The Best Good Thing: Discovering Joy on a Very Bad, Smad Day

Some days are all bad . . . or are they?

In The Best Good Thing, nothing is going well. The young narrator sharing about her day is feeling sad and mad. Smad! She knows there are no good things about the day. Her mother listens, sympathizes, and suggests intentionally looking for positives. The story becomes a relatable search for good things, which are all around. A flower, a kind neighbor, yummy bread. Ultimately, she discovers the best good thing of all: love.

Written by a child mental health clinician and grounded in child development, this book:

• Meets the need for story-based books with tools that support children’s well-being
• Teaches parents and young readers the therapeutic strategy of cognitive restructuring in an accessible and kid-friendly way
• Includes guidance and support for kids and adults at the back of the book

This engaging and beautifully illustrated story, told by a main character with a strong voice, will make a real difference in the lives of children and their caregivers.

| The Best Good Thing models how caregivers might respond when a child feels upset after a bad day. Written by a child mental health clinician, the story begins with a young girl who feels “smad”—sad and mad. Certain there are no good things, she shares with her mother, who listens and encourages her to look for positives. Together, they notice small joys—a flower, a neighbor, fresh bread—until she discovers the best good thing of all: love. |

Anna Housley Juster, PhD, LICSW, is an award-winning author, child mental health clinician, education consultant, and mom. She began her career as a Head Start teacher, served as director of content for Sesame Street, and has over twenty-five years of experience supporting children and families. Anna currently treats children managing anxiety, ADHD, and behavior challenges with expertise in cognitive behavioral therapy, play therapy, trauma therapy, and parent guidance. Her first picture book, How to Train Your Amygdala, is an NYC Big Book Award Distinguished Favorite and has been translated into French, licensed for translation, print, and distribution by the Ministry of Education for Indonesia, and was published as an English-Spanish bilingual edition, How to Train Your Amygdala/Cómo entrenar tu amígdala. Her second picture book The Best Good Thing follows a young girl who discovers joy on a very bad, smad day. Anna grew up exploring in mud, sand, and snow, surrounded by stories, and is a firm believer in the power of play. She lives with her husband, two daughters, and one very soft dog near Boston, MA.

Andrea Onishi is a Brazilian from São Paulo. She received her university degree in Social Communications in the 90s, but during the pandemic, she decided to revisit her longtime love of drawing and started to work as a freelance illustrator. Her favorite themes are children, animals, scenes from everyday life, and nature. Andrea likes to experiment with digital collage and colored pencils. She enjoys talking to her dog, watching cooking shows, trips with her family, and swimming. She currently lives with her partner, daughter, and a mixed-breed dog.