Blog Archives
Some Days Are Better Than Others: Grief Support for Children
Marcia Ashford’s Some Days Are Better Than Others: Grief Support for Children offers a compassionate and insightful guide for young readers coping with loss. This heartfelt book gently illustrates that grief is not a linear process; some days will feel lighter, while others may be difficult. Through simple yet profound storytelling, children learn that experiencing both joy and sadness is a natural part of healing. It reassures them that it is okay to laugh, play, and seek comfort even while mourning a loved one.
This book is an essential resource for children navigating the complexities of loss. Every child will eventually face grief, and many may struggle to understand their mixed emotions. Ashford provides a safe space for young readers, allowing them to process their feelings in a healthy and constructive way. Addressing such a sensitive subject with care, this book empowers children by validating their emotions and guiding them through each stage of grief.
One of the standout features of Some Days Are Better Than Others is its inclusion of an Adult Page at the end. Here, Ashford reminds caregivers that they, too, are experiencing loss and need to allow themselves time to grieve. She emphasizes the importance of self-care, as adults play a crucial role in helping children manage overwhelming emotions they may be facing for the first time. By acknowledging their own grief, caregivers can provide the support and reassurance that children need.
The book offers thoughtful suggestions for commemorating a lost loved one. Families can work together to create meaningful tributes, such as making a scrapbook, planting a tree, or releasing bubbles into the sky. Acts of remembrance, like donating to a charity in the loved one’s name, offer children a tangible way to honor and celebrate the life of the person they have lost.
The illustrations by Kayla Haven beautifully complement the book’s message. Rendered in soft, soothing colors, the full-page artwork enhances the emotional depth of the story, forging a strong connection between the reader and the narrative. Haven’s talent as an illustrator shines through in each carefully crafted image, offering comfort and warmth to young minds while reinforcing the book’s themes of love and remembrance.
Some Days Are Better Than Others: Grief Support for Children is an invaluable addition to any family’s library. It provides a gentle yet powerful reminder that grief is a journey, and all emotions, whether joy, sadness, or moments of laughter, are part of the process. Highly recommended for parents, educators, and caregivers looking for a compassionate way to support children through loss.
Pages: 44 | ASIN : B0CTQ1FMP4
Play With Me
In Play With Me by Kat Chen, readers are invited to join young Ellison and her companion Rabbit on an enchanting picnic adventure. The narrative encourages participation, as Ellison and Rabbit, along with their audience, engage in activities like cloud-gazing and sharing favorite books. This interactive approach not only entertains but also fosters a sense of inclusivity.
Chen’s writing style is notably inclusive, seamlessly integrating prompts that welcome every child into the story. This fresh, innovative technique ensures that all readers, regardless of their background, can see themselves in the adventures of Ellison and Rabbit. Such an approach in a children’s book is both refreshing and commendable. The story goes beyond entertainment, subtly imparting valuable lessons about inclusion and teamwork. These themes are woven into the narrative in an engaging and instructive way, making the book an excellent tool for instilling these values in young readers. Lorraine Nam’s illustrations complement the text beautifully with their simplicity and charm. The art style is straightforward yet captivating, focusing young readers’ attention on the narrative and its underlying messages. The illustrations enhance the story, making the book even more appealing to its intended audience.
Play With Me seems particularly well-suited for children aged 1-3 years, striking a balance between fun storytelling and educational content. It encourages children to think and participate actively, even when the book is being read to them. This aspect is likely to appeal to parents and guardians, who will appreciate the book’s capacity to engage young minds in a meaningful way. Play With Me is a delightful read for young children, meriting repeated enjoyment.
Pages: 24 | ASIN : B0C9ZJS2P5
Maggie’s Lost Song: A Journey of Courage and Music
Maggie’s Lost Song: A Journey of Courage and Music is a beacon of inspiration, offering young readers an important lesson in embracing challenges with resilience and optimism. Maggie’s home reverberates with the harmonious strains of music, reflecting her profound love for the art. However, as the school year commences, the vibrancy of her melodies is overshadowed by the shadow of the unknown. Torn by the prospect of an unfamiliar environment, Maggie’s apprehensions about her teacher’s disposition, her classmates’ reactions, and even the tastiness of her lunch manifest in a tangible fear. With the dawning realization that school awaits, Maggie harnesses her passion for music and a determined positivity to confront her inaugural day.
Author Danielle LaRosa crafts an emotionally resonant narrative that serves as a beacon of encouragement for young minds. The journey of Maggie, a character suffused with vulnerability and resilience, is a testament to the transformative potential of determination and optimism. The author deftly presents a relatable allegory for the challenges faced by children and adults who grapple with novel experiences.
LaRosa masterfully conveys the message that facing daunting situations with a hopeful attitude can lead to unexpected triumphs. Maggie’s interactions with her mother stand as a heartening portrayal of familial support and guidance. The mother’s nurturing role in emboldening Maggie to transcend her fears contributes a poignant layer to the narrative, highlighting the crucial role of parental influence in fostering emotional growth. The narrative’s incorporation of rhyming words adds a playful element, enhancing the story’s accessibility to young readers while creating a cadence that engages their senses. This literary device augments the book’s appeal and resonates harmoniously with the musical theme.
As the new school year begins, Maggie’s Lost Song is an apt companion, inspiring young readers to face uncertainties with courage. LaRosa’s narrative underscores the message that embracing challenges, armed with a positive outlook, can lead to unexpected rewards. It’s a timely and empowering read that entertains and imparts a timeless lesson in resilience and self-belief. This book is a valuable addition to any young reader’s collection, particularly as the academic year commences, providing reassurance and motivation that transcends the pages.
Pages: 35 | ASIN : B0CBRG4GV2
I Want to Be in Sales When I Grow Up!
Career day is a special day that children look forward to when in school. On this day, they get to meet people and learn about their jobs. It gives them a chance to learn about careers they may never have even thought of. This is what happened to one little girl named Charlie. She is assigned the task of writing a report on a career in sales. What are sales even? What kind of a job is that, and why would anyone want to do it? These are some of the questions Charlie is tasked with answering.
I Want to Be in Sales When I Grow Up! by John Barrows is an educational children’s book that looks into the career path of sales. While this sounds underwhelming at first, the author does a fantastic job teaching children how important this job is. How the things in our home are acquired through sales, and someone has to be in charge of getting it from the manufacturer to the user. This is an important job and not as easy as it sounds. Charlie plans to sell cookies to learn about sales; on her first try at selling them, she learns some valuable lessons about pitching her product, knowing who her customers are, and knowing what her customers need or want. She also learns a valuable lesson about empathy, compassion, and kindness and how these qualities make an excellent salesperson.
When children think about what jobs they want to have when they grow up, they need to be exposed to all kinds of work, not just the ones that sound exciting and prestigious. But unfortunately, sales representatives often get a bad reputation in the media, and this picture book, I Want to Be in Sales When I Grow Up!, shares the beautiful experience that a sales career can bring people. So for any family that makes their living off a career in sales, this is a magnificent children’s book to help kids get excited about sales and see just how important this job is to everyone.
Pages: 38 | ISBN: 1643072382
Rooty the Rutabaga: A Story About Vegetables, Inclusion and Seeing the Sunny Side of Life
Rooty the rutabaga is all alone. He sits in a dark patch of the garden, away from all the other vegetables. Rooty has no friends and has never ventured out of his garden corner to discover what is making all the noise he hears on the other side of the plants. Then, one day two peppers are playing and accidentally throw their nut over into Rooty’s corner of the garden. While looking for their nut, they meet Rooty, who is initially rude and unfriendly. Not to be dissuaded, the peppers lead Rooty out into the sun and introduce him to all the rest of the vegetables. Soon he is making friends and learning how to play for the first time ever.
Children’s author Steven Megson has created an entertaining picture book with illustrator Andy Yura to teach kids about inclusion. Kids usually hear about the more common vegetables, like broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes, which are all friends and grow in the bright sun. However, rutabaga is a vegetable that many kids have never heard of. It has a strange name and looks really different. Megson uses this to teach children that even thorough someone is other, they are still part of the community.
The moment that stood out for me was when Rooty was rude to the peppers; they thought about leaving him alone and returning to their friends. Instead, they saw Rooty was lonely and afraid. So they took his hands and led him to meet the rest of their community. It was more than just being kind; it was seeing someone that needed help and taking a chance on them. This is a motivating story to help children learn to identify others needing help and show them ways that, even as children, they can make a difference in their world.
Rooty the Rutabaga: A Story About Vegetables, Inclusion and Seeing the Sunny Side of Life is a heartwarming picture book that children and adults can appreciate and learn from. This is an excellent children’s book for school classrooms and libraries to teach about multicultural groups and the value of kindness.
Pages: 30 | ASIN : B09RG9YW6X
You Got This – A Tale of Courage
A young little girl loves to play in her garden. Here she feels safe and protected and can let her imagination flow. Her best friend in the garden is an angel. She and the angel do everything together, from painting to tea parties, to exciting adventures battling pirates or dragons. As the girl grew, the angel taught her to have courage, not just in battling dragons but against the fear that lived inside her. Whenever the girl was afraid, she would go to the garden to see her angel friend. Here she would hear the whisper from her friend of all the wonderful things she could do when she had the courage to follow her dreams. As the girl grew into a young woman, she became unsure of things, so she returned to the garden to see her old friend. The angle reminded the girl to choose courage over fear.
You Got This – A Tale of Courage by Wanda Carter Roush and illustrated by Nataly Simmons is an inspirational Christian picture book. Children learn that strength comes from within themselves from this story. The message of confidence and faith is inspiring. The girl in the story has no name, making it easy for young readers to relate to the character and imagine themselves in her place, fighting off mean words, battling fear, and overcoming doubt.
The artwork in this children’s book is breathtaking. The little girl, as she grows, transforms from a carefree child to an unsure school girl to a young woman filled with confidence. Each page is filled with details that bring the story to life and draw readers into it, making it easy to incision themselves as the character, not just someone looking into the book.
You Got This – A Tale of Courage is a beautifully written picture book to help children build confidence and self-esteem. The phenomenal messages of courage, confidence, and defeating fear will inspire young readers.
Pages: 32 | ASIN : B08Q8SD46V
Toby, Toby, Worry Free
Toby, the octopus, is apprehensive about riding his bike. He wants to ride it and play with his friends, but he is afraid. He is scared of falling, and that his friends might laugh at him when he does. This fear keeps him from learning to ride his bike and having fun with his friends. Toby’s fear shows by his tentacles getting all knotted up, and him not feeling well. His mom reminds him of his “can do” attitude, and together they work on building up his confidence so he can ride his bike and go on adventures with his friends.
Toby, Toby, Worry Free, written by Lucinda Grapenthin and illustrated by Kevin Gosselin, is a heartwarming picture book to help children work through fears and understand that it is okay to be scared sometimes. This well-written book helps children learn how to overcome their fears and anxiety. While reading this, the descriptions of Toby and his tentacles getting tangled up and tingling reminded me of my own children who have anxiety. I would have loved to have had this book to help them through some of these moments when they were little.
The “can do” approach is so simple that children quickly understand the concept. While more challenging to put into practice, the idea is easy to explain. Toby is portrayed in a relatable manner, both in the story and in the illustrations. This children’s book has a page for parents and caregivers at the end. It discusses the PAUSE approach to helping children with challenging behaviors, and it helps adults understand the strong emotions children experience but cannot express themselves.
Toby, Toby, Worry Free is a profoundly thoughtful children’s book that teaches kids how to deal with strong emotions and work through fears. It is also an excellent resource for parents and caregivers to better understand how to work with kids who cannot express themselves well.
Pages: 32 | ASIN : B09HCT1RVK
LITERARY TITAN 