Why Is Pono not Pono Today?: Bring out the best when someone is Stressed - Softcover

Lewis, Deb; Lewis, Debra M.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0991483049 ISBN 13: 9780991483044

Synopsis

When big feelings build up… what helps us come back to our best?

Pono the Bull is strong, kind, and always ready to help. But as more and more people expect things from him—without kindness, appreciation, or aloha—something inside him begins to hurt.

His stomach aches. He can’t sleep. His heart feels heavy.

One day… Pono SNAPS.

He charges away angry and overwhelmed, insisting, “I’m not angry!” even as everyone can see he is.

That’s when his brave and caring friend Kuleana steps in—not with force, not with lectures—but with love, courage, and playful wisdom. Instead of fighting Pono’s anger, she helps him move through it.

And something surprising happens.

Pono remembers who he truly is.

Set in beautiful Hawai‘i, Why Is Pono Not Pono Today? is more than a heartwarming children’s story. It is a gentle introduction to the lifelong skill of learning how to handle stress without hurting ourselves or others.

Through humor, movement, friendship, and the Spirit of Aloha, children discover:

• How to recognize big emotions like anger and frustration
• The difference between reacting and responding
• Why survival-mode thinking makes things worse
• How kindness and connection restore balance
• The meaning of aloha, pono, and kuleana

This story lays the foundation for what author Colonel Deb Lewis calls “Stress Intelligence” — the ability to stay at your best when life feels hard.

Because stress is not the enemy.

When we learn how to move through it together, stress becomes our superpower.

Perfect for:

• Children ages 4–10
• Social Emotional Learning (SEL) classrooms
• Character education and growth mindset programs
• School counselors and therapists
• Families who want practical ways to talk about big feelings

Includes:

• Glossary of Hawaiian terms
• Reflection questions for children
• Conversation starters for families and classrooms

Pono represents the strength within each of us.
Kuleana represents our responsibility to help one another return to harmony.

Together, they show that when we bring out the best in each other, we can accomplish anything.

Because even when we are not “pono”…
we can always find our way back.

Make stress your superpower.

Edition details

• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0991483049
• ISBN 13: 9780991483044
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Magkakis Georgios
• Number of pages: 32
• Editor: Hassler Ann