Meet Xander. He is engaging and curious. Though he is not the model of perfection in his behavior, he carries the innocence of a child learning to navigate life. The resulting repercussions of his antics leads him to examine his actions. This helps him discover better ways of thinking about and responding to the obstacles and events he and his perpetual sidekick, Alex the duck, encounter.


In the book, "I Can Do This, " Xander is confronted with a shortfall of patience and determination, which leads to a mysterious accident with his favorite robot, and threatens to prevent him from performing his best on the upcoming science test. The readers will be introduced to the concept of perseverance, gain strategies to help them persevere through long tasks, and learn all about the water cycle alongside Xander. A bonus guide for making water cycle bracelets is included.


The story is told from Xander's perspective, and therefore contains some of the grammatical structures and occasional incorrect words of a young child. The colorful text is humorous and recognizable to parents and teachers alike, and challenges students with the larger, interesting words with which our little ones often surprise us. The illustrations serve to further the story line and add an element of excitement as kids hunt to find Alex, often strategically hidden or curiously "up to something, " in the image.


The series' intent is to develop awareness of how we think about and react to life's challenging situations. Recognizing and intentionally practicing mental and emotional processing skills strengthens and encourages the development of healthy mindsets. Consciously choosing how we think about things helps guide our daily decisions and leads to positive behavior patterns that improve both our overall mental and emotional health and our interactions with others as we journey life's path.