the wonder and blessings of a meaningful life enhanced by literacy

the wonder and blessings of a meaningful life enhanced by literacy

ages 4 to 8 years
Set in Egypt, this is an ever so slightly suspenseful book to read aloud and it's then so very peaceful in its resolution. Ahmed has a secret—and it’s a good one! I love this book and can hardly count the number of times I've given it as a gift.

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profound messages of kinship, connection, and shared love of country

profound messages of kinship, connection, and shared love of country

ages 2 to grown-up
Some stories have a profound message – one that everyone needs to hear more than once – one that is just as relevant to a toddler as it is to the toddler’s grandpa. This isYou and Me Murrawee.

The story is told as the musings of a young girl – maybe 10 or 12 years old – who has a gift for seeing what is no longer present. 

The girl is on a family camping trip in the Australian bush and, as she plays and paddles and watches her family, she senses the life of an indigenous girl, 200 years ago, doing many of the same things she is doing. 

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a tender and gentle look at grief and recovering joyfully

a tender and gentle look at grief and recovering joyfully

ages 2 to 12 years
Books that offer positive mechanisms for coping with grief that aren’t overly sad or far too heavy thematically for young children are thin on the ground, but this is one. And it's a rare child whose life remains untouched by grief, traumatic or simple. 

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have you ever felt lost? out of place? in need of a home? This Book!

have you ever felt lost? out of place? in need of a home? This Book!

ages 2 up to 12 years
Have you ever felt LOST or perhaps just out of place, in need of home? Ahh, but have you ever felt FOUND, in the perfect place, completely at home? In this thoroughly appealing story, a boy and a penguin move from being lost to being found. 

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a real-life story about the value of work and philanthropy

a real-life story about the value of work and philanthropy

Set in Ghana. Years ago, when Max was eight, we had a conversation that went something like this:
Max:  So Mum what is the solution to the people in Africa who only have one bag of grain a month to eat. One Hen goes a long way towards answering that question.
ages 4 to 12 years

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about exemplary women and men

about exemplary women and men

ages 4 to 12 years
I confess that I'm not a big fan of the whole hero culture that we seem to have going. Too often the ‘heroes’ aren’t heroic and are anything but role model material. But Peaceful Heroes is a collection of super-short biographies of people who have impacted the world positively and peacefully. 
 

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everything is relative!

everything is relative!

ages newborn to 8 years, but adults and teens will get a kick out of it too
Theodore Roosevelt apparently said that 'comparison is the thief of joy' and that's almost always true. But in this great-fun story, comparison is the key to all sorts of funny and joyful moments. Great lessons wrapped up in a hilarious and fast moving story.

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