Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.
Books are a wonderful gift for children during the holidays. They allow children to use their imaginations without the use of batteries or screens, allowing them to "unplug." And in my humble opinion, there is no such thing as having TOO many books.
Hartlyn Kids brings children on an adventure to places around the world without having to leave the comfort of home. Each book focuses on "a day in the life" of a child from around the globe. It also includes a passport sticker that coordinates with the Hartlyn Kids passport (sold separately). The back of the book has a little flap pocket that holds that country's "stamp". Your children can collect stamps from their "travels" just like mom and dad!
What I like about these books is that each author lives in, has a strong connection to, or is from the country that is featured. This gives a truly authentic perspective of that culture. There are also Learning Tools available at the end of the story to explain new words or phrases used. This not only entertains and captures your child's imagination, but also provides a great learning experience.
We were sent The Bamboo Dance, a story about the Philippines. Two Filipino boys, Paco and Diego, learn to dance the tinikling, the national dance of their country.
It has themes of friendship, encouragement, and lessons like "practice makes perfect." The illustrations are soft, earthy tones that support the well written text. I was surprised however, that the "Learning Tools" do not have a pronunciation key for the new words. That is something that I would suggest to the publishers as it helps knowing how to correctly pronounce unfamiliar words that are in another language.
Their website is easy to navigate. You can see a brief description of the book, preview the country's stamp/sticker, and even buy replacement stickers or passports. Right now there are two books available; I hope they will be adding new titles from other countries soon!
While The Attic Baby is a bit young for this book right now, I know it will be something she will enjoy reading as she gets older. This is a wonderful resource for classrooms and parents to open up discussion about other cultures' similarities and differences.
Give the gift of inspiration with a Hartlyn Kids book for your child. Your little readers won't be disappointed!
Connect:
Where to Purchase: $12.99 Hartlyn Kids online store
For more holiday gift ideas, be sure to check out the 2012 Holiday Gift Guide!
Disclosure: I received the above item for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own. For more info. see my Disclosure Policy.
Unique post and gift ideas! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThese books look like a great way to teach children (and adults!) about other cultures. You're right, they would be an asset for any classroom environment, both in and out of the home.
ReplyDeleteIt is always great to find a fun and educational book. We love books at home and this would make a great addition to our library!
ReplyDeleteMy boys would love this. They love learning about new cultures and then acting like they are from that culture.
ReplyDeleteVery cool series for children - learning about other cultures is so important. I love the passport idea too!
ReplyDeleteGreat gift ideas! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review. We will keep the pronunciation idea in mind in the future.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a great way to learn about other cultures.
ReplyDeleteThis looks very interesting. Great way to learn about other people and their cultures!
ReplyDeleteI love the look of this cover, illustrations like this always catch my eye. Sounds like such a great book.
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