Tag: children

The Deepest Children’s Book Guaranteed to Make You Emotional

Though children’s books can be simple in context, the messages they leave behind are often times quite powerful. When we read them as children, they usually have no deeper meaning to us, because at that stage in our life our emotions have not blossomed. There are a few books, however, that resonate so deeply as we take a step into adulthood. In fact, the sheer truth that lies within them can prove to be quite depressing. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is a pure example.

 

Image Via Medium

The book follows a female apple tree and a boy, who develop a relationship with each other. The tree is very “giving” and the boy evolves from a naive kid who merely wants to play, into a “taking” teenager, man, then elderly man.

 

the stages of life

Image Via VIPA

 

Through each stage of the boy’s life, he takes more and more from the tree to support his life, from her branches, to her apples, and finally her trunk. Throughout each stage she remains happy, despite losing so much, because she is sacrificing for the happiness of the boy.

 

 

This story is the embodiment of unconditional love. The tree was happy without her leaves, without her branches and even without her trunk. It did not matter what the boy did, as long as she could still give and make him happy, she would remain happy. His selfishness did not affect her, she was only made happy by her ability to provide him what he wanted or needed. Like a parent, the tree is happy to help in any way she can because she always sees him as her kid, or her “boy”.

 

Grandparents and children

Image Via New York Post

 

I actually believe that this story is more suitable for adults, who need to be reminded of greed and selfishness. It teaches us not to take anything for granted, and to be aware of everyone’s worth. It is a beautiful book that you absolutely need to revisit.

 

 

 

Featured Image Via Desiring God

This Bookmobile Encourages Reading by Bringing the Party to You!

Twice a summer for the past ten years, the bookmobile has partnered with Ballenger Creek Elementary School to encourage reading for children in Frederick County, Ohio.

 

Bookmobile
Image Via Bookmobile | Washington County Free Library
 

Brought to people around Frederick County, the ‘bookmobile’ has been around since 1965. Eight vehicles have held the title of ‘bookmobile’. There are two on the road today, and boy, do they get around!

A single bookmobile can carry about “11,300 items, roughly half that of a small library branch“.

The idea of a library on wheels might seem old-fashioned, but they’ve been around for fifty years, bringing books to adults and children around the County. Considering the operating costs is about $185,165 or 1.4% of the county libraries budget, it seems like they have been well worth it.

 

 

Ten years ago Sally Marin, an English Language instructor at Ballenger Creek, noticed a problem in her school.

A lot of our EL families have never been to the library, and they maybe don’t have library cards or don’t understand how the whole thing works.

 

Inside the Bookmobile
Image Via Frederick News-Post
 

Hoping the bridge the gap, Marin launched the partnership whit bookmobile. Given that the public library is closed during the summer, this program has helped kids continue reading during the summer break.

If kids read four or five books over the summer, they can maintain the reading gains that they made that school year…It’s just like an athletic skill. You can’t expect that you’re going to maintain a certain skill level in any sport if you don’t practice. The same is true for reading

Now it’s summer the bookmobile comes along to offer its services while hosting an ice cream party!

 

 
Adults inside the Boomobile
Image Via Frederick News-Post
 
Books can be checked out, returned, and put on hold and people can sign up for library cards right on board. Who would want to get their first library card from this amazing station?

Plus, with about 3,000 items inside, ranging from books to DVDs to magazines, there are many options to keep children engages while they eat their ice cream and Popsicle during the hot summer days.

Looks like this van is going to get children on the road to reading!

 

 

Featured Image Via Bookmobile | Washington County Free Library

Metallica Will Be Publishing Their Own Book…For Children!

It seems like everyone is publishing books for children. They are the future after all, but most wouldn’t expect a children’s book from heavy metal band Metallica.

Heavy metal band Metallica has held a reputation of toxic rivalries, substance misuse and songs with the most morbid of titles – Disposable Heroes (1986), Nothing Else Matters (1991), My Friend Of Misery (1991). If anyone were to guess who would be the next to publish a children’s book, they would most likely be more toward the bottom of that list.

 

Image result for metallica

Metal is a serious business. No smiling here. | Image via Woodbury Bulletin

 

Alas, the world can be a surprising place. Yesterday the plans to publish their book The ABCs Of Metallica was announced on their official website. The book promises to highlight historical moments from the band’s career through rhyme and the alphabet.

 

 

Including rhymes and illustrations, The ABCs of Metallica looks back at the history of the band from, duh, A to Z! Each letter of the alphabet highlights a moment along our journey from Garage Days to Master of Puppets to fun facts about us.

 

Image via Amazon

 

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Metallica’s charity foundation All Within My Hands, supporting workforce education and the fight against hunger.

 

Image result for metallica all within my hands foundation

Metallica’s 2nd Annual All Within My Hand Foundation Event – Collecting Caned Foods | Image via 98kupd

 

Putting their band’s reputation aside, the members of Metallica are people, some of them married with children, so I think it’s safe to say that they do have experience with kids that will be brought into creating this new book. We’ll just have to see how it comes out in the end when the book is released this November 26th. You can pre-order through Amazon now.

 

 

Featured Image via Tweed Daily News

School Considers Removing 200 ‘Sexist’ Books From Library

Purging libraries of books considered harmful to children isn’t anything new. It can be for violent content, sexual themes or even due to being written by a controversial author. One group in Barcelona is considering purging books for another big reason: sexism.

The Guardian reported that the Associació Espai i Lleure has reviewed close to 600 books in The Taber School in Barcelona as part of their Library and Gender project, which aims to highlight the hidden sexist content found in most children’s books.

The group found that around 200 of the books at the school’s library contained hidden sexist themes. As a result, the books is considering removing from the library. Some of the removed books include Little Red Riding Hood and Sleeping Beauty.

The group said that the purpose of this review was not to target specific books, but to address the larger issue of sexism in children’s books. There have been studies conducted about gender bias in children’s books, in which males are more likely to be the protagonist of a children’s story and get more speaking roles than female characters. Espai i Lleure hopes to shine a light on the casual sexism in certain stories in order for children to learn these earlier in life in order to counter sexism when they are older.

You can read for about the group’s efforts here.

Do you agree with what Espai i Lleure is doing?

 

 

Featured Image Via Pacific Standard

Lego’s Newest Toy ‘Once-Upon-a-Brick’ Looks Magical

Fairy tales, pop-up books, and legos. These three staples of childhood come together in Lego’s newest toy “Once Upon A Brick”.

 

Related image

You can close the toy like it’s a book. Good for carrying it around on any family adventures. | Image via The Lego Store

 

The 859-piece set lets kids build scenes from two classic tales: Little Red Riding Hood and Jack and the Beanstalk. Five mini-figure characters are included in the set, including Little Red Riding Hood, Grandmother, the Wolf, the Giant, and Jack.

 

LEGO

Image via The Lego Store.

 

This perfectly combines story time with the creative challenge that Lego toys bring.

Earlier this month Lego announced the release of “Once Upon A Brick” on Twitter.

 

 

Although the promotion is similar to Samsung’s $2000 Galaxy Fold phone, thankfully the price is much more reasonable at 79.95 Euro, roughly 90 US dollars.

 

It may be a little too early to start Holiday shopping, but this looks like a pretty darn good gift!

 

 

Featured Image via Stuck In Plastic.