrations are amazing!! The story should be used as a teaching tool for children in the age range of grade 2-4. As a retired teacher, having taught in elementary classrooms for 39 1/2 years, I can honestly say that I would have made this a teaching tool in my classrooms! This is truly a labor of love for Constance!! She understands that the concepts in this book are very important for children to learn about!
This book is cool!
As a child care worker, I had the pleasure of having Constance Douglas read her book to the children in my day home. The children absolutely loved the characters and the illustrations. Douglas has penned an inspiring story about the complex relationship between our positive and negative emotions making it fun and easy for children to understand. The interaction between the wise Shnoogy and his counterpart, the often humorous Kruddy is so original! Douglas’ rhyme is impeccably fun and contagious. In these tenuous times of change, I highly recommend its message to anyone dealing with young children.
Great teaching tool
I have her first book and find it is such a great tool in teaching kids how best to cooperate and communicate for success and how to understand their feelings about things and what to do about it. Highly recommend.
A wonderful read for children and adults!
I was so happy to finally find a story that provides a positive message and
“Toolbox” for adults and children to access their fears and positivity. A timely book that helps children deal with an uncertain world and empowers them to develop compassion and strength to become better human beings. Young readers will identify with scenarios and personalities and can relate to their situations through their own experiences or those they may have encountered along the way. I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a positive message to brighten their day!
Great way to guide young minds through life’s choices!
A delightful adventure story for children of all abilities. The whimsical characters allow the reader to process complex emotions in a safe and comforting story that they can share with adults and other children. This story provides opportunities for young readers to examine life choices, morals, manners, social interactions, helping a friend, being your best self and last but not least..how to bake your own Doodle Cookies!
Tools for dealing with negative thought.
It provides kids with concrete ways to deal with choices and greed and thoughts and feelings of greed and anger.
Sweet Message
This is such a sweet message for children and adults of all ages. Lively and colorful, The Doodle Trap is a great addition to a young person’s library. A fun look inside oneself at how to listen to our inner wisdom.
Further comments and reviews by teachers, and counselors etc…
Briella 8 years old - grade 3
Review: I loved ‘The Shnoogy In You!’ book, Constance shared with me and my brother. I really, really love that it is a rhyming book, and it helped me with understanding my worried feelings helping my family through hard times. I learned I can activate
Shnoogy feelings with kindness.
Sawyer 10 years old - grade 5
Review: I really liked ‘The Shnoogy In You!’ book and it’s rhyming, also learning about my Shnoogy and Kruddy. It felt good to know that I’m not different from anyone else when they go through things they are worried or sad about.
I can choose to make my feelings better by being kind.
Dianna Burton - Preschool Education
Review: This book opens up opportunities for kids to see their power to change
from within in a funny, interesting look at what’s happening inside them.
I feel the earlier we show our children how and why we can be kind
and change from within to find joy in the present moment,
we will all live in a more peaceful, purposeful place.
Really amazing!
Thank you we all need to recognize our power to be the best we can be! At any age
Christina Lawrence - Clinical Social Worker and Play Therapist - Lethbridge Therapy Centre
Review: There is something magical tucked within these pages
that fills you up and follows you around
long after you close this book.
The endearing protagonist Angie Quinn has an imagination
that brings about adventures that are perfectly inspiring,
with characters who promote thoughtfulness.
Children, parents and teachers will thoroughly enjoy this book,
and be thankful for a rare resource that is fun for kids
while also creating a medium for parents and teachers to start conversations
about some very core and foundational concepts
in the lives of the children they hold close to their hearts.
Kathy Mundell - Counselling coordinator for Lethbridge School District No. 51
Review: The author/illustrator Constance Douglas delivers an imaginative adventure
about a young girl choosing to listen to the positive messages in her psyche
delivered by Shnoogy, and tune out Kruddy’s negative messages.
Angie Quinn learns to choose kindness and hope,
over negativity and selfishness.
Timely and valuable
A. J. Prewitt - Founding Artistic Director, of the Phoenix Theatre’s ‘Cookie Company’
Review: Constance has given to you and your children
a story that is both accessible and imaginative
with stunning illustrations.
What a fun way to open the discussion about the intrinsic
values of empathy, caring and kindness to others…
Richard Amery - LA Beat Editor
Review: In a world where the “Kruddy’s” seem to be taking over,
Lethbridge author and illustrator C.M Douglas reminds us the importance of embracing
love, care, peace and positivity in her new children’s book
Along the way the reader discovers the joys of sharing, compassion and helping
people in an uplifting and beautifully, colorfully illustrated tale.
There is even a recipe for Doodle Cookies at the end, so everybody can share them!
Cathy Tinordi - Grandmother
Review: I was wonderfully surprised by my granddaughter’s reaction and involvement with
this book. We read books together and she sits, quietly listening, while I read. It is
challenging to get children to open up about their day and talk about their feelings.
Angie Quinn's Amazing Adventures with Shnoogy and Kruddy did just that. She fell in
love with the kind-heartedness of Shnoogy and reacted with empathy and laughter
at the behavior of Kruddy. This is the first and only time I saw my granddaughter
relating to a book. When we finished reading the story I asked her what she thought
of this book. She said she liked that this story was about feelings. C.M. Douglas
created a story that children can connect and relate to and she provided me with an
opportunity to talk with my granddaughter about feelings. Thank you, Constance,
for giving me this connection with my granddaughter.
Dory Rossiter - Weather Anchor/Community Events Coordinator Bellmedia CTV Television
Review: Children are the future of our world! The work that Constance Douglas
puts into this book and connecting with children, understanding their fears and
challenges and giving them a healthy and productive way to interact with
each other and the world absolutely ensures that they will have the tools to
embrace their futures!
Jeremy Mason - DAD, Director of Operations & Strategy Kidoodle TV
Review: An energetically written and wonderfully illustrated book with a timely message!
Organization: Sherita Hodges
Review: “I love this book!
I am willing to do whatever we need to get another proof copy from you. My grandson sleeps with that book. He’s Never done this before!!
so now I want one for my granddaughter as well!”
Organization: St. Paul School
Review: The presentation was very much enjoyed by the three classes of Grade 1-2 multi-aged students! They took their kindness homework seriously and had wonderful stories about the kind acts they’d done on the weekend. Constance came twice: on Friday to read the books and set the classes up for their kindness homework. She then returned on Monday to teach the rap song with actions and to debrief with the students about the kind acts they had done. Each student received a sticker and a card to take home. They still talk about Shnoogy and Kruddy a few weeks later!
Thank you a thousand times my Friend!
Organization: St. Paul School
Review: Constance was very enthusiastic when she presented to our Grade 1-2 students. The students were engaged. They loved the story Constance read and enjoyed the kinesthetic movements of the rap song. Thank you for visiting us at our school!
Organization: Albanian College Tirana
Review: Constance visited Albanian College Tirana in May and worked with the 3rd grade team. She was able to discuss how to be kind and act on those kind thoughts. The grade 3 students were incredibly engaged as she performed her Shnoogy Rap and read her book to the students. They enjoyed being active in a setting that involved dance and movement.
The cherry on top was the Kindness Cards at the end! These kids walked away with small cards that gave them acts of kindness they needed to follow, and they all did! A few days later they shared their kind actions and how it felt and who it was for…
If followed through on as a program, I see this has huge potential for developing empathy and inclusion amongst children and their classmates. One small girl brought a batch of Shnoogy Doodle Cookies as her act of kindness, they were loved by all!
As an international teacher at an IB school I can see the value in a kindness program that makes students act on kind thoughts. What a wonderful day for the grade 3! Thanks Constance!
Organization: Shaw Spotlight
Review: “Kind is Kool” is a program that needs to be in every elementary school nationwide. I recorded a video for Constance and firsthand witnessed the excitement and joy that students experience in this program. Given the extend of bullying and depression that has permeated our current school culture, I could have used this program when I was in elementary school in the 90’s.
Organiztion: Holly Spririt Catholic School
Review: I was able to implement Constance’s Kind Is Kool program in my class in the last few months of the school year. The students really enjoyed choosing a card each week and then performing the kindness on that card. They would then draw a picture of the kindness they did and shared this with their classmates. They became more focused on acting in a kind manner both at school and at home. They also enjoyed performing the Shnoogy Rap!
Organization: Albanian College Tirana
Review: Constance brought her Kindness is Kool program to our school in Albania May 2019. My grade 3 students LOVED the presentation, the book, the rap, the kindness cards, and the overall message of the program. They loved sharing the kind acts they completed from their Kindness Cards and we continued to use the Rap as a brain break for the remainder of the school year.
I am so happy to know about this fabulous program and will begin next year using the various resources and the message of Shnoogy and Kruddy to build our classroom community.
Alan J. Prewitt, Award-Winning Playwright and Founding Aritistic Director, of the Phoenix Theatre’s ‘Cookie Company’
Review: THIS BOOK IS STUNNING!…
Constance has given to you and your children
a story that is both accessible and imaginative
with stunning illustrations.
What a fun way to open the discussion about the intrinsic
values of empathy, caring and kindness to others…
Personally, I look forward to continued adventures
from Angie Quinn and her wonderful group
of imaginative and helpful friends!
Organization: Private Home
Review: Constance came to our home to present her program to our grandchildren – ages 7 to 9. The children loved the story presentation by Shnoogy and Kruddy. The rap song and dance was wonderful. The children enjoyed the work books and the followup session. Shnoogy and Kruddy will become part of our vocabulary in the future.Thank you!!