Meet Chucky Chipmonk—and his Worry Monster.
 
Chucky has a very busy brain. His mind is full of questions like:
What if something bad happens?
What if I make a mistake?
What if I can’t do it?
Sometimes one little worry turns into another...and another...until Chucky's worries feel enormous.
 
In Chucky Chipmonk and the Worry Monster, children learn alongside Chucky that anxiety is the brain and body's way of trying to protect us—but sometimes that internal alarm rings even when we aren't actually in danger.
 
Rather than teaching children that they need to eliminate anxiety, Chucky learns how to understand it, respond to it, and keep moving forward even when he feels nervous.
Through an engaging illustrated story and practical therapeutic activities, children are introduced to skills including:
 
Recognizing the body's worry alarm
Separating worried thoughts from facts
Stopping the worry snowball
5-4-3-2-1 sensory grounding
Box breathing
The Butterfly Hug
Focusing on what they can control
Learning to tolerate uncertainty
Taking gradual Brave Steps instead of avoiding fears
Asking trusted adults for help
Creating a personal Worry Plan
The book also includes interactive worksheets and caregiver resources designed to help families practice these skills together.
 
Written by licensed marriage and family therapist Kristi Godwin, LMFT, Chucky Chipmonk and the Worry Monster uses child-friendly language to introduce evidence-informed concepts drawn from approaches commonly used in anxiety treatment.
Most importantly, Chucky learns that having anxiety doesn't mean he's weak—and experiencing worry again doesn't mean he's failed.
 
His Worry Monster may still show up. But now Chucky knows what to do.
“My alarm is ringing. I’ll check what’s true, calm my body, and take one brave step.”