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| August, 2009 | ||
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As a teacher, a grandmother, and a Religious Science practitioner, I am always looking for children’s books that tell wonderful stories and share universal spiritual principles. In teaching preschoolers full time—and Sundays also—I get to discover storybooks that truly engage the children and carry a spiritual lesson. My all time favorite is Kate’s Giants by Valiska Gregory, illustrated by Virginia Austin. It is about changing your thinking to change your experience. Gregory rethinks scary things so they are friendly! This is an excellent book to read at Halloween, or if a child is experiencing night fears.
The opposite of A Bad Case of Stripes is I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont and illustrated by David Catrow. Wonderful rhyme and illustrations
The Next Place by Warren Hanson offers a beautiful expression of what happens as you release your physical body, what some call death but is really just the next place. Honoring all traditions and the unique expressions of Spirit, I recommend A Walk to the Great Mystery: A Cherokee Tale by Virginia A. Stroud. A Cherokee grandmother shares about the Great Spirit within everything with her two grandchildren as they walk, listen, and meditate. It is a fun book that inspires children to share their own experiences in nature. The Other Way to Listen by Byrd Baylor and Peter Parnall is another Native American story about communing with nature and becoming still.
There are two excellent parenting/teacher books I can recommend for everyday use. The first is the classic Nurturing Spirituality in Children by Peggy Jenkins, with hands-on examples of spiritual principles. How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So KidsWill Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish is full of practical tips to apply to real-life situations. |
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| —Georgia Bradley | ||
| Additional Science of Mind Book Recommendations for August | ||
When the McManus family lost their jobs, their home, and their savings, they felt paralyzed with fear. One sleepless night, Paul and Tracey began to thank God for what they had: their health, each other, and their three children. The prayer of gratitude was transformational. They created six more prayers that helped to reduce their stress, anxiety, and depression. As they faced their adversity with faith and focused intention, something shifted. They found jobs, a home, hope, and the strength to stay together during the difficult times. Eager to share their experience with others, they created a simple Web page and eventually published The 7 Great Prayers, a guide to tap into the power of God and the one mind. A grassroots phenomenon was created and the prayers spread around the world. They received orders from 163 countries for their self-published book, concluding it was the right book, for the right time.
A well-known proponent of alternative approaches to healing not just for the body, but the mind and soul as well, Dr. Bernie Siegel’s 365 Prescriptions for the Soul offers daily doses of inspiration, hope, and love. Dr. Siegel encourages his readers to, “Take time to read a selection and reflect on its meaning for you. Allow it to make a difference in your day and help heal your life and the lives of those you touch.” Used as a daily guide, or as a quick spiritual pick-me-up, the book’s prescriptions can inspire one as they navigate life’s challenges and find their way to the space of inner peace.
Increasing numbers of American adults are leaving the faith in which they were raised as children, and large numbers of Christians have turned to the philosophy of Yoga for the spiritual fulfillment they seek. In /Jesus in the Lotus,/ Russill Paul discusses his own crisis of faith following a motorcycle accident, and the knowledge he gained from his training with renegade monk Bede Griffith, the first to synthesize these two great traditions. Paul demonstrates that these traditions do not have to be exclusive, and each offers important insights that can unite in a powerful, holistic, daily spiritual practice.
Named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, author Pete Singer demonstrates his powers of persuasion in The Life You Can Save. Singer presents a compelling argument that, for the first time in history, it is within our reach to eradicate world poverty and the suffering it brings. While the media may paint a dismal picture, the number of deaths attributed to poverty has fallen dramatically in the past half-century. However, nearly ten million children die unnecessarily each year. Singer refutes the standard reasons why people refuse to give and offers a thoughtful and hopeful plan to end world poverty. He encourages his readers to take action, knowing that giving will make a huge difference in the lives of others without diminishing the quality of your own.
Although the benefits of meditation are well-known—lower blood pressure, reduced stress and anxiety, and mental clarity—many people argue that they just can’t find the time to meditate. In One Moment Meditation, Martin Boroson offers a realistic program that can help one stay grounded in the present moment. Boroson distils the practice of meditation into exercises that do not require hours of training and fit with a fast paced lifestyle. His exercises start with just one minute. Not intended to replace any other type of meditation, Boroson’s strategies can enhance any spiritual practice to keep one aware that peace is always available. One just has to turn within. |
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| —Claudia Abbott | ||
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There are many stories to help children relate with each other in positive ways. It’s Mine! is a fable by Leo Lionni that tells of quarreling frogs who learn to share. The Crayon Box that Talked by Shane DeRolf tells of crayons that are fighting and learn it takes all the colors to make a beautiful picture. The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss shares how small differences can grow into big problems. It is about the foolishness of war and a good discussion starter about true peace. Old Turtle by Douglas Wood with watercolors by Cheng-Khee Chee is another book about arguing and finally remembering who we human beings really are: Love. 
A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon is about conforming Camille, who denies what she loves to fit in with her friends and begins matching her surroundings. All is restored to normal when she embraces what she loves. 
offer an entertaining tale of self-acceptance. Bad Rats by Eric Drachman shares the seeming conflict between being safe and artistic expression that makes you stand out from the crowd. It gives the definition of “bad” as not conforming to society’s expectations. The rats who sing, dance, and draw learn they are exceptional, not bad. It comes with a CD with voices of the different characters. Hooray for You! A Celebration of You-ness by Marianne Richmond is a wonderfully illustrated rhyming book that celebrates each child’s uniqueness from birth on.
The Three Questions, based on a story by Leo Tolstoy and written and illustrated by Jon J. Muth, is the children’s book of being in the now. The three questions are: When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do? It explores each one of these questions through a boy’s actions in helping and giving.
Throw out the old Mother Goose books and take up The NewAdventures of Mother Goose: Gentle Rhymes for Happy Times created by Bruce Lansky. The stories are not too sweet and yet very entertaining, with great illustrations by Stephen Carpenter.
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