The Struggle Bus
by Julie Koon
“Grumble, rumble, bump, and roar - the Struggle Bus is at your door”

This is a delightful and impactful book that validates children’s feelings and helps them understand and deal with them in constructive ways while reassuring them that struggle is part of life and persistence will pay off, but perhaps not right away.

The child who is struggling and “..losing hope. You’ll never get it. No way. Nope.” climbs aboard the bus, and the story follows both the interior experience of the child and the journey of the Struggle Bus. The evocative illustrations reflect the rhyming text and evolution of the story, through the struggles (“all of us have been there too”) of the child to persevere and the bus traveling through storms, breaking down, getting support, and moving on.

The “Keep rolling on” and “When your bus breaks down” sections at the end relate to the child’s experience, including strategies for dealing with difficult feelings and situations. The explanation of perseverance is helpful as is the idea that every time you try, you are building stronger “roads” in your brain.

Highly recommended, especially for parents and teachers of sensitive children who are easily discouraged, and those with special needs.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review

meep! meep! Here comes the struggle bus! Haven't we all taken a ride on the struggle bus? I can totally relate. I am huge on seeing the bright side of things in all situations. I enjoyed this beautiful tale of how you have to hang in there and get past all of the strife and push forward to see the light at the end of the tunnel. In life, you will board the Struggle Bus MANY TIMES but you have to ride it to the success station!

Such a lovely picture book!

It is about those times when we all struggle and feel lost, not knowing what to do or where to go; about the confusion, the loneliness, the anger, the sadness and the worries.
It is about letting others who’ve been there help us, about learning from our mistakes because that is how we grow and become better!

The art (the bus in particular) was so nice and colorful, it featured diverse children (yay, always a very much appreciated bonus!) and I liked the quick “scientific” part at the end, with the meanint of persevarance and the explanation of how and why we learn through mistakes.
I think any kid would learn from this and enjoy how pretty it is!

I cannot love this book enough! I am a speech & language pathologist who works with young students with autism, social deficits, and speech & language delays and this is a PERFECT story to read to teach about feeling your feelings, being sad and upset, breaking down, seeking others advice and solace in the fact that others have also had these types of experiences, and finally, conquering the hard things in life. I absolutely ADORE this book and will be purchasing it as soon as it publishes in March 2022.

I also love the end pages where the author explains perseverance and how the brain and neurons work when you practice something. There is also ideas listed on how to help you feel better when you are upset and some questions for children about making mistakes and overcoming them. Anyone in education should add this book to their wish list!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kind World Publishing, and the author and illustrator for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review and my opinions are my own. #NetGalley #TheStruggleBus

This book was cute and simple. I think this book is perfect for a younger group of children who have a tough time regulating their emotions. I liked the rhyming in this book and the overall message. I also enjoyed the illustrations and thought they reflected the story and intention well. One of my favourite parts of the book is at the end when the author provides the reader some strategies to get off the struggle bus. Now more than ever, this book will help students and kids with their mental health as life is full of being on and off the struggle bus.

Wonderful! The Struggle Bus is the type of thing classics are made of. This nicely illustrated book is written in light rhymes - the meter is slightly off, but intentionally so in a way that maintains the flow of the book.

The book teaches children to persevere through struggles (and it even explains what 'persevere' means).

After the story is complete, the book offers kids some ideas on how to relax and cope with stress. Highly recommended. It may not be everyone's favorite read, but everyone should read it at least once.

Thank you to Kind World Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

This book would be good for young readers to understand that everone struggles from time to time but they need to keep trying and not give up. Good tips throughout the story and at the end.

My son and I both adored The Struggle Bus!!

The moral of this story is pertinent no matter what stage of life you find yourself in - no matter the things you face, keep going!

This past week alone, I’ve said I was on the struggle bus a minimum of three times so this was a perfectly timed read. This book is not only chock full of delightful rhymes but it’s also beautifully illustrated.

This is sure to be a favorite for the whole family.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kind World Publishing for the opportunity to read this gem early. All opinions are mine alone.

This was cute and relatable storyline. While the beginning is sad and gloomy it reminds you to just keep going. After the story is over it provided ways to cope with disappointment and failure.
***** I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher and the author, in turn for my honest review

Thank you to Kind World Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

This is one of those children's books that would make a great gift for adults, too. The illustrations are beautiful and the rhyming passages are comforting and cute. It teaches that we all encounter struggles in our lives, and it's okay to struggle! It's okay to ask for help, too! It shows that there is triumph in overcoming our struggles. The final pages of the book offer very simple strategies for self-calming. This would make a wonderful addition to any classroom, library, or home bookshelf.

As someone who works with children who struggle academically, I'm always looking for books that help them process the emotions that can come along with that. This book is heartwarming, as it normalizes the struggle that we feel when things are hard or don't go our way. It illustrates that people are there to help, and that, in time, things will work out. I loved the message and the colorful and relatable illustrations. I'll be adding this book to my classroom library!

This book was so lovely!! It talks about when you're on the 'struggle bus' and feeling grumpy and sad, it's okay to reach out to get help, and that the grumpy feelings will pass. Great mental health message for young kids.

This sweet story about "riding the struggle bus" has beautiful illustrations that really illuminate those tough feelings that are hard for young children to identify. The idea of taking a bumpy path, feeling the need to cry or yell, feeling frustrated, and then finding your way is one that will surely resonate with all ages.

The end of the book includes a message about persevering, how hard things make your brain grow, and ways you can get support from friends or loved ones. This would be a wonderful addition to any library, counselor's office, or teacher's classroom. I highly recommend this book!

This story very nicely executed and the themes of struggling are as well. This story expresses a very important message for kids and should be read all around the world. This was a sweet read and a great book for your children.

"Grumble, rumble, bump, and roar, The Struggle Bus is at your door!

Sometimes things are really tough. It’s just too hard. You’ve had enough.
You can cry, or you can shout, kick and scream or have a pout.
Feel your feelings for a bit. Just keep moving―don’t you quit!"

This book is a must-have because every human on the earth, whether young or old, can certainly relate. The book is spot on for any reader that is trying to sort out and manage their ever changing feelings and emotions. Written in rhyme, with illustrations that enrich the message, children will acknowledge their difficult feelings and learn how to face their fears. They will understand that they are not alone with their feelings and that it's alright to reach out to others for help if they are having a hard time coping. Children can seek friends, family, and teachers to do so. Help is available if they are struggling and they should determine never to quit or give up to find a solution. This book aids in a child's social emotional learning skills and sums it all up by saying "Hard things make our brains grow! I highly recommend this book.

Whether reading aloud for a lyrical storytime or starting a conversation about struggle and perseverance, this story is a perfect choice. There are so many places to stop and talk about big feelings, real struggles, and how making mistakes and struggling gives us an opportunity to grow. This story doesn't pretend like the journey is fun or easy but the lovely illustrations and rhyming rhythm keep things light-hearted. This is a book I am excited to use at home with my own kids as well as in the school setting to support social-emotional growth. (Review also posted on Goodreads)

I really loved this book and I think this was long overdue because there was definitely a need for a struggle bus story and this was perfect.

Thanks to NetGalley and Be Kind Publishing for the opportunity to read an advanced reader e-copy of The Struggle Bus in exchange for an honest review.

Julie Koon's The Struggle Bus is a sweet adaptation of the phrase often heard used by adults to describe challenging situations. What a wonderful adaptation for young readers who are learning to handle emotions and ask for support! The message is fantastic, and the illustrations really help tie in the feeling behind the subject. This book is a great jumping off point to discuss feelings with children. I especially loved the discussion points at the end. Overall, a fantastic children's book!

The Struggle Bus is a social story for young children to help them understand the feelings that emerge you are having a difficult time. The story talks about ways you feel when you're struggling, that you may not be hopeful but those feelings are OK and they won't stay forever. Suggested activities are provided to relieve frustration and anxiety. Would recommend for any collection for younger children and in therapeutic environments as a social story.

A unique story that will appeal to young children that are going through experiences or phases that leave them frustrated and ready to give up. The story promotes the message of not giving up and that a person is not alone with the feelings they are experiencing. As a teacher, i can see how this book could be used to begin a discussion with students about perseverance in situations that are frustrating and reinforcing the idea that it is okay to feel this way.