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The Choices We Make Aren’t Mistakes
My Awareness Book follows a boy and girl as they encounter strong emotions and learn how to work through what they are feeling. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The set up for My Awareness Book is: I had already written My Grateful Book and My Welcome Book talking about the importance of gratitude and self esteem and to start with this was going to be My Choices Book, but then My Awareness Book seemed more appropriate as it talks about how it is ok to have feelings and talk about them. Big or small. The choices we make aren’t mistakes they are all learning experiences.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with the illustrator Sarah Jane Marchant?
Sarah had illustrated my first two books so it was just a given she would illustrate the third. I just give her the story and she creates these amazing pictures. I don’t have to change anything usually it is exactly what I was thinking as well. We work very well together.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The important themes in this book for me was to tell children, we do have some strong emotions growing up and it’s ok to talk about them. That the choices we make are ok for us individually. We are all different but can still all get along.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The next book in this series I think will be My Brave Book with what is happening in the world, vaccinations etc., masks and social distancing. Just letting kids know its ok to be scared but moving through the fear and doing it anyway will make you feel like a hero!
Author Links: Website | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram
With simple rhyming prose, My Awareness Book follows the journey of a little boy and a girl, steering through their struggles toward a positive mindset and learning the skills for mental resilience.
My Awareness Book teaches your child how to have a growth mindset, build mental resilience and identify and regulate their emotions, all important skills for a young mind to master. Beautifully illustrated with simple rhyming prose, this book is the perfect story to help a child feel supported and understood as they grow and learn. An easy read, My Awareness Book invites broader and deeper discussions with your child, enabling them to continue to move confidently towards adulthood, with empathetic direction and positive guidance.
This delightful book is part of the Feel Good series.
About the author
Diana Smith is the author of My Grateful Book, My Welcome Book and My Awareness Book (the celebrated children’s Feel Good series). Her other early childhood books include Bruiser’s G’day at the Park, Bruiser’s G’day at the Beach, Bruiser’s G’day Camping and The Adventures of Clive.
My Awareness Book
My Awareness Book is a practical guide for children that teaches them how to manage the big emotions in their life. This educational picture book starts out with the lines “We all make our own choices in life, / Sometimes big, sometimes small. / Think positive and smile, / It’s your life and your call.” This sets the tone for this book and lets readers know life is about making choices and it is up to you to decide what the correct choice for you is. There are several examples such as making mistakes and owning up to them, learning to speak in a positive manner, and not being afraid to show emotions. These topics are hard to conceptualize for children and this thought-provoking book will help introduce them and provides an opportunity for further discussion.
Author Diana Smith uses simple but effective prose to share her meaningful message. The struggle to grow emotionally and learn to regulate one’s emotions is challenging, especially for young children. This book takes the lessons parents try to instill in their children and presents it in a way that is engaging and relatable. The extraordinary illustrations by Sarah Jane Marchant will fascinate young children with their cute characters and vibrant colors. Topics like thinking before you speak can be challenging to illustrate, but Marchant has accomplished this task. The combination of engaging prose and captivating illustrations make for an illuminating picture book to be read again and again.
My Awareness Book is a terrific read for children, parents and teachers. This simple narrative model’s good behavior and morals in an approachable way that does not feel lecturing or condescending. The goal of this beautifully written book is to teach children how to have a growth mindset. Teaching children how to grow and understand their feelings is a huge undertaking, and this captivating children’s book is a first step in helping them learn.
Pages: 24 | ASIN : B09MPWZFMG
I Wasn’t Sure I Still Had It
My Welcome Book is a rhyming children’s book that shares a message of kindness, diversity and self-acceptance. What inspired you to write this book?
I had published My Grateful Book in 2016 and had written it as a child around 15 so when my then published said well you can’t just have one book can you do another one I wasn’t sure I still had it in me. So I sat down to my computer and My Welcome Book emerged. We then published it in 2018. I have now just finished the third one in the series My Awareness Book.
The art in this book is beautiful. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Sarah Jane Merchant?
It was AMAZING. The first time I met Sarah at her house she had exactly the same idea’s for the pictures I had. When she asked me what size book I wasn’t thinking of I had no idea. So Sarah went and grabbed some of her books and I had the exact same books for my children and they weren’t run of the mill everyday books. I send Sarah the words and she does an amazing job with the illustrations it’s not often we have to change anything.
What were some ideas that were important for you to convey in this book?
These are lesson’s I have had to learn later in life again as an adult. Being grateful for the little things and the importance of gratitude. The Welcome book about us all being good enough and being kind to others and the Awareness one about no such thing as mistakes all learning experiences. I don’t want kids to forget it like I did. I want to keep reminding them of these lessons in a fun way.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The Awareness book is just finished and I should have it printed in the next few weeks. I also have a bruiser series about out puppy Bruiser. Bruiser at the Park, Bruiser at the Beach, and Bruiser Goes Camping.
I think the next book will be The Brave book in the grateful series.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
A charming little story that celebrates the birth of a child, welcoming them to this big, beautiful world. With its colourful illustrations and simple rhyming verses, little minds will be entertained and engaged as they learn key life concepts such as celebrating the joys of life, exploring the world around them, self-acceptance and following their dreams.
Showcasing kindness and tolerance to others, My Welcome Book celebrates how special and unique your baby is, and that they are ALWAYS good enough.
Inclusive, vibrant and uplifting My Welcome Book improves a child’s ability to problem solve, increase mental resilience and have an understanding of the importance of appreciating the diversity around them.
This delightful book will become a treasured keepsake of any young child, and as part of the Feel Good series by Diana Smith, builds on a child’s inner resources to better support them as they learn and grow.
With space for you to write the child’s name in the front of this book, it is a wonderful keepsake and makes the perfect gift for baby showers and newborn presents.
My Welcome Book : A Children’s Book Celebrating the Arrival of a New Baby
![My Welcome Book : A Children's Book Celebrating the Arrival of a New Baby by [Diana Smith ]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/512BgTeWe9L.jpg)
My Welcome Book is a delightful and heartwarming children’s book that tells the reader how special they are, how wonderful the world is, and to be kind to others, all in simple but lyrical rhymes that are sure to capture your child’s imagination.
There is no story in this book. I suppose the story is life, and the celebration is you. This book is splendid, the poetry is exquisite and potent in its simplicity. This picture book sends a heartfelt message of inspiration to readers and does so with easy to understand words. I can easily imagine reading this book to a newborn baby, rocking them to sleep as I read them this melodic story. Nearly every page has brilliant sketch artwork that kids will be able to relate. All of it was eye catching and fit the tone of the story.
This is a fantastic picture book for parents with young children or babies as this is a wonderful book to read to them and send a positive message of diversity, kindness, and self-acceptance.
Pages: 24 | ASIN: B09HBMNX47
LITERARY TITAN 