Kid Librarian - September

Name: JD Age: 9 Favorite genre: Queer Romance (Like Heartstopper)

September 2025

Why I love the library: It’s nice and quiet. I can play with other kids and do my favorite activity: reading!

HEY THERE!

Sometimes we all need a little reminder that we're doing good things, we're on the right track, we're awesome! That's called a pep talk, and here's a definition from dictionary.com:

You’re‌

a vigorous, emotional talk, as to a person or group, intended to arouse enthusiasm and increase determination to succeed

(Yeah, you!)‌

And you‘re making‌

Here you are, reading the library website and‌

KEEP IT UP!‌

Pep talks give us energy to keep doing the good things we're doing. They include affirmations -- positive things we tell ourselves about who we are or what we do.

When we use affirmations, we feel more confident and better about ourselves. Those positive feelings help us want to keep doing good things.

Keep scrolling for some more ideas to help you feel motivated!

The next time a friend or family member is having a hard day, you can give them a pep talk. You can also give yourself a pep talk!

Here are some tips. (I found this information here.)

1. Start with

2. Use your‌

You are strong!

You are brave!

You can do hard things!

If you're giving yourself a pep talk before doing something you're nervous about, it helps to talk to yourself by name.

These kinds of statements are called affirmations. Starting with good things like this reminds us of reasons why we should be confident.

And when we remember these things, our brains produce chemicals that help us feel happy! Then we're ready to believe in ourselves.

For example, if I were about to go on stage and talk in front of a bunch of people, I could say, "You can do this, Sam! You've done hard things before, and you can do this too!"

Calling ourselves by name helps us overcome our self-doubt. It makes it easier for us to believe the good things we're saying.

3. Above all...‌ Watch this video with an adult, then answer these questions together: What happens when we surround ourselves with positivity?

What happens when we believe negative things about ourselves?

How can pep talks help us be more confident?

Pep talks are little messages to remind ourselves that we are brave, and smart, and that we can do hard things! We can give ourselves (and other people) pep talks to boost confidence and overcome discouragement.

Affirmations are short statements to remind ourselves of who we are and what is important to us. We can use affirmations every day to help us feel confident and be ourselves. Affirmations can be part of a pep talk.

Below you’ll find two links to pep talks you can either hear online or over the phone. The other two links have ideas for affirmations. Check them out, then think about what kinds of affirmations you can tell yourself!

"This is your time, This is my time, This is our time!

We can make every day better for each other!"

Do you need a Pep Talk? Ask an adult to help you call (707)8PEPTOC ... (707)873-7862 for some words of encouragement from kindergarteners! Click on the image above to read more about it!

(The phone number in the article is old. They changed it, so use the one here instead.)

Click this image for a song full of affirmations by Snoop Dogg! When you're feeling discouraged, you can sing it to yourself to feel better.

Click this image for instructions about making a daily affirmations jar! You can find a huge list of affirmations on the site, and even more here!

Click this image to watch a video of one of my favorite pep talks ever, from Kid President!

There are plenty of books in the library to help you feel more positive and confident. Here are just a few. Click on the picture to see the book in our online catalog. If it sounds interesting, you can put it on hold and check it out!

Repeat After Me: Big Things to Say Every Day Jazmyn Simon, Dulé Hill

Words Are My Superpower Harold Green, Andrea Pippins

I Will! A Book of Promises Juana Medina

Do Your Best Every Day to Do Your Best Every Day John Cena

Love Letters: An Alphabet of Affirmations Alanna Flowers

I’m Going to Have a Good Day!

Who I Am: Words I Tell Myself Susan Verde, Peter Reynolds

Pete the Cat’s Groovy Guide to Life Kim Dean, James Dean

I Am, I Can: 365 Affirmations for Kids Wynne Kinder

Be Your Own Best Friend Forever!

Gary Robinson

I Am Thinking My Life Allysun Atwater, Stevie Lewis

Tiania Haneline, Scarlett Gray Smith, Stephanie Dehennin

You Vs. the World Bear Grylls