Free Spirit News

New Release

Free Spirit introduces Zach Apologizes and Zach Gets Frustrated, the first two books in the Zach Rules series written by William Mulcahy and illustrated by Darren McKee. In this series, seven-year-old Zach and his brothers learn how to work through everyday problems like getting along, social issues, and dealing with frustration. Family counselor and psychotherapist Mulcahy wrote the Zach Rules series to teach children social skills and provide practical coping tools for working through the issues that are typical of kids ages 5 to 8. These tools are visually represented in McKee’s illustrations.

Read more about the Zach Rules series.

More News

Featured Title

Researchers at Minneapolis-based Search Institute have identified 40 Developmental Assets that all kids need in their lives—good things like family support, a caring neighborhood, and resistance skills. Communities across the nation have embraced the commonsense suggestions found in What Kids Need to Succeed for helping kids lead healthy, productive, and positive lives and stay out of trouble. This revised and updated third edition presents new findings from a 2010 survey of 90,000 kids (grades 6–12) from communities across the United States.

Find out more about the third edition of What Kids Need to Succeed.

Reviews & Accolades

“A great starter book for families looking to make their first forays into the green lifestyle.”—Junior magazine

“In a humorous but informative fashion, Dude, That’s Rude! will provide kids with the necessary do’s and don’ts of good manners, the reasons why they are important, and lots of effective ‘smooth moves’ for sticky situations.”—Sally Hengeveld, librarian, The Stratford Gazette

Do you have a favorite Free Spirit book? Tell us why! Email us at help4kids@freespirit.com.

Author Spotlight

Philippe Cousteau

Philippe Cousteau, coauthor of Going Blue, and the upcoming elementary edition, Make a Splash! (available October 2012), heads to Yeosu, South Korea this summer for World Expo 2012. Philippe has partnered with the U.S. Department of State to design and operate the USA Pavilion, a 12,000-square foot exhibit representing the unique and diverse nature of America’s ocean environments and coastal communities. The theme of the Expo is “The Living Ocean and Coast,” covering the broad impact it has on the economy, environment, and the global community.

Learn more and keep up with Philippe at www.philippecousteau.com.

Advisory Board Members Wanted

Free Spirit seeks grades preK–12 teachers, administrators, librarians, counselors, and social workers to join its advisory board. In order to make our books and other products even more beneficial for children and teens, the advisory board will provide valuable feedback on things like content, text, and art and help us identify what educators need to support the kids they serve.

Free Spirit also seeks young people, grades 6 and up, to join its teen advisory council. In order to keep our books and other products current and relevant, the advisory council provides valuable feedback on such things as the design, art, and content of our resources for young people.