The books reviewed on this blog voice and reflect some of my core values. An emphasis on kindness forms a recurring thread as does inclusivity and empathy. Peter H. Reynolds, an author featured several times has created another gem, Say
I loved climbing trees as a child, that exhilarating, terrifying race to the top. I can still remember the thrill of reaching hand over hand until I found myself high in the canopy of leaves. The world appeared smaller, less
Inside of each of us lives an Inner Lion. Sometimes he is dormant but he is always there waiting for us to tap into our powerful potential. Even adults often struggle to remember this “hero within.” It’s vital to help children discover their Inner Hero.which exists in all of us regardless of our stature or age. These books highlight the power children have to efect change, sstand up for themselves and appreciate their unique abilities.
Everybody needs friends, even dragons. Readers learn what amazing friends dragons can be and in the process can discover the route to friendship with others.
As the saying goes, if it weren’t for bad luck, Billy would have no luck at all. The world views Billy as “trouble”, an inconvenient and annoying thorn that pricks and frustrates others. He has few friends. What he does have is a constant companion: Gobber–an imaginary but very powerful companion embodied as a wild dog. Tyrannized by Gobber, Billy “wonders why no one else can see him, or hear him, or feel him.” The malevolent Gobber “scares [Billy] half to death” actually. With heart-breaking honesty, Billy asserts, “I think that Gobber is my life sentence.”
Mistrust of anything perceived as “other” magnifies fears. People demean what they do not know or understand. Whether it’s adoption or politics, the more comfortable we are with “difference,” the more we broaden our world view to increase tolerance & harmony. We all benefit.
It is easy to get lost in the habit of waiting to be happy…We must teach kids to enjoy the blessings of what & who are in their lives in the present moment. We must teach our children to take the time to enjoy the blessings of what and who are in their lives in the present moment. This is not to invalidate their losses, yearnings and unfulfilled needs. Rather it is to teach them to hold a both/and mentality.
our hearts play: they help us to connect with our core Purpose and values. Our hearts have an inner knowing that recognizes the what and why of our lives. Of course, children are not consciously aware of such conceptual thoughts. Yet they have an intuitive ability to understand metaphor and the way it can explain big ideas. These books tackle the topic well.
As adults, we understand that the truly valuable things in life bear no pr$ce tag. Their value is intangible and immeasurable.
How do we help our kids balance the present moment reality and attraction of material things and help them learn to appreciate the intangible blessings of their lives?
Table where Rich people sit The Table Where Rich People Sit by Byrd Baylor and illustrated by Peter Parnall offers a gentle and appealing reminder that real wealth lies not in our possessions but in the relationships and experiences that fill our world. Like beauty, being rich, is in the eye of the beholder.
Written from the child’s point of view, the story focuses on her frustration with her parents.
Animals and insects, clouds and rainbows, all quivered with joyful anticipation. And what could ignite such wonder and excitement? The arrival of a new child of course! The story concludes creatures, great and small “somehow, they knew about you!”