Earth Aware Children’s Books – Review by Cara Potapshyn Meyers
Earth Aware Editions books is committed to broadening awareness and understanding the unique challenges of our time through powerful and provocative publications. From climate change and conservation to the accelerating loss of diversity in our planet’s species and cultures, the continued erosion of our biosphere and ethnosphere cannot be ignored.
These wonderful, educational books are both delightful to read and a visual treat. Most importantly, they demonstrate to young readers how the differences in the world are what make the world we live in so beautiful. Both you and your child will eagerly want to read these books again and again!
All Kinds of Beliefs
by Sheri Safran, illustrations by Emma Damon
A celebration of religious diversity innovatively packaged with lift-up flaps and foldouts for hands-on enlightening fun. As a child’s experience becomes ever more international, so will their exposure to the world’s religions. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism-all these and more are celebrated and explored in this hands-on book. Through pop-ups, flaps, and fold-outs, a child learns things such as a Sikh boy may wear a romala, or a Muslim girl a hijab over her hair. All Kinds of Beliefs demystifies what goes on inside a church, gudwara, wat, mandir, and mosque in terms that children can understand-and with colorful illustrations that will delight their parents too! Along with an extra-large religious festivals poster, this book is as useful as it is fun to read. My Sister-in-Law practices Hinduism. My son never fully understood the essential concepts of the religion, nor it’s significance. He now talks freely with her about her religion and she is overjoyed with his interest in learning about different beliefs other than his own.
Retail Price: $12.99
All Kinds of People
by Sheri Safran, illustrations by Emma Damon
A warm and humorous interactive exploration of the many shapes, sizes, and characteristics of humankind, celebrating what makes each of us special and unique.
People come in all different shapes and sizes and have different interests and hobbies. Whether a child has straight hair or curly, freckles or pimples, is thin or overweight-this book offers a celebratory romp through what makes all of us unique and special. Fold-outs, flaps, wheels, and much more make this a delightful way to explore the range in a warm, humorous way. At the end of the book, a mirror allows children to look at themselves, along with a page to record their own special characteristics. This is an excellent book for younger children to introduce them to the “specialness” every person beholds.
Retail Price: $12.99
Bully
by Sheri Safran, illustrations by Rachel Fuller
An accessible, practical guide that empowers children and parents by helping them recognize and cope with bullying. It’s never too early to make children aware of behaviors they will likely deal with in their young lives. Bully is for them to read alone or with an adult, to better understand intimidating interactions with their peers.
This book covers all the sorts of bullying your child may encounter-physical, emotional, and cyber. Bullying is a reality of our times, and this book’s straight-talk, accessible approach to the topic encourages kids to open up about their experiences. With colorful drawings, fold-outs, and flaps, here is an interactive, fun way get the conversation started. Diary pages at the end to keep a record of incidents along with positive suggestions for coping make Bully a great first step in handling a difficult situation.
I read this book with my son. Although my son claims never to have been victim to bullying, he felt empowered and reassured by first identifying who a bully is and what they typically do to “threaten” others. He also found out that victims of bullies are not just shy or intimidated children. Anyone and everyone can fall prey to a bully. Discussing what to do and what not to do in a bullying situation made me feel more comfortable and I could tell reassured my son that he is confident that he would understand how to react in a bullying situation.
Retail Price: $12.99
All Kinds of Festivals
by Sheri Safran, illustrations by Rachel Fuller
This vibrant lift-the-flap book explores and celebrates the world’s myriad religions and cultural diversity. All Kinds of Festivals features festivals that take place around the world: The Mexican Day of the Dead, Chinese Lantern Festival, Japanese Kite Flying Festival, Indian Holi Festival, Sri Lankan Tooth Festival, African Dogon and Camel Festivals, American and Japanese Cherry Blossom festivals. There is a removable poster of Harvest Festivals including Thanksgiving, Green Corn Festival, Pahiyas, Pongal, and Chuseok.
I found the book so unique and filled with incredible facts, that I shared it with my son’s Fourth Grade teacher for the school’s International Week. She, in turn, shared it with the organizer of the event to read as an introduction for the event! This book is rich with information about cultures near and far. The illustrations demonstrate an original work of art. What a beautiful blend.
Retail Price: $12.99
All Earth Aware Editions books can be purchased at major book sellers as well as Amazon.com.
Note: Thanks to Insight Kids and Earth Aware Editions for providing sample products. Cara Potapshyn Meyers and MotherhoodLater.com assume no liability relative to products reviewed in this blog.
Tags: All Kinds of Beliefs, All Kinds of Festivals, All Kinds of People, books, Bully, Cara Potapshyn Meyers, Earth Aware Editions children's, Emma Damon, International Week, religious diversity, Sheri Safran
