Cooper and Me was illustrated by 11-year-old Alexa Peters and co-written with her mother, Monique Peters. The idea was inspired by Alexa’s own experiences on her first day of school. A talented young artist and writer, Alexa wanted to give back to others in a meaningful way through her art. Starting at a very young age, Alexa created illustrated stories about her daily experiences, and from the pages of her sketchbooks came the idea for her first book, Cooper and Me.
Through rhythmic verses, Cooper and Me tells the story of a young girl who is nervous as her first day of school approaches. She is frightened about leaving home and doesn’t want to go without her best friend, her dog Cooper. Fortunately her mother finds the perfect solution to help the little girl overcome her fears – a small replica of her beloved pet she can take to school with her. In Cooper and Me, the story of a child’s fears about starting school has evolved into a timeless tale about overcoming separation anxiety and trying new things – basic emotions all people experience throughout their lives – but this time, written by a child, for children.
The story behind Cooper and Me also offers an inspiring example of families working together to help others. In addition to helping young children gain emotional resilience and confidence through their books, Alexa and mom Monique wanted to go beyond that to help less fortunate kids. Their search for an organization to which they could donate a portion of the proceeds from the Cooper and Me book led to a charitable alliance with the Happy Hearts Fund, founded and run by Petra Nemcova, the supermodel who was directly affected by the tsunami in Thailand. Happy Hearts improves children’s lives through education and sustainable programs in natural disaster areas.
For more information visit the Cooper and Me website. They even have printable coloring sheets and word puzzles for the kids.
I think Cooper and Me is a very sweet book. Separation anxiety is very real for some kids. By reading about the anxiety this little girl is dealing with when faced with going to school for the first time, kids will learn that it’s normal to feel this way. By seeing how this little girl overcomes her fears, they, too, will be able to overcome theirs.
There is a page in the back of the book for recording your child’s first day of school experience. There are also several pages that will help you help your child. A Life Lesson, Connections and a section on Learning Together. These sections give you questions and conversation starters to help you help your child through what can be a very scary time.
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