Blog Archives
The Best Interests Of The Children
Room in the Nest follows a swan husband and wife who open up their nest and hearts to all the bird children in need for as long as necessary. What was the inspiration for your story?
I adopted my son a few years ago, and we stay in touch with his lovely foster carers. We’ve seen several children come into their care, some of whom have been reunited with their birth families, some of whom have been moved into kinship placements. My son understands that we adopted him, so he started to ask questions about why his foster siblings and other children looked after by his foster carers ended up in different sorts of families.
What were the morals you were trying to capture while creating your characters?
The moral is that children need to be kept safe, and the most important theme throughout the story is that all of the adults pictured have the best interests of the children at heart. The social worker character, Caring Goose, seeks advice from the Wise Owl, who makes suggestions to ensure that lots of options are considered before a child is removed from their family. The Wise Owl also ensures that the children are placed with family members when possible, or that a suitable adoptive family is found, but there are recurrent reminders throughout the book that the foster carers are there to help any children who need to be loved and looked after throughout these periods of uncertainty.
What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?
I wanted to help normalise all of these different family structures and help children to understand the basics of foster care, in an accessible way.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My next story is created to help children to understand that making a few bad choices doesn’t make them a bad person, to try to help children who find themselves labelled as the “bad kid” at school, to see that they are not intrinsically “bad” and they can make kind choices. I am working on the illustrations now, and plan to publish it this Winter.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Mr and Mrs Swan build a big nest, so that they have plenty of room to help anyone who needs them. Teach children about different kinds of foster care, with this touching tale of fostering placements leading to kinship care, reunification, adoption and long term foster care. This inclusive story can be used as a therapeutic tool to help care-experienced children to process their experiences, or as an effective teaching aid to normalise and explain foster care and other family structures to all children.
The Fox’s Tower
The Fox’s Tower tells the story of one sly fox who thinks he knows better than everyone else. Francis, despite prior trouble, still wants to be the best at something. His latest plan is to build the tallest building in the city. His plan starts out well, following all the rules and listening to the experts, but quickly his desire for fame takes over, and his smart decision-making falls to the side. Instead of making his dreams come true, he returns to his sneaky ways and ends up with a pile of regrets.
Tuula Pere has written an entertaining cautionary story for children. This children’s book helps children understand that having big dreams is ok, but you must still follow the rules and do the right thing to achieve them. It also helps children understand that some dreams are unrealistic and cannot be done physically. For example, Fox’s tower was a big dream but could not be built safely or structurally. It is a hard lesson for children to learn that being told something can not be done is not an attack on them but just a fact of life. Francis learns this the hard way so that children can learn from his mistakes.
Another lesson in this beautiful picture book is that of forgiveness and second chances. The town council was worried about Francis and his past misdeeds, but they were willing to give him another opportunity to do the right thing. Of course, they were all cautious about helping Francis, but in the end, they did give him a chance and show that bad decisions do not mean someone is unworthy.
The Fox’s Tower is a beautifully written children’s book sharing life lessons with children and making them laugh along the way. This is a wonderful book for younger elementary children to learn about cause and effect and about how everyone deserves a second chance.
Pages: 44 | ISBN : 9523578375
Chocolate Space Bunnies
A long time ago, there lived cute little bunnies called Fonduliens who lived on a chocolate planet far away. Everything was covered in chocolate, but it was all melting. Three courageous bunnies head out on a quest to find a new home. They find the perfect place to live on a planet called Earth. But no one there has ever heard of chocolate. Will the Fonduliens be able to convince the earthlings to let them live there?
This is a wildly creative and fun book that sets up a great backstory before sending the characters on an entertaining quest to save their people. I was impressed with how much was packed into this children’s book. We learn about the Fonduliens, about their planet, we’re taken on an adventure through space, and then we land on Earth, where the Fonduliens encounter humans who are afraid of them.
There is so much in this kid’s book to dive into and discuss with children. Like the bunny’s planet melting, needing to find a new home, people being afraid of aliens, and the idea that chocolate doesn’t exist. These are all ideas that rarely appear in children’s books. It’s all presented in a way that is easy to follow and fun every step of the way.
The artwork throughout the picture book is absolutely delicious. The artwork is sharp, vibrant, and detailed. I loved the color choices and the cute expressions on all the character’s faces. This all makes for a perfect book to read to young children at bedtime, as they are sure to be glued to every page as their parents read the story to them.
Chocolate Space Bunnies takes young readers on a lively and imaginative adventure that is heaps of fun. I recommend this book to early elementary school children or any parent that is looking for a book that is unique and will capture children’s imagination.
Pages: 39 | ASIN: B0BTGHL62B
Children Who Dance in the Rain
Sophie is like many young kids today; always on her tablet and often takes for granted the many wonderful things in her life. She goes to school and learns how to spell the word ‘privilege’ but doesn’t truly understand its meaning. After a family trip to India shows her the challenges that children face there, and how they face them bravely, Sophie is inspired and opens her eyes to all the wonderful things in her life, and in the world, that she was taking for granted.
Children Who Dance in the Rain is a wonderfully educational story that teaches young readers about Indian culture, along with helping them understand what it means to be privileged by providing a sharp example. Children will learn the value of compassion and giving and see how it can truly have an effect on other people. I loved the epilogue at the end of this kid’s book. Not many children’s books have an epilogue, so it was nice to see, but it also shows how Sophie’s experience shaped who she became.
The gorgeous artwork throughout the book is vibrant and colorful. Each character has big beautiful glowing eyes, and their emotions are clear to see. I loved the market scene in India because there was so much detail on the page. Young children will be captivated by the artwork as their parents read them this story.
Susan Justice has created a picture book that teaches valuable life lessons and helps children truly appreciate the things they have in their life, and to share it with others. Children Who Dance in the Rain is a delightful children’s book that is infused with spirituality and culture. I highly recommend this book to parents and teachers who want to start a conversation with their children about gratitude and sharing.
This Could Help So Many Families
Happy in Your Skin follows young Rafa as he learns why his skin is brown, his Indian heritage, and self-love and shares what he learned with others. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
This story was written for my child when he had questions about why he looked different from the others in his preschool. I felt unprepared to anwer the question right away, but then I told him stories about India and our family lineage. I searched for books that could tell our stories and unfortunately I didnt see books with Indian charecters. so I worte the story that I would want to tell him. I got it illustrated and read the copy to him. He said “Rafa, is just like me!” this was the first time I saw him connecting with a charecter. I thought this could help so many families to learn about these strategies to address skin color questions for early learners.
How do you see your book fitting into teachers and parents lesson plans on diversity and inclusion?
When questions and curiosities about race are not addressed, Children start forming their beliefs based on the stereotypes they see in the media. This book is a resource for teachers who are looking to add new ways to help children learn to embrace everyone’s uniqueness and give children a sense of pride and security in who they are. Cirriculum that is focused on helping and prepareing our young children to become exceptional future leaders through cultural sensitivity and awareness, this one will be a great add to open discussions around ethnicity and culture.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun creating?
I loved creating the scene where the parents sit Rafa down and share the proud Indian Heritage with him which includes the art, dance form, historcial monuments, National bird, National flag, history, music, food.. and more. there is so much beauty that needed to be captured on one page and I love how that came together for that scene.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My next book I am working on is when Rafa experiences criticism about his food which looked and smelled different during lunchtime in school. Food is comfort and everyone has a unique relationship with their foods. Rafs learns to share his food and ethnicity with his class friends and introduces his peers to authentic cultural tastes from his family’s recipe book. The Book Name is I Love Curry and I’m not Sorry – By Erlin Kakkanad. The book will be out in June 2023.
Author Links: Facebook | Website | LinkedIn
Children’s books on diversity and inclusion – There is an absence of cross-cultural/ethnic books in K-12. Especially, books written by parents having first-hand experience. This book is a good tool for parents and teachers who want to help their kids understand diversity and that everyone is OK no matter how you look.
Children become Ally’s – Research shows that talking about issues like race, gender, and by including readings for diversity and social justice from the age of two increases self-awareness, self-esteem, and allows children to recognize and confront things that are unfair, like discrimination and prejudice.
You Belong Here – This would be the perfect addition to all families, classrooms, and libraries. It is a simple story to teaches all kids, not just children of color, the importance of being kind and accepting.
Let’s develop our little people into future inclusive leaders – All children want to feel like they fit in, and this story teaches us we can be ourselves and shares why difference in each of us are wonderful. Children are curious and are open to questioning what they see. Grown-ups often post-pone conversations on complicated topics because it’s hard to know where to begin.
You will Love it – ADD TO CART today for your reading collection.
This book tells the story about Rafa, who is in preschool and is curious about why his skin color is different.
Young Rafa has a wonderful family. They are from India and now live in the United States. Rafa loves where he lives, but sometimes he gets strange questions that he doesn’t know how to answer.
“Why are you brown?”
“Why are you so different?”
At first, Rafa did not have the tools to navigate these questions… until he talks to some of the adults in his life!
It turns out that many people have gotten questions like that, and they can help him with what to say! His doctor, teacher, and parents help Rafa understand who he is and how to be proud of that.
Dear parents and teachers, Here is why I wrote this book:
Why is my skin color different? This was the question my preschooler asked me.
While it was hard to process at the moment for me, I knew I needed to help my child navigate through these feelings and curiosities about his identity.
When questions and curiosities are not addressed, Children start forming their beliefs based on the stereotypes they see in the media.
This book is a tool for parents to navigate questions about differences and give our children a sense of pride and security in who they are.
A resource for teachers who can help children learn new ways to embrace everyone’s uniqueness.
My mission through this labor of love is :
To help all young children to become exceptional future leaders through cultural sensitivity and awareness
For parents to know that you don’t have to do it all alone.
Erlin Kakkanad is a mom, Ph.D. in Education, promotes cultural sensitivity and awareness for children, youth, and adults in corporations; and raises Asian Indian American children in the Midwest.
Happy In your Skin
Rafa is a young boy who recently moved to the Midwest. He loves living in the U.S., but sometimes kids ask why his skin is brown. It makes Rafa feel weird, so he goes to grown-ups he trusts to ask for advice on how to answer this question. Rafa learns about self-love, his Indian heritage, and what makes him special and shares this with anyone that asks him why his skin is brown.
Author Erlin Kakkanad has created a captivating children’s book following a charming character as he learns how to answer awkward questions from children interested in why he looks different. I enjoyed how the story has Rafa looking for answers from respected adults, but the answers are hidden and then revealed at the end. This makes the book much more engaging as I wanted to know what each adult told him. Readers get to find out in a heartwarming at the end of the story.
The artwork throughout this marvelous picture book is vibrant, and the sharp graphic artwork and shading accentuate the story’s charm. There is a diverse cast of characters throughout the book, making this a perfect book for any teacher or parent educating their young ones about diversity and inclusion.
Happy in Your Own Skin is an empowering and educational children’s book that teaches children about India and that our differences makes the world a wonderful place to live.
Pages: 47 | ASIN: B0B8W7PHHX
Traveling Tootsie
Katie and Steven’s parents travel a lot, and they wish they could travel too. While playing pretend, their teddy bear, Tootsie, comes up with a great idea. They should hide him in their father’s suitcase so he can see Washington, DC, and then come home and tell them all about the trip. After secretly being stowed away in their father’s suitcase, Tootsie makes it to Washington, DC and sees all the amazing sights. But will Tootsie make it back in time to tell the kids about all the awesome things he saw?
Author’s Karen and Kathy Honaker have created a beautifully illustrated children’s book that showcases the magic of a child’s imagination and the wonders of traveling. Each page of this adorable children’s book is illustrated with cute artwork. I loved seeing Tootie at different landmarks across Washington, DC! The sketch artwork will be relatable to children and capture their attention. I also enjoyed how the character’s faces conveyed their emotions well and how there were many little details to pick up on in the artwork.
This is a fantastically educational book that will be perfect for any child that wishes to travel, especially to Washington, DC. It shows readers all the different landmarks around the city, along with some sights and sounds.
Traveling Tootsie is a fun and educational picture book that will inspire kids to travel. This will be an excellent book to gift to children with parents that travel a lot as it will show them a different way to cope with the separation. I also think this will make a great bedtime story as young children have plenty to look at on the page as their parent reads the story.
Pages: 38 | ASIN: B0BT1V88FL
There’s a Spider in My Bed
Miles reads a story before bed and feels something crawling on his leg. It’s a spider! Miles is scared but realizes after a while that there is nothing to be afraid of. Slowly Miles realizes that the spider isn’t scary and lets it sleep in his bed, as long as the spider doesn’t bite.
There’s a Spider in My Bed is a fantastic children’s book that shows readers that they don’t have to kill spiders, as long as there is no danger. Children can often be very afraid of spiders. This book does a great job of reflecting those fears at the beginning of the book so that kids can relate, and then slowly eliminating that fear by showing the spider as harmless and afraid in its own right. This charming narrative can help children overcome their fear and start to appreciate insects for what they are, and even see them as friends.
Each page of this vivid children’s book contains an exquisite illustration that uses shades of blue to create shadows in beautiful ways. The scenery captures what it’s like at night in our bedrooms, where we can only see the outline of things. I especially loved how the spider was drawn. It was a perfect mix of being a little scary but cute.
There’s a Spider in My Bed is the perfect kid’s book to read before bed so that children won’t be afraid of the dark, or any creepy crawlies that might be around. The flowing rhymes will keep children engaged and help early readers build their reading skills and vocabulary.
Pages: 37 | ASIN: B0BGMMFCBK
