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Reviews by . . .

• Rick Ackerly
• Sue Atkins
• Joe Bruzzese
• Robert Case, New World Dad
• The Children’s Book Review
• Anne Collier, ConnectSafely.org
• Michael Costigan
• Peter Derby-Crook, Tanglin Trust School, Singapore
• Jess Deutsch, Ed.M, MSW
• Rosie Elphinstone, Families Magazine (UK)
• Russell Faust, Ph.D., M.D., The Booger Doctor
• Mackenzie Gavel, Belittle the Bullies
• Angie, Growing Tween
• Gen Katz, Games4Women
• Lynne Kenney, Psy.D.
• J Richard Knapp, Stop-Bullies.com
• DeAnna L’am
• Sue McNamara, Six Seconds
• Denise Murray, Creative Learning Center
• Sarah Newton
• Rae Pica, BAM Radio Network
• Kristen M. Ploetz, little lodestar
• Elizabeth Flora Ross, TheMomPledge.com
• Louise Sattler, NCSP, Signing Families
• Sharon Silver, CPE
• Liz Swanson, Tango Relationship Initiative
• Jean Tracy, MSS
• Dr. Hal Urban, Ed.D.
• Vanessa Van Petten, RadicalParenting.com
• Maggie Wells, Parenting Squad

“Annie Fox evidently has lots of experience in helping young people and is passionate about her work. This comes across strongly in her book which I found to be an exceptionally good read...

“The book is full of insight, wisdom and sensible, practical advice. It would be easy for such a parenting guide to be condescending, but Annie writes with such genuine warm-heartedness, humour and self-deprecating humility that she takes you with her all the way. Highly recommended. Families Rating: 5 out of 6” More »

—Rosie Elphinstone, Families South West

“Stellar! Unlike many solution-based parenting books, Teaching Kids to Be Good People is insightful, intuitive on so many levels… a truly meaningful book for our times. In an era when we feel confused about how to stay connected with our teens, Annie gives us practical, new advice we can use right now! The stories are so well written, you won’t want to get up, so grab a cup of Joe in a comfy chair and turn off your phone. This book is going to change your relationships!” More »

—Lynne Kenney, Psy.D., author of
The Family Coach Method

“I wholeheartedly recommend Teaching Kids to be Good People to any significant adult in children’s lives. This book offers guidance and practical advice to ensure that children are supported to become the best that they can be.  The best not only for themselves but the best also for their families, schools, communities and the world!”

—Sue McNamara, Director of Education,
Six Seconds South East Asia

“Annie Fox’s experience as an educator, parent and educator of parents shows in her new book Teaching Kids to Be Good People. Her learning-by-doing lessons and, actually, in every sentence of this wonderful, readable, friendly book about how to (with a little luck) turn all people into friends—especially friends of the most at risk people—teenagers.”

—Rick Ackerly, author of The Genius in Every Child: Encouraging Character, Curiosity, and Creativity in Children

“Annie Fox has a genuine passion for helping our young people and she has many years of experience doing it. Both are evident in this wonderful resource for parents and teachers. It’s full of insight, wisdom, good stories, and most important—practical advice. I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to help our kids become good people.”

—Dr. Hal Urban, Ed.D., author of Life’s Greatest Lessons and 20 Gifts of Life

“Timing is everything, and the time has come for this book! Teaching Kids to Be Good People not only helps parents introduce and support their children’s emotions, it also reminds adults that we too must honor and release our deeply held feelings as well. The time has come!”

—Sharon Silver, CPE, author of Stop Reacting and Start Responding: 108 Ways to Discipline Consciously
and Become the Parent You Want to Be

“Having worked in this field for so long, it becomes increasingly difficult to read new thoughts and ideas. Every time I read something of Annie’s, it makes me think. Great book; a great job Annie!” More »

—Sarah Newton, author of Help! My Teenager Is an Alien! and The Teen Years: Don’t Get Mad… Get Through It!

“Annie has been helping teens use their moral compass and parents and educators to support young people’s development of one for 30 years, and her very readable latest book—Teaching Kids to Be Good People—has that level of experience, plus wisdom, anecdotes, exercises, and compass-development tools, packed into it. I highly recommend this book. In it, Annie connects 21st-century parenting to the wisdom of the ages.” More »

—Anne Collier, journalist, youth advocate and co-director of ConnectSafely.org

“Raising happy, confident, emotionally intelligent, compassionate kids is not always easy in these 24/7 digitally online times. Finding positive, empathetic role models is often difficult, but Teaching Kids to Be Good People, a wonderfully practical and warm-hearted book, is a great place to start. It will empower parents with some really helpful suggestions and ideas for navigating the choppy emotional waters of raising great adults. I highly recommend that you settle down with a cup of coffee and enjoy reading Teaching Kids to Be Good People as Annie’s ideas will make communicating with your children meaningful and magical.” More »

—Sue Atkins, author of Parenting Made Easy—How to Raise Happy Children

“Teaching Kids to Be Good People is a step-by-step template for parents who want to help their kids and themselves survive and thrive through the challenges of parenthood. In an age where many parents want to be their child’s best friend and often lose sight of the need for actively using parenting skills, I commend Ms. Fox for writing such a clear parenting guide and thank her for being ‘just in time.’ This book also should find its way on to the office shelves of School Counselors and School Psychologists.”

—Louise Sattler, NCSP, founder of Signing Families™

“Teaching Kids to Be Good People is an extraordinary work! I love it: it is full of practical advice, much of which I have yet to read elsewhere. With our own three young monkeys (ages 8, 6, 4), my wife and I are already implementing your approach to some issues, and we can foresee your book as a guide as we enter the tween years and beyond.”

—Dr. Russell A. Faust, Ph.D., M.D., founder of
Ask the Booger Doctor

“Another work of magic from what I have come to know as a master in the field. Sharing actual scenarios and follow up questions helps to keep readers connected to Annie’s ideas in a way that most parenting books fail to do.”

—Joe Bruzzese, founder of Sprigeo.com, author of
A Parents’ Guide to the Middle School Years

“Teaching Kids to Be Good People delivers solid, practical advice in a no-nonsense style. It is packed with exercises parents can use to test out the book’s advice and practice responses to particular situations. The author does a great job writing down the varied situations that all parents encounter at one point or another and provides guidance to help tackle problems with aplomb. The text is mainly geared to parents of older children—tweens and teens—but the lessons provide insight for teaching compassion to children of all ages.”

—The Children’s Book Review

“Annie Fox’s Teaching Kids to Be Good People is an insightful work that looks to understand the minds of the younger generation and how we can all work together to make this world a better, and safer, place to live. When I first started to read, I had my doubts. How can a book teach parents how to better educate their children without sounding too condescending? But I was hooked as Fox provides an interactive experience, continuously engaging readers in the conversation while showing that she, too, is not perfect, and we are all constantly learning how to better improve ourselves so that we may be good role models.” More »

—Mackenzie Gavel, blogger and founder of
Belittle the Bullies

“Teaching Kids to Be Good People delivers a thought-provoking and stimulating read. Annie Fox stands as a parent-educator and author bringing the importance of character education to the forefront of parenting issues.” More »

—Denise Murray, Educational Consultant,
Creative Learning Center

“I am often asked, ‘Is there a definitive guide book for raising teens that you can direct me to?’ and now with the publication of Teaching Kids to Be Good People—I can confidently say ‘Absolutely! Annie Fox has written just the book.’”

—Michael Costigan, Youth Speaker

“Annie’s voice is warm and authentic as she shares pain and growth from childhood memories and life events, distilling pure gold from the lessons learned. The heart of her message is modeling, which indeed is the one essential parenting tool to surpass all would-be ‘golden rules.’ Annie reminds us that families are where kids learn what truly matters, and offers clearly written and easily applied guidelines inspiring parents to engage in honest self observation, and to help their kids find their voices, be true to themselves, expand emotional literacy, and develop compassion for themselves and others.”

—DeAnna L’am, author of Becoming Peers—Mentoring Girls Into Womanhood and A Diva’s Guide to Getting Your Period

“Annie Fox tackles one of the most important challenges parents face: how to raise a good person. I love Annie’s approach and the fact that she is calling attention to the right issues. Annie shows us that parenting is more than raising kids to get straight A’s and get into Ivy League schools, it is about raising an adult who you would be proud to know.”

—Vanessa Van Petten, RadicalParenting.com
Author, Do I Get My Allowance Before or After I’m Grounded?

“There are certain people writing and talking about ‘parenting issues’ who have truly influenced my thinking. They give me hope and inspire me to be the best Dad I can be. So I’m going to shout their names and their wisdom from the top of whatever mountain I can (this lowly blog will have to suffice for now).

“The thinker/writer I’m shouting about this time is Annie Fox. I’m currently reading her book Teaching Kids To Be Good People (see how that’s not ‘...To Get Accepted at Harvard’, or ‘...To Be The Most Popular’; it’s, ‘...To Be Good People’).” More »

—Robert Case, New World Dad

“Annie’s anecdotes and insights, her warmth and wisdom, together with Real-World Assignments and Conversations That Count, have created a book that is both passionate and practical. Annie offers parents and teachers an important guide for understanding teens—in general and in the 21st century. What a gift!”

—Rae Pica, Education Consultant, Author
Co-founder, BAM Radio Network
Host, Teacher’s Aid and Body, Mind and Child

“Teaching Kids to Be Good People is a treasure. Parents everywhere will enjoy not only the great ideas but also the easy format and Annie’s excellent writing style.

“Annie is truly genuine as she reveals her own painful stories to remind us that we must model genuine feelings so our children won’t stuff their emotions and have problems as adults. No, she’s not promoting yelling or screaming. She is advocating daily conversations about the real concerns our children have.

“I loved hearing the questions from kids and teens about their problems whether about drugs, alcohol, or ‘fitting in’ versus being fake. Every chapter is a lesson on how to teach kids to be good people.

“Pick up Teaching Kids to Be Good People if you want to raise great kids with awesome character.”

Jean Tracy also blogged about Teaching Kids:
Character Building: How To Have Conversations with Kids That Promote Integrity
“Annie Fox encourages us to really talk with our children about issues in their lives. She tells us to make our homes a safe place to share their moral dilemmas and concerns. You’ll find top-notch advice in her book with real life problems and solutions. She is a nationally respected character educator with 30+ years of experience.”

Upset Mom Asks: How Can I Get My Son to Respect His Girlfriends?
“I like how Annie Fox gives parents a question to consider. In her answer she gets to the core of the question. She ends with letting the son know there will be a consequence if he doesn’t treat others, girlfriends included, with respect. What a help to parents who don’t know what to say or how to get the message across.”

—Jean Tracy, MSS, author of Character Building: Problem Stories for Family Discussions

“Teaching Kids to Be Good People by Annie Fox is a must read for every young parent. Annie has looked at parenting in a very realistic and practical approach which delivers relevant information in a style that fits the parents of today’s children. Fox’s years of experience and expertise in parenting permeate the pages of this wonderful book. Parents everywhere—this is the book for you!” More »

—J Richard Knapp, CEO of Stop-Bullies.com

“I’m reading a fantastic book for parents right now by Annie Fox, M.Ed. The book tackles some tough questions that are often discussed (without answers) [by] parents... I think pretty much all the moms & dads I talk to would agree with this desire for respect/social responsibility/standing up against bullying/being true to what you believe in, we all know WHAT we want for our kids. But there’s the HOW... how on earth can one teach this kind of wisdom to a humiliated 11 year old after a hard day at school?! This book has some great real-world scenarios and questions from teens and tweens with thoughtful answers.

“As we buckle down for Hurricane Sandy today, we’re expecting to loose power soon. I am so glad to have this thoughtful and relevant book on my Kindle to continue my path towards better parenting. This book is excellent, down to earth and has already led to some good conversations with my hubby and tweens.” More »

And in a subsequent post...

“Earlier I wrote about Annie Fox’s excellent book Teaching Kids to Be Good People. I read it straight through and found it packed with good insights and information. It didn’t end there. When I read a book or see a movie I find that the real value comes later. Does the book stay with me? Do I still have ideas from it rattling around in my head a week or two later? Do I bring it up to friends, does it become something I would recommend to others? When something sticks with me- that’s when I know it was of real value to ME. This book has been one of those books.” More »

—Angie, Growing Tween

“If you really want to stay close to your teen son or daughter through the turbulent teens, then read this book. Not irrelevant hypotheses but concrete cases and ‘what to do’ when faced with those agonising choices and decisions. With this book, you are never alone. You have a companion in Annie Fox who understands the minds and motives of teenagers and who can help you through this challenging time for all parents. Well done and thank you Annie!”

—Peter Derby-Crook
Chief Executive Officer
Tanglin Trust School, Singapore

“Where [the book] really succeeds is getting parents to understand that a thoughtful and considered response to kids and their problems in everyday life is teaching children way more than parents realize about how to deal with the world.

“Fox challenges parents to be present in a thoughtful and often folksy way. She challenges the readers to open up to their children and to share with them their own pasts and childhoods as a way forward in helping children cope better with their own realities.

“Teaching Kids to be Good People is a quick read and one where you can go back to it again and again and pick up different parts from it. There are great and poignant sections, such as the ‘Conversations that Count’ prompts that come up nearly every chapter with suggestions on how to open up channels of dialogue with your children.” More »

—Maggie Wells, Parenting Squad

“As in her previous books, Annie tends to meet you—first-person and so her suggestions and stories are very personal—and not without a full measure of humor. One that cracked me up was her answer to a father whose daughter was behaving less than welcoming to the new baby. She asked him to imagine how his first wife would take to being told that there would be less time for her because he has to spend more time with the new wife, that the house had to be quiet so that the new wife could get her sleep and furthermore, she was expected to share her things with the newcomer. Point made! Way to go, Annie!” More »

—Gen Katz, Games4Women

“I have read many parenting books over the years. This book is the first one that not only gave insights into parenting but also reminded me of the importance of living my own life with thoughtfulness and integrity. The writing is authentic, honest and engaging. I loved the way Annie asked the reader to ‘think about times in your own childhood when...’ We can easily forget what it felt like to be a kid and Annie’s call to remember is a wonderful way to help us become more empathetic. The bits of wisdom from those who have gone before us, Helen Keller, Winston Churchill and Maya Angelou, were inspiring. Her use of illustration, real life stories and examples of conversations give parents tracks to run on. I will pass this book on to many parents who are attempting to navigate this challenging journey.”

—Liz Swanson, Tango Relationship Initiative

“I have been following Annie Fox on Facebook and Twitter for some time now, and I greatly admire her work. When I was offered the opportunity recently to read her newest book, Teaching Kids To Be Good People, I was thrilled. As the creator of The Mom Pledge, I think it should go without saying this is a topic I care deeply about. And many of the women who commit to the principles of The Mom Pledge do so not only for themselves, but for their children. Because they realize the importance of leading by example.

“Annie had me from the get go when she wrote, ‘character assassination in public discourse is the air we breathe.’ She’s hit the nail on the head, and goes on to say:

“‘When our kids plug in... they encounter few positive adult role models. Online and off, our culture frequently ignores or rewards cruelty. This is why our children need us to do a better job mentoring them in the direction of respect and kindness.’” More »

—Elizabeth Flora Ross, TheMomPledge.com

“I have just finished reading Teaching Kids to Be Good People, and can honestly say how lucky I am to have been asked to read and comment on a truly remarkable, entirely timely, and much needed parenting resource like this. Every parent, particularly those with school-aged kids and teenagers, should get their hands on a copy. . .

“Considering how long it has been since so many of us parents have been in middle and high school, it is comforting that someone like Ms. Fox has her finger on the pulse of today’s youth and what kinds of things we need to start doing (or doing more of) so that our children can cope with the dynamic and shifting social landscape surrounding them. The author understands and reminds us of just how much the media and social pressure can affect our children’s behavior (and that of their peers) in a negative way, well beyond what any of us were exposed to when we were that age ourselves. . .

“Though some of this book certainly felt geared toward parents of slightly older children (mine is 5 ½), I honestly think I read this at exactly the right time so that I can understand what lies ahead for my daughter, our family and her peers. . . It will certainly warrant a re-read it again when certain age-related issues come up down the line. . .

“When reading Teaching Kids to Be Good People, I really felt like I was sitting down over coffee with a trusted and non-judgmental friend, a fellow parent at that, who has a profound insight about how to change the tide of mean-spirited actions and words that we just hear too much about these days when it comes to our young people. It did not feel preachy or holier than thou. Instead, I feel inspired and empowered to do the work, my job, as a parent to help calibrate my child’s moral compass not just early on, but along the way.

“Please read this book. If enough parents read this and use it as yet another tool for raising our children, there is wonderful change ahead. I’m sure of it.” Much more »

—Kristen M. Ploetz, little lodestar

“[Teaching Kids to Be Good People] is a super read, a great guide, and a meaningful resource for every parent.”

—Jess Deutsch, Ed.M, MSW, Educational Advisor
Founder of Princeton Balance

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