The Patch Work Quilt

"The PatchWork Quilt," by Valerie Flournoy. Twenty years ago Valerie Flournoy and Jerry Pinkney created a warmhearted intergenerational story that became an award-winning perennial. Since then children from all sorts of family situations and configurations continue to be drawn to its portrait of those bonds that create the fabric of family life.







Amazon Customer Review:

A family tradition is passed down as Tanya's grandmother begins making a quilt for her granddaughter. However, when Grandmother becomes sick, the entire family must come together to complete the work for their beloved matriarch.  This is such a calming book. Not only is the story soothing, but the artwork is so soft and welcoming that it invites readers to just look. This book certainly deserves its spot as a Coretta Scott King illustration winner.  [Review by Dione Basseri]



A Note about the Author:

Valerie Flournoy and her twin sister, Vanessa, were born just three minutes apart. But that doesn't mean they're alike: Her sister is organized and enjoys mystery stories, and Valerie is not very organized and likes to read historical books. Still, except for their first year in college, the sisters have always spent lots of time together. Even today, they play cards and games with each other.


Flournoy graduated from college with a degree in social studies and got her teaching certification. When she started writing for children, she also worked for a publishing company. Now, when she's not writing, Flournoy visits schools across the country, giving a "show and tell" program on how she works with an editor, art director, and illustrator to turn her stories into books.

Toad Catcher's

"Toad Catcher's," by Brian Weiner, Chris, a young boy of 6, is playing in the park at Toad Catchers' Creek with his friends when he decides to attempt to cross the legendary monkey bars. On first, attempt he fails and falls to the ground…in the process, he loses his self-confidence and is embarrassed in front of his playmates. Chris' father consoles him and tells Chris the story of a Macaw named Screech who was afraid to fly. Screech allowed this fear to dominate his existence until one day, his friend Tracker 
falls from a branch high in the rainforest. As Screech watches him plummet towards the ground, Screech gathers all of his courage and uses the four magic words that his mother had taught him… I CAN DO IT.




Amazon Customer Review:

The lessons of this short story are invaluable and should make their way to all young people. As our, the world around us grows ever more complex and attention spans are tested at every turn, a story such as this, with simple, universal truths -can add to strengthening a child's self-image and confidence.

I strongly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a brightly illustrated fun to read children's book that is not only entertaining, but educational and empowering as well. [Review by Steve M]

Henry's Freedom Box

"Henry's Freedom Box," is a stirring, dramatic story of a slave who mails himself to freedom by a Jane Addams Peace Award-winning author and a Coretta Scott King Award-winning artist.

Henry Brown doesn't know how old he is. Nobody keeps records of slaves' birthdays. All the time he dreams about freedom, but that dream seems farther away than ever when he is torn from his family. 



Amazon Customers Review:

As a child, Henry dreams of freedom and the author appeals to the heart and minds of all readers K-3 as the metaphors are simple but effective. The reader is able to get engrossed in the language and pictures for they are truly representative of the time of slavery. The well-chosen words the author uses are beneficial for helping a young child see just how devastating slavery was to the slave and their families. When Brown's family was sold, he was determined to escape to the North. His determination and pain leaps off the page and right into our hearts. We are holding our breath as the author describes the decision and the process of which Henry will escape. The story of that escape provides an inspiring view for younger readers. Along with well-written narrative and metaphors, the awesome and moving illustrations provided by Kadir Nelson create a journey not only for Henry but for the reader. We are able to grow with young Henry to adulthood. This adds to the story so that the reader feels a part of the time and life of Henry. The illustrations tell a story of their own.[Review by: ChitownTeach]

A Note about The Author:

Ellen Levine has always been drawn to stories of people who struggled for justice, and of ordinary people who did extraordinary things. She was fascinated by Henry "Box" Brown, whose escape is recounted in The Underground Railroad by William Still, first published in 1872. Ms. Levine was awed by Henry's ingenious idea and moved by his incredible courage. Among the author's award-winning books are Freedom's Children, winner of the Jane Addams Peace Award and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults; and Darkness Over Denmark, a Jame Addams Peace Award Honor Book and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. She lives in New York City and Salem, New York.

The Runaway Garden

The Runaway Garden by Jeffery L Schatzer is will teach your children that everyone and everything has a job in life. Read along as Grandpa spins a tale about the night that all the plants in the garden get up and run away. At first, they think running away is fun, but it isn’t long before things go terribly wrong. 










Amazon Customer Review:

"The Runaway Garden" is an adventurous, entertaining, and amusing story that teaches children that the grass is not always greener on the other side. It also presents a simple message about responsibility. I enjoy Jeffery Schatzer's subtle and humorous references to each vegetable's individuality. For example: "The potatoes all just closed their eyes and took off out the gate. All the green peas split for town the tomatoes stewed and stirred. Celery and her friend sweet corn stalked off without a word." . . . "Some pumpkins got themselves squashed flat, and radishes all turned red. Pepper popped, snap beans snapped, and a cauliflower lost its head." The illustrations in this book are top notch. Jeffrey Ebbeler whimsically brings the vegetables to life with a gentle touch of humor thrown in here and there. Each illustration offers a healthy feast for both children's and adult's eyes. The wise old squash is one of my favorite characters. I especially like that Mr. Ebbeler cleverly created a vegetable twin (the squash character) for Grandpa. This book is entertaining for all ages and has the added bonus of piquing children's interests in vegetables. [By Alayne Kay Christian]

Brave Like a Bee [Be Brave]

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"Brave Like a Bee" by Emma Scott, this story is about a little bee that gives his friends advice about the importance of following their dreams.

Amazon Customer Review:

Bedtime Story that is perfect for kids 3-5 yrs old. I also enjoy reading this book for my son. The rhythm and the composition of every word is great and perfect. Kids will love the story and at the same time they will learned rhythmic sounds. It can also be a starting tools to learn reading in easy way.
In this book, your kids will learn to read and they will also enjoy it because of pictures that is included in each page. Also Every character in this book has a great value and attitude that your kids can adapt, like the bee who become Brave. When I started reading this to my son, he ask me every night to read it until he fell as sleep. He totally loved this book.

Thanks to Emma Scott has a great pleasure to give the kids something they enjoy and learn in easy way.

(Review by Jennifer Ramsey)



Note about the Author:

Originally a New York City girl, Emma now lives in Austin with her husband and 8 year old daughter. When she's not working on her latest children's story, you can find her reading, watching the latest Disney film with her daughter, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to reality TV!

Otto the Grouchy Owl

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"Otto the Grouchy Owl," by Michael Yu is a story about an owl named Otto, who learns a great lesson from his friends about how spreading a little sunshine is more fun than being grouchy all of the time.




















Amazon's Customer Review:

I LOVE Michael Yu's books and this book assured me of that! Otto the Grouchy Owl is probably needed now more than ever in this age of NOW, and we thought Veruca Salt was bad! The pictures are marvelous, and the characters are lovely. I really think the book had it all, I could not recommend a single thing to the author even if asked. Mr. Yu is the King of the Feel Good book and this book is no different, you'll feel warm all over like on Christmas morning! [July 15, 2015 ]

The Juice Box Bully

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"The Juice Box Bully," by Bob Sornson and Maria Dismondy. Have you ever seen a bully in action and done nothing about it? The kids at Pete's new school get involved, instead of being bystanders. When Pete begins to behave badly, his classmates teach him about "The Promise".











Amazon Customer Review:

In The Juice Box Bully, the children of Mr. Peltzers class meet Pete, the new kid in school. Pete quickly acts the part of the bully. The class does not stand by and just let Pete bully. Instead, the class has made a pact to stand together and stop bullying. Their willingness and courage to stand up for not only the kids being bullied but for the bully himself, makes their school what it should be, a safe place for all to learn and grow. [by Colleen D. Gallagher on July, 25,2011]




Note about the Author:

Bob Sornson, PhD. was a classroom teacher and school administrator for over thirty years and is the founder of the Early Learning Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping schools and parents give every child an opportunity to achieve early learning success.

The Chocolate Touch

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"The Chocolate Touch," by Patrick Skene Catling.  This story is a funny twist on the legend of King Midas, a boy acquires a magical gift that turns everything his lips touch into chocolate.  Can you ever have too much of your favorite food?












Amazon Customer Review:

 Touch is a take-off of the King Midas story. But, instead of turning everything he touches to gold, John Midas finds that everything he touches with his lips turns to chocolate. Of course, at first, he thinks this is great. But as time passes, John finds life is getting difficult. When he forgets and kisses his mother, he really begins to panic. This is a classic, be careful what you wish for story one that all kids will love. Easy to read with funny story events that keep kids turning pages to the end. Highly recommended for 2nd - 4th graders. [by Roz Levine May 25, 2000]





A note about the Author:

Patrick Skene Catling (born 14 February 1925) is a British journalist, author, and book reviewer best-known for writing The Chocolate Touch in 1952. He has written 12 novels, 3 works of non-fiction and 9 books for children.

Who Ever You Are

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"Who Ever You Are," by Mem Fox, will teach children that even though other children may look different and live in different countries we have a lot in common; like smiling, laughing and crying.











Amazon Customer Review:

" Little one, whoever you are, wherever you are, there are little ones just like you all over the world." This very simple opening starts a paean to the universality of the human experience. As humans, we experience sadness and joy, tears and laughter, and it is these common experiences that unite all people for "their words may be very different from yours. But inside, their hearts are just like yours."
Staub's illustrations seem to underscore this message. Diverse people, lands, and languages are presented in a folk art style with surrealistic touches. Our guide through these pages is a man in a "cloud" suit who carries four children of different races as they view people all over the world. But what unifies the poem, besides the guide, is that each of the pictures is placed in a hand-carved frame with encased gems. It feels like we are looking at pictures of someone's family. That the human race is a family is also underscored with these framed pictures. This would be an excellent book for teaching tolerance and understanding of others. [Review by Valarie Rose Revels Oct. 25,2001]








Note about the Author:

Mem Fox was born in Australia, grew up in Africa, studied drama in England, and returned to Adelaide, Australia in 1970, where she has lived with her husband, Malcolm, and daughter Chloë, happily ever after. [goodreads.com]

Leo the Late Bloomer

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"Leo the Late Bloomer," by Robert Kraus, Leo isn't reading or writing, or drawing, or even speaking, and his father is concerned. But Leo's mother isn't.  She knows her son will do all of these things, and more when he's ready. This book is a wonderful tool to reassure you and your children about late bloomers.










Amazon Customer Review:

What better way to explain to a child that it's OK to be different? Leo the Late Bloomer is a classic of American children's stories with brilliant illustrations that bring the tale to life. Leo the young tiger doesn't lead a "normal" child's life and his Father is constantly worried that something is wrong with his son. Leo experiences many of the childhood frustrations that we are all too familiar with such as being unathletic, unartistic or ostracized by your peers. Over time, Leo absorbs what the others have been doing and eventually blossoms with a newfound love for life. This book brilliantly conveys the revelation of a child discovering his or her place in the giant world. Leo the Late Bloomer is a timeless classic with a relevant social message and is an enjoyable read for any age child. [Review Sept. 17,1997]






Note about the Author:

Robert Kraus, cartoonist turned author who wrote, illustrated and edited more than 100 children's books including "Leo the Late Bloomer," has died at 76.

Kraus, who also drew 21covers and 450 cartoons for the New Yorker magazine, died Aug. 7 of congestive heart failure in a nursing home in Kent, Conn.

His books, including the1970 favorite "Whose Mouse Are You?" earned American Library Assn., Horn Book and Children's Trade Book awards.


The charming, encouraging 1971 tale of little Leo, the underachieving lion who learns that simply trying is an achievement, was read on national television 10 years ago by then-First Lady Barbara Bush in her literacy campaign.  [Los Angeles Times]

Ian's Walk: A Story about Autism

"Ian's Walk: A Story about Autism," by Laurie Lears
Julie can’t wait to go to the park and feed the ducks with her big sister, Tara. There’s only one problem. Her little brother, Ian, who has autism, wants to go, too. Ian doesn’t have the same reactions to all the sights and sounds that his sisters have, and Julie thinks he looks silly. But when he wanders off on his own, she must try to see the world through his eyes in order to find him.




Amazon Customer Review:

Even though I have two autistic boys I read Ian's Walk to my older high-functioning son who is seven and he instantly noticed similarities to his five-year-old brother.
While looking through the pictures you cannot help but share the emotional journey his sister takes while on this walk to the park.
The illustrations are accurately defined and capture the real essence and beauty of Ian as he takes in his surroundings like no one else.
I shared this book with many families and suggested the teachers in both classrooms read Ian's Walk during library time, especially teaching awareness the month of April.
Ian's Walk will help others to identify some symptoms they might not of understood before reading the book. For any parent of an autistic child,you might want to read this alone the first time because it can be quite emotional.
You will become more aware of the day in the life of one who is autistic and never take a simple walk to the park for granted and see through the eyes of all those who resemble Ian. [Bonnie Sayers May 10, 2002]

Mickey the Cricket and Friends Take a Leap for Love

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"Mickey the Cricket and Friends Take a Leap for Love,"
 by K. Emma Green

In my opinion "Mickey the Cricket and Friends Take a Leap for Love," is one of the best books around to teach children about friendship. They will learn to never give up and how much God loves  us all.  I may be a little bit bias because I am the creator and author of this book, but once you read it to your children I know you will agree.










Amazon's Customer Review:

My daughter loved this book; she enjoyed the story and the characters. I would recommend this book to any parent who wants to educate their child about relationships with God and others.  Nicely put together.  I'm sure going to buy a copy of this book.  Can't wait for the next book to come out. [August 31, 2012]

A Chair for My Mother

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A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams is a story that will teach your children how important generosity is in hard times.



Simply put, which I feel is appropriate here; this is the story of a little girl and her family. Her mother is a hard working woman who is supporting the family. In the not so distant past, their apartment had burned down and the family lost everything. The entire neighborhood and the little girl's extended family pitched in and helped. Most things were eventually replaced...most thing with the exception of a nice comfortable chair that the mother could set in at night and rest her weary body. Over time the little girl and indeed, the entire family saved and saved their pennies until they were able to buy momma a new chair, or at least a very nice used one.

That's it! That is the story!  When we take this simple tale of love between family members, the neighbors and the relatives, and mix it with the wonderful whimsical art work, we have something very special in this book. Hard times are hard times but the message of everyone pulling together is strong here and is certainly applicable in the hard times many are facing today. [Review is by D. Blankenship on May 15,2010 ]








A note about the author:

Vera B. Williams began her career in children's books by illustrating Hooray for Me! Written by Remy Charlip with Lilian Moore.  Her beloved A Chair for My Mother won multiple awards, including a Caldecott Honor, and "More, More," Said the Baby also received a Caldecott Honor.  Vera B. Williams was the recipient of the Jane Addams Children's Book Award; she was awarded the 2009 NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature.  Vera B.Williams died on October 16, 2015. (Harper Collins Publishers)

It Could Always Be Worse

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It Could Always Be Worse by Margot Zemach, will teache your children when things look bad it might not be as bad as they think.


 a poor unfortunate man lived with his mother, his wife, and his six children in a little one-room hut." Everyone was crowded and the hut was full of quarreling or crying constantly. The poor unfortunate man was unhappy, and when he "couldn't stand it any more, he ran to the Rabbi for advice."
The Rabbi gives some rather interesting advice to say in the least. The wisdom of the Rabbi isn't apparent until the end of the story, yet in the meantime the story gets extremely entertaining and downright hilarious to the point of hysterics at times--well for my daughter and me! The illustrations are some of the best I have seen as far as going with the story's context.

I highly recommend this book because it has it all: a funny and entertaining story, hilarious illustrations, and a moral that I believe a child can understand well. I recommend this to young and old alike. If you enjoyed, IF YOU GIVE A PIG A PANCAKE and others like it, I know you will love to share this one too with your child.
Laugh together and Soar! [Amazon customer review by Soaring Heart Nov. 11, 2002]







A note about the author:

Margot Zemach was the award-winning children's book illustrator and author of more than 40 children's books, including "Duffy and the Devil, The Judge, To Hilda for Helping and It Could Always Be Worse." [New York Times]

But It's Not My Fault

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"But It's Not My Fault" by Julia Cook.  The author has written this story to help children realize that they need to take responsibility for the things that happens to them.

How many times do parents and teachers hear this little phrase, “But it’s not my fault!” Once again in her accomplished way, Ms. Cook addresses solution for a common childhood problem of not wanting to take responsibility for their actions.

Noodle is at it again, being a kid and having trouble blaming everyone else for his mistakes. No matter if his blunders or large or small, they are all someone else’s fault, to the point of being ridiculous! My favorite was when he was called down for interrupting and he said, “But it’s not my fault! My mouth is addicted to talking!” The blame game may seem innocent in a child but if not corrected they grow to be adults who live their lives as victims and are never responsible for any mistakes.
Ms. Cook’s words of insight and wisdom come through Noodle’s Mom. I like the way the story hits at the heart of the problems without having an accusatory tone. This way the children have the opportunity to look at themselves without feeling the need to defend, or blame!! Another favorite point made in the book is “Blaming others is a reason but it’s not an excuse.”

I had my 10-year-old granddaughter and 13-year-old grandson read the book. When they finished each one had a sheepish look and said, “I do this. . . sometimes”. Both said it helped them see they need to own up for what they do. Also that it affects those around them. Someone could get in trouble for what they falsely accused them of. Plus blame causes conflict and hard feelings among friends and family. At the end are very helpful ideas to guide children in overcoming this bad habit. Engaging vibrant illustrations, sound wisdom, and written from a child’s viewpoint. A great to help children (and it wouldn’t hurt adults to read it either!) [Amazon's customer review by Moonpie April 9, 2016]





A note about the author:

Julia Cook, a former school counselor, and teacher, never dreamed she could evolve into an award-winning children's book author.  Several years ago, Julia was searching for an effective story to teach children about the differences between tattling and telling. When she couldn't find the right resource, she decided to write her own book-Tattle Tongue.  Fast forward seven years later, and she has more than 50 published books and activity guides.

Leah's Voice (Children an Autism)

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"Leah's Voice," by Lori Demonia is a fictional story inspired by two sisters.

Leah's Voice isn't just a "difficult subject" book. It isn't just about Autism. And the author's goal isn't just to help kids "cope with" an Autistic sibling. Lori Demonia knows first hand that there are many challenges that the sibling of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder faces--their sibling's behavior may sometimes be confusing or frustrating, their friends may not be as understanding about why their sibling is different--but she also knows that having a sibling with ASD isn't some constant burden that kids need to "deal with." Siblings love each other! And siblings fight. And they misunderstand and get frustrated. Just like...well...SIBLINGS.

In the book, a little girl named Logan is excited for a play date with her new friend Abby. But when Abby doesn't want to play with Logan's older sister, Leah, because she talks differently and plays differently, Logan gets mad. Why can't Abby understand that Leah is different, but that they can all play together? The book then explores other ways in which Logan and Leah are different (Leah didn't like the movie theater and started crying, Leah is a great artist and helps Logan paint pictures). Logan understands that her sister has Autism, but she doesn't know how to explain it to her friend. Eventually, Abby comes around and realizes that she should be patient and take the time to get to know Leah.

What I like most about this book is that it is, first and foremost, a good children's book. The story is well-told, the characters' feelings are revealed through their actions not just stated by the author (a hallmark of good writing, in my opinion, and one that is overlooked by many seasoned authors of adult literature) and the illustrations are beautiful. [Review by Mary Lavers Feb 11, 2013]



A note about the author:

Lori DeMonia is the recipient of the 2014 Temple Grandin Outstanding Literary Work of the Year Award for her book, Leah's Voice.

Lori and her family live in the Philadelphia area where she has worked as a behavioral health TSS, therapeutic support specialist, for 7 years. 

Their oldest daughter, Leah, was diagnosed at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital with Autism Spectrum Disorder when she was 2 years old.

Lori serves as a parent consultant with PEAC - The Pennsylvania Education for all Coalition, an organization that supports inclusive classroom placement for special needs children. 
For more information on this author go to Halo Publishing International  

For Girls Only! Devotions

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For Girls Only! Devotions by Carolyn Larsen 

Devotions will help girls 8-12 years old apply biblical concepts to their daily lives.
Each devotion is written and designed with today's tween and her issues in mind. Using a scripture as the theme, each devotion includes a modern-day story and several interactive exercise, including a To-Do list, a quiz, related scriptures, and quotations that reinforce the lesson.















A Note about the Author:

Carolyn Larsen has written more than 40 books for children and adults.  She is best known as the author of the Little Girls Bible Storybook line of products, which have collectively sold more than one million units.  She is the co-founder of the performing group Flashpoints, which is comprised of five women who share a God-ignited passion to encourage women and girls to know God better.

Bed Making Blues (Accepting Responsibility)

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Bed Making Blues by Salem de Bezenac and Agnes de Bezenac

This nicely written short story teaches children to accept their Responsibilities instead of trying to get Mom and Dad to do things for them.









Note about the Authors:

Agnes and Salem de Bezenac are professionals in creative arts and specialize in creating children books and multimedia Productions. They have many other books that your children will enjoy reading.

Click the Photo for more information on them.

Fire Kids Edition:
Fire Kids Edition has a huge library of age appropriate videos games and books that children will enjoy learning and playing with. Fire Kids Edition  also comes with two-year replacement policy and free shipping.

What if Everybody Did That?

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What if Everybody Did That? by Ellen Javernick and Illustrated by Colleen M. Madden

Join Noodle on his Journey as he learns not to blame others or try to find fault, but instead, practices accepting responsibility, and turns his very rough day into a very good New day!   This is a funny and enjoyable way to teach your child Responsibility.





List price $12.99 on sale for $7.79

Sometimes You Win Sometimes You Learn for Kids

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Sometimes You Win Sometimes You Learn for Kids! by John C. Maxwell is a cute story about two children  who are bad losers until their Papa teaches them a valuable lesson.

"Sometimes You Win Sometimes You Learn for Kids" will teach them how losing can bring them victory.








Here is Papa's advice:

"Woggles are winners,yes, that much is true.  But whether you win depends upon you.
Winning takes effort, this much you will see. What you learn from your loss can bring Victory"

Buy your copy today! the book is on sale 3/27/2016 for $12.56.

Trombone Shorty

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Trombone shorty by Troy Andrews is an inspiring story of a young boy who never gave up, but press on to reach his dream despite the odds.  
















Amazon Customer Review;

Not even in elementary school yet, Andrews and his neighborhood pals spend their time creating homemade instruments and making music.  When he discovers a beat-up old trombone twice his size, he learns to play it and take to carrying it around.  The tale hits its climax with a pivotal moment in his life: He's at a music festival in New Orleans, Bo Diddley is on the stage, and the preschooler begins playing along.  Diddley stops the music, brings the prodigy Andrews to the stage, and introduces the rest of the festival to Trombone Shorty, much to the audience's delight.  [ by Suzanne St. Martin]

Announcing Sowing Seeds of Kindness

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Hello, my name is K. Emma Green and I am the author of "Sowing Seeds of Kindness."

Come along with Tejani as his father teaches him that simple acts of kindness can bring happiness into people's life.

The Kindness Kids

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Kindness Kids by Stephanie Catlett and Marilyn Appelbaum.  If you have young children that  need to be taught the importance of being kind to other children, this is the book for you. "The Kindness Kids is a great story that teaches young children the impact that kindness can have on an individual and their self-worth. This book will be enjoyed by little ones, and parents will enjoy watching their children look for opportunities to be kind to those around them." M. Strobl, Teacher
.






Little Note about the Author:

Stephanie Catlett is the wife of a Pastor she has three children that she home schools.  Stephanie is also the illustrator of "The Kindness Kids" your children will love looking at the picture as you read this educational story to them.   

Fading Flowers

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Fading Flowers by Agnes de Bezenac uses wilted flowers to show a little girl how her  face looks when she is sad and fresh flowers to show her how her face looks when she is cheerful.  Which flowers do you think that the little girl chooses for her face to look like? Read "Fading Flowers" to find out what her answer is.