Use Your Noodle helps children get to know, understand, and learn how to positively manage their thoughts and emotions. These are essential life skills that will boost their self-esteem and resilience - topics that are so important in good mental health.
Emotions are extremely powerful. They are also often confused with our identity. However, we are not our emotions - we purely experience our emotions, which come and go. Our brain is also not our identity - it is an organ, like our heart, liver, or lungs. Once we understand this, we realise that we don't have to let our emotions and thoughts control our behaviour. Instead, every one of us, whatever our age, has the power to choose how to behave.
Many children assume that other people think similarly to them. However, no one is the same. Each child is unique. Each child has their own interests, skills, and thought patterns. They will never know what someone else is thinking and so should only concern themselves with what they can control: their own behaviour.
Every child should also celebrate their individuality. In the words of Oscar Wilde, 'Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.' Use Your Noodle empowers children to make good decisions and be true to themselves - the key to long-lasting happiness.
About the Author
Sarah Brazier lives in Perth, Australia, and is a mother to three children. She has combined her knowledge of medical education with her experience as a mum to create children's books that educate children about human biology in a fun and engaging way. Sarah was born near Oxford, England, and graduated from King's College London with a BSc in Parasitology.
About the Illustrator
Andrew Hopgood is a Melbourne-based illustrator who began freelancing in 1990. After completing a BA in Graphic Design at Swinburne Institute of Technology, Andrew began his career using traditional mediums such as acrylic and scraperboard. However, like most illustrators, he transitioned to digital when Macs came on to the scene.