SAMHSA - The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - is recommending Can Do And The Storm on its disaster relief and preparedness website....Here's what they are saying....

     "The story uses endearing animals to cover the often traumatic events that are experienced during and following a natural disaster. The story depicts a range of possible hardships, such as evacuation, being separated from family and friends, living in a shelter, and dealing with the physical damage caused by a storm. It also explores topics with which recent hurricane survivors have had to deal, such as the process of rebuilding a community, leaving a community, making a home in a new area, or returning home when others do not. Presenting these upsetting issues to children is made less difficult through the rhyming story and color-in illustrations that make up this book. It will be comforting for children to see the characters overcome some of the same problems that they are currently facing. Not only does this book provide an entertaining story for a child, but it also gives parents/caregivers, teachers, and therapists an opportunity to begin talking, in a non-threatening way, about the feelings a child is experiencing. This book will help build a sense of hope in children who have faced hurricanes and will hopefully be a fun and beneficial way for kids to think about, talk about, and grow from their experiences."

     To see the whole review please visit...

www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/dtac/dialogue/spring2006.asp#eight

Thank you for coming to Mullica Hill Branch of the Gloucester County Library today and reading The Can Do Duck. The children had a great time and the parents all thought that the message was very important.

Pat Collins

Coordinator of Youth Services

Gloucester County Library System

Your books are absolutely wonderful and are an answer to our prayers!  You could not have written better books that incorporate every message we attempt to impart within our program had we commissioned you to pen them.

Elizabeth Ross

Founder

Limos For Learning (TM)

www.limosforlearning.org

Over all, I loved the book.  I think it is a fun teaching tool and I would recommend it.  I have worked with kids at a crisis center for 5 years, and we were always looking for ways to teach the children good social and coping skills in a way that they could relate to the lessons and have fun learning them.  This book is good for that goal.  However, I did not buy the book for a child.  My sister is in her first year of college and is struggling "learning to fly".  I was given "Oh the Places You'll Go." by Dr. Seuss when I was in my first year of college, and I loved it.  Your book is a gift for my little sister to help her learn what I learned from Dr. Seuss's book. Thank you for writing this book."
>        - K. A. from Wyoming

The hurricane book is great.  Kids who went through the fear and insecurity will see their experience confirmed, but the book brings out the positive elements, reassuring all of us that people take care of each other.  You're doing the work of the angels, Morty.  Keep it up!