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Lesson One: The ABCs of Life can be found at your local bookstore or you can purchase it at Amazon.com by clicking on either link below.

“Lesson One is full of good, workable suggestions. Let us pay attention, now.”
—Bill Cosby

“Jon Oliver's entire career has been an expression of his passion for helping children and adults learn the practical skills necessary for happy, healthy and productive lives. His program is a model for the entire nation. I've seen it; it works…This book is an excellent resource for raising strong, responsible children—and becoming strong, responsible adults.”
—Alvin F. Poussaint, M.D. Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

“This book is a wonderful tool for helping to prepare children to succeed in life. Every child—and many adults—can learn something from its valuable principles.”
—Marian Wright Edelman, President, Children’s Defense Fund

“A powerful book! Jon Oliver transforms lessons learned from his childhood, and from his years of experience as an educator, into a road map for making the world a better place.”
—Deborah Prothrow-Stith, M.D., Associate Dean, Harvard School of Public Health

“Jon Oliver’s extraordinary insight into children is invaluable. He recognizes the importance of understanding child development in order to prepare today’s children for tomorrow’s world. Lesson One: The ABCs of Life is accessible and an excellent guide for parents, educators, and all who work with children.”
—James P. Comer, M.D., Maurice Falk Professor of Child Psychiatry, Yale Child Study Center, Associate Dean, Yale School of Medicine

“With humor, astounding insight, and sensitivity, Jon Oliver, children's advocate, educational reformer, “hero,” provides an indispensable guide for parents and teachers in helping children develop critical life-skills. The strategies and activities described in this book for promoting self-control, self-confidence and personal responsibility shall surely contribute toward a more civil and respectful community.”
—James Alan Fox, Ph.D., Lipman Family Professor of Criminal Justice, Northeastern University

“Lesson One is chock full of easy-to-follow recipes for bringing up happy, healthy children. With real-life stories and creative games this valuable guide for parents and teachers describes coping skills that work for both children and adults. A particularly nifty exercise in self-control worked for me even before I finished reading Jon Oliver’s user-friendly book.”
—Peggy Charren, Founder, Action for Children's Television

“In Jon Oliver and Michael Ryan’s practical and entertaining Lesson One: The ABCs of Life, there is a telling vignette that illustrates both the message and the usefulness of the book. Describing a child who is having trouble sitting still and maintaining self-control, the authors provide a simple, quick series of steps that a parent or teacher can take to help the child regain their composure. The heart of these steps is the question they suggest asking the child: “Who controls you?” As the child works with the adult through the steps to self-control, the answer to the question quickly becomes obvious: the child, and indeed all of us, are in control of ourselves.
Through stories, activities, lessons and practical advice, Lesson One: The ABCs of Life offers a useful and readable approach for adults to use in helping children to find success in virtually every form of endeavor. Built on sound principles and effective educational strategies, Lesson One: The ABCs of Life helps adults to help children develop tolerance, listening skills, appreciation for diversity, problem-solving, cooperation, and self-confidence. The strategies are simple and easy to follow, and apply to home and community life as well as in the classroom. Lesson One: The ABCs of Life is an effective and useful educational tool for all of us who aspire to help children become successful and contributive adults.”
—Tom Payzant, Superintendent, Boston Public Schools

“Jon Oliver’s Lesson One is a must read for not only educators and parents but for anyone looking for a concrete guide to promote human development. As a therapist his ideas of self-control, and personal responsibility are most relevant. What I like most are his suggested activities, which I have already utilized in several of my therapy groups, not only with children but adults. Sharing stories and even using television as an opportunity for important discussions are just a few of the book’s practical suggestions. Lesson One is easy to understand and made even more interesting as the author describes his own ‘Non Lessoned’ childhood.”
—Michael Brody, M.D., Chair Television and Media Committee, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

“It is with great enthusiasm that I endorse Lesson One: The ABCs of Life. Jon Oliver and Michael Ryan provide adults with a thoughtful and entertaining approach to one of life’s most important jobs: helping children successfully navigate through their childhood.”
—Thomas Menino, Mayor of Boston

“These 'basics' of personal success should be part of every child's life, but they are too often lacking in today's stressed environments. Jon Oliver's upbeat book offers clear and practical steps to help parents and teachers fill this critical gap.”
—Jane M. Healy, Ph.D. Educational Psychologist and Author, Your Child's Growing Mind: Brain Development and Learning from Birth to Adolescence

“Lesson One helps adults and children stay connected through stories and experiential activities. Having worked extensively with children and adults diagnosed with ADHD, I know the methods, ideas and skills provided can help children focus, calm themselves and learn to achieve both in the school and home setting.”
—Dr. Edward Hallowell, Author, Driven to Distraction

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