A Case of the Zaps

by Alex Boniello (Author) James Kwan (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

A charming and heartfelt picture book that's a great way to start a conversation about anxiety and mental health with readers a few generations old or fresh off the assembly line!

Meet 3.14159265358979323846264338327950 . . . Or Pi, for short. Pi's just like any other kid robot: They love to listen to music, play with their dog, and hang out with their friends. And when their teacher announces a field trip to Olde Silicon Valley, Pi couldn't be more excited! They daydream of all the awesome things they want to see and do there--but also begin to worry about all the things that could go wrong . . . Then, on the way home, Pi feels a ZAP! They try to avoid the strange feeling, but the Zaps keep happening. Pi doesn't understand. They have a firewall installed! What could be going on?

A tale with equal parts humor and heart, A Case of the Zaps is a great way to begin talking about mental health and anxiety for readers of all ages.

Select format:
Hardcover
$18.99

Kirkus

A solid selection to spark up a dialogue on anxiety.

Review quotes

A Case of the Zaps is a clever and charming way to help kids understand anxiety and feel comfortable talking about it with friends and the adults in their lives. It does a good job explaining how therapy works and giving children confidence that it can work for them. And it's fun! —Dr. Harold S. Koplewicz, President, Child Mind Institute
Alex Boniello
Alex Boniello is an actor, musician, singer, writer, and Tony Award-winning producer from New York City. Most recently, he starred as Connor Murphy in Broadway's Dear Evan Hansen, and has also appeared as the voice of Moritz in Deaf West's revival of Spring Awakening and in numerous TV shows and films. Alongside April Lavalle, he's also a producer on Hadestown, for which they both received Tony Awards. Boniello is a passionate advocate for mental health, having worked closely with some of the most prolific organizations in the country. April Lavalle is an actor, comedian, writer, and Tony Award-winning producer living in New York City. As an actor, Lavalle has appeared on television and on stages throughout the world, and as a writer, she has been featured in publications such as Reductress, McSweeneys, Medium, and Vulture. She is also a director for the Story Pirates, which celebrates the imaginations of children worldwide. James Kwan is an animator and illustrator with a BFA from Pratt Institute. His picture books Dear Yeti and How It Feels to Be a Boat received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly and were featured in the New York Times. He was a character artist on BoJack Horseman and has also done animated, illustrated, and directed work with many clients including Microsoft and LEGO.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781419756726
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Harry N. Abrams
Publication date
August 16, 2022
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039050 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emotions & Feelings
JUV039240 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Depression & Mental Illness
JUV056000 - Juvenile Fiction | Robots
Library of Congress categories
Self-confidence
Picture books
Robots
Anxiety

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