Taking Care of Me
WITH EMILY AND FRIENDS
WRITTEN BY
Angela Kennecke
ILLUSTRATED BY
Abby Groth
Start
Table of contents
Parents
Taking Care of Me with Emily and Friends
Foreward
As a child psychiatrist and a specialist in addiction medicine, my day includes caring for many patients, including children, teenagers, and adults struggling with substance use disorders and related consequences. In fact, substance use disorders are so prevalent they frequently impact many individuals and their families either silently or explicitly. Established substance use disorder during adulthood usually has its foundation during an individual's developmental years. Historically, substance use prevention efforts have focused on reducing the supply or using scare tactics have not been shown to help. However, reducing demand by increasing educational efforts seems a critical but often missed component of substance use prevention. The traditional prevention programs have focused on middle school and high school students with some success. However, age-appropriate educational programs focusing on elementary school students to help educate, change attitudes and perceptions due to the ever-changing popular drug culture, and inform future decision-making are lacking. Evidence shows that substance use prevention strategies are likely to be more promising if they enhance drug-refusing skills informed by age-appropriate social and emotional development, early engagement in problem-solving and solution-focused approaches, and the refusal of high-risk behaviors. In essence, school-based programs focusing on children from early development through elementary and middle school are needed to achieve long-term preventative goals and a real public health impact. Implementing such comprehensive multi-grade reinforced programs in early school years is simply going to help improve drug use outcomes during middle school, high school, and later in life, resulting in a reduced impact of substance use, particularly the opioid epidemic, in the near future. This book and curriculum was designed to assist teachers, health educators, and school policymakers in your school district. This book has been created by a team of motivated educators, teachers, scientists, and physicians in your community to provide age-appropriate education from kindergarten through fifth-grade level. An extensive attempt has been made to keep the book lessons concise, clear, and age-appropriate. This book hopes to achieve its objectives by teaching elementary school children about their body, body parts, brain function, neurotransmitters, substance use, and the effects of using substances on the brain and body. I believe this time investment during elementary years to reduce substance use will help these students experience a better quality of life and community citizenship.
Vivek Anand, MD
Attending Physician, Avera Behavioral Health Hospital Attending Physician, Avera Addiction Care Center Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota
Lesson 1 - My Body
Lesson 2 - Staying Healthy
Lesson 3 - My Feelings
sing with us!
Brain Power
My brain is the best tool I've got It helps me jump and run and think a lot. It's up to me to protect my brain! If I take something I shouldn't I won't feel the same. Sometimes I feel glad or mad, My brain deserves love even when it's sad! Cause no matter what my brain and me Can learn new things and be the best that we can be! My brain is the best tool I've got It helps me jump and run and think a lot. It's up to me to protect my brain! If I take something I shouldn't I won't feel the same.
So I’m going to make sure I keep my brain healthy and secure! I’ll make good choices every day- My brain is my best friend forever and always! My brain is the best tool I've got It helps me jump and run and think a lot. It's up to me to protect my brain! If I take something I shouldn't I won't feel the same.
(Shout all together) Brain Power!
About the Author and Illustrator
Angela Kennecke is a veteran broadcast journalist and author. Her daughter, Abigail Groth, has been drawing characters since age five. Abigail graduated from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, where she studied animation, comics, and creative writing. Angela lost her oldest daughter, Emily, Abigail’s sister, in 2018 to fentanyl poisoning and formed the non-profit Emily’s Hope. Educating children on addiction as a disease of the brain and the danger of the illegal drug supply is now an important part of the mission of Emily’s Hope. Emily’s Hope believes that if children can understand how to protect their brains, it will cut down on early use and reduce the number of people suffering from substance use disorder. A special thank you to the Emily’s Hope Prevention Education Committee for helping to determine the content covered in this book. Go to www.emilyshope.charity for more information.
Taking Care of Me
Lesson 1 - My Body
Lesson 2 - Staying Healthy
Lesson 3 - My Feelings
Sing with Us!
Taking Care of Me with Emily and Friends - Kindergarten book
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Created on August 14, 2025
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Transcript
Taking Care of Me
WITH EMILY AND FRIENDS
WRITTEN BY
Angela Kennecke
ILLUSTRATED BY
Abby Groth
Start
Table of contents
Parents
Taking Care of Me with Emily and Friends
Foreward
As a child psychiatrist and a specialist in addiction medicine, my day includes caring for many patients, including children, teenagers, and adults struggling with substance use disorders and related consequences. In fact, substance use disorders are so prevalent they frequently impact many individuals and their families either silently or explicitly. Established substance use disorder during adulthood usually has its foundation during an individual's developmental years. Historically, substance use prevention efforts have focused on reducing the supply or using scare tactics have not been shown to help. However, reducing demand by increasing educational efforts seems a critical but often missed component of substance use prevention. The traditional prevention programs have focused on middle school and high school students with some success. However, age-appropriate educational programs focusing on elementary school students to help educate, change attitudes and perceptions due to the ever-changing popular drug culture, and inform future decision-making are lacking. Evidence shows that substance use prevention strategies are likely to be more promising if they enhance drug-refusing skills informed by age-appropriate social and emotional development, early engagement in problem-solving and solution-focused approaches, and the refusal of high-risk behaviors. In essence, school-based programs focusing on children from early development through elementary and middle school are needed to achieve long-term preventative goals and a real public health impact. Implementing such comprehensive multi-grade reinforced programs in early school years is simply going to help improve drug use outcomes during middle school, high school, and later in life, resulting in a reduced impact of substance use, particularly the opioid epidemic, in the near future. This book and curriculum was designed to assist teachers, health educators, and school policymakers in your school district. This book has been created by a team of motivated educators, teachers, scientists, and physicians in your community to provide age-appropriate education from kindergarten through fifth-grade level. An extensive attempt has been made to keep the book lessons concise, clear, and age-appropriate. This book hopes to achieve its objectives by teaching elementary school children about their body, body parts, brain function, neurotransmitters, substance use, and the effects of using substances on the brain and body. I believe this time investment during elementary years to reduce substance use will help these students experience a better quality of life and community citizenship.
Vivek Anand, MD
Attending Physician, Avera Behavioral Health Hospital Attending Physician, Avera Addiction Care Center Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota
Lesson 1 - My Body
Lesson 2 - Staying Healthy
Lesson 3 - My Feelings
sing with us!
Brain Power
My brain is the best tool I've got It helps me jump and run and think a lot. It's up to me to protect my brain! If I take something I shouldn't I won't feel the same. Sometimes I feel glad or mad, My brain deserves love even when it's sad! Cause no matter what my brain and me Can learn new things and be the best that we can be! My brain is the best tool I've got It helps me jump and run and think a lot. It's up to me to protect my brain! If I take something I shouldn't I won't feel the same.
So I’m going to make sure I keep my brain healthy and secure! I’ll make good choices every day- My brain is my best friend forever and always! My brain is the best tool I've got It helps me jump and run and think a lot. It's up to me to protect my brain! If I take something I shouldn't I won't feel the same.
(Shout all together) Brain Power!
About the Author and Illustrator
Angela Kennecke is a veteran broadcast journalist and author. Her daughter, Abigail Groth, has been drawing characters since age five. Abigail graduated from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, where she studied animation, comics, and creative writing. Angela lost her oldest daughter, Emily, Abigail’s sister, in 2018 to fentanyl poisoning and formed the non-profit Emily’s Hope. Educating children on addiction as a disease of the brain and the danger of the illegal drug supply is now an important part of the mission of Emily’s Hope. Emily’s Hope believes that if children can understand how to protect their brains, it will cut down on early use and reduce the number of people suffering from substance use disorder. A special thank you to the Emily’s Hope Prevention Education Committee for helping to determine the content covered in this book. Go to www.emilyshope.charity for more information.
Taking Care of Me
Lesson 1 - My Body
Lesson 2 - Staying Healthy
Lesson 3 - My Feelings
Sing with Us!