Mt. Pleasant author publishes her first children’s book

MT. PLEASANT — Denise McCormick, the author of the children’s book “Never Mind the Monkey Mind” will be reading her book at the Mt. Pleasant Library on Saturday, March 5 at 11 a.m. McCormick also will be signing copies of her book and she will have a writer’s workshop that day at the library.

A Mt. Pleasant native, McCormick draws upon her 30 years of experience as an educator, award winning author and motivational speaker to help children escape from negative thinking, “chatter” by repeating positive affirmations.

McCormick is a graduate from Iowa Wesleyan University, and has been married to her husband, John, for 46 years. McCormick has a Master’s Degree in Education and Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. She is a K-12 Reading Specialist with a K-8 Reading Endorsement. She taught at the elementary level for 26 years, and graduate college level for 10 years. She is also an Iowa Writing Project Instructor.

McCormick is an inspirational speaker employing Jack Canfield’s Success Principles. She is also an author of the story “From Surviving to Thriving” which was published in the book “Women Who Impact” that became a #1 international bestseller. She has also wrote a story for the book “Women Who Shine” which is also an international bestseller.

“This is my first children’s book,” said McCormick. “As a K-12 reading specialist, and teacher to those that teach, I have read thousands of children’s books. And I always had a dream of writing my own book.”

McCormick is a singer and a songwriter, and she wrote the song that is at the end of “Never Mind the Monkey Mind” to cement the meaning of the story line in children’s minds. “When I was a teacher, I always made up songs to teach lessons to the children, because there is a huge correlation between music and retention.”

“Never Mind the Monkey Mind” is part of an “I Am” series of children’s books, and although this is McCormick’s first children’s book, it is not her last. “I want to teach children success principles. It is something that is missing in children’s books and that is the kind of books that I want to write.”

The principle behind the book is to teach children that the inner critic that we have chattering in our minds is something that can be controlled, and that children have power to change how they think about themselves. “This is part of the growth mindset, versus a fixed mindset,” said McCormick. “And by affirmations everyone can do this change.”

McCormick drew upon her experience as an educator of having a growth mindset over a fixed mindset when writing the book. There is a song in the book where children can choose their own words of affirmation. There is a “Never Mind the Monkey Mind” manual that can be downloaded from denisemccormick.com to assist in the use of the book and its material.

“The ages that the book applies to are from 5 years to age 99,” said McCormick. “Every person that has reviewed it says that it’s for adults too.”

Contact Michelle Hillestad at michelle.hillestad@southeastiowaunion.com