Responsible Me!

Noodle always chooses to do the things he wants to do while never getting around to doing the things he NEEDS to do. Award-winning children's author Julia Cook uses Noodle to creatively highlight a conundrum all children struggle with and offers simple strategies to help them learn how to balance doing what needs to be done while still finding time for fun.

The rules keep getting in the way of Noodle's fun. Rules for this, rules for that. There are so many rules! Can Noodle be convinced that rules are meant to help, not harm him?

Noodle is always being told what to do. Pull the weeds. Make his bed. Kick the ball a certain way in soccer. Ugh! But he wonders, why? What's in it for him? Luckily, the adults in Noodle's life are there to teach him the importance of moving 'need tos' into 'I did its!' Join Noodle as he learns the value of practicing small chores now, so he'll be ready for life's big challenges later.

Noodle's really done it this time! What should have been a friendly competition among classmates turns sour after Noodle cheats his way to victory. He says he didn't really want to cheat but everyone has to once in a while, so what's the harm? Will Noodle get burned by his own deception, or will he muster the courage to confess to his trickery? Young readers will learn a valuable lesson about the cost of cheating while enjoying a few laughs.

It just isn't Noodle's fault that his mom forgot to remind him to turn in his library book. Or that he didn't finish his homework. Luckily he learns not to blame others, but instead to take responsibility for his actions.

Everything in Noodle's life stinks, or so he thinks. Noodle's attitude, or "baditude," is alienating everyone around him. Can he let go of his angst and try to find the brighter side of life? With help, Noodle learns how to turn his baditude into gratitude!