Oakley had eight hands. He did not know which to use. When shaking hands with new friends, which hand should he choose?

It is polite to shake hands when meeting new people, but which hand should an eight-handed octopus use? Oakley the Octopus worries himself into a knot as he considers his options. At first, his classmates laugh at his predicament. Then a special task reveals the advantages of his many arms.

Through storytelling, Baxter’s Corner® pursues its mission to inspire young children to develop positive social skills that affect behavior choices. Each book features fun filled pages that Go Beyond the reading with a series of questions and learning activities that focus on an important point for your young listener or reader, including:

• What do you think questions

• Fun facts about the featured animals

• Social skill activities

• Stop and think situations that show the effects of choices we make

Parents and educators share responsibility to engender in children empathy and a sense of responsibility. The children’s books from Baxter’s Corner help adults teach these essential skills through delightful stories.

As an educator for 40 years, I appreciate the Go Beyond feature at the end of each story. With the activities in this section, parents, grandparents and educators can turn story time into opportunities for lessons about the impact of the choices we make.

Suzanne Cooke, RSCJ
Independent School Administrator
Miami, Florida
About Baxter’s Corner® books:

Gerome Sticks His Neck Out - Gold Award Recipient

We have a passion to help families grow emotionally, physically and spiritually. Parents and educators know that products and services bearing our seal of approval are high-quality and also a great value.

Dawn Matheson, Executive Director
Mom’s Choice Awards®