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Books Change LivesBooks Change Lives

Celebrate the power of books!

At Sourcebooks, we are a community bound together by the idea that books change lives. We know stories bring people together, create memories, strengthen bonds, and enrich our lives beyond measure.


@sesamestreet has historically stepped up to talk to our kids about important topics, #covid19 is no different. We joined Elmo in being a mask heroes, @sourcebookskids & @sesamestreet have a new book to help kids understand our new routines starting with masks, but also diving into hand washing, anxiety, social distancing, temperature checks, and friendships in 2020.

Sesame Street Heroes Wear Masks

“Using our talking ball, we took turns to share about a time when we made a mistake in our lives whether it was school or at home!!! Amazingly every kid realised that they have made a mistake before! We then drew and wrote about that mistake in our books!”

“When I read this with my students or read it with my daughters, we spend lots of time talking about the idea that everyone makes mistakes. No one is really as perfect as Beatrice. Mistakes are okay and give us opportunities to grow! 

And as adults? There’s an important takeaway here for you, too. The adults in Beatrice’s life unintentionally put a lot of pressure on Beatrice to strive for perfection at all times.” -Mary Costello of Children’s Lit Love

“How many times a day do you say or hear the word no? Honestly, it seems like all of 2020 has just been one big collective NO. The key for me is trying to somehow turn these no’s into something positive, especially for my kids.

 

I love that it is a story about perseverance and innovation, and shows how to not let expectations of how things should be get in the way of how things could be.”

How will you exercise your brain today? We read Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak, and brainstormed a list of ways to help exercise our brains.”


“Hi Marianne,

I wanted to let you know how much the book "Be brave little one" means to our family and tell you the story of our brave little one. 

Our son came out too early and too small. I had not completed my second trimester yet and he weighed barely over a pound. This was supposed to be a no complication pregnancy and he was our first born. We were looking at months of NICU stay ahead of us. Friends and family sent us gifts and care packages - one of which had the book "Be brave little one"

We named him "Viren" - it means 'a brave warrior'. The doctors, nurses and therapists at the hospital were surprised at how well he was developing. He was thriving without much support. A baby this young usually does not have lungs developed and here he was breathing atmospheric air. They said he was very strong and had an incredible amount of energy. Every day he had a new challenge - brain scans, blood transfusions, low blood pressure etc. Almost the very next day it would be fixed. He was fighting against everything the universe was throwing at him. And my husband would read the book everyday to him asking our little one to be brave. To be brave to keep going when going is tough

Then things started getting rough. The universe was throwing more difficult hurdles at him. He was trying and fighting but as a mother I could see he was getting worn out. One night within a matter of hours he developed a hole in the lungs and a hole in the intestines. Two independent and extremely fatal issues. If it had been one of them, I am positive that the able doctors would have helped my little warrior. The surgeries would have saved his life but with life long implications. He was looking at a really difficult life ahead with the quality of life highly compromised. That night he was brave to be still because he had had enough. 

Somehow the essence of the book changed . It meant something when he was fighting - about fighting through the ups and downs. It now means something else - about being brave and knowing your limits. Both the meanings beautiful. My husband keeps telling me that the book is for us as well. There is a third meaning for the new parents bereaving their only child - its time for us to be brave. 

The book meant so much to us that we sent it along with him to forever be with him and remind him to be the brave little warrior he is. 

I wanted to thank you for such a beautiful book and let you know how much it has touched our lives. 

 

Thanks,

Priya

"Brave was the word of the day yesterday.

 

FE, like most toddlers, does not love visiting the doctor. Unlike most toddlers, FE has had countless doctor and hospital visits as well as a surgery in her short 21 months. We have found that although it doesn't completely eliminate her anxiety, fear and sadness, talking to FE about upcoming doctors visits and then recapping the visit afterwards helps her process her emotions and helps her to better understand her experience."

"It takes courage for us to be ourselves, and it's also the best gift we can give to ourselves and to others. Being brave means so many different things. It means honoring who we are and what we believe. It means trying new things, and acknowledging when certain things are not for us. It means reaching out to others to give and accept love. It means being with our feelings. It means taking bold risks, making mistakes - and when we fall, getting up and trying again. It means trusting ourselves, the process, and the journey."

These touching stories celebrate the joys of childhood and encourage little ones to be themselves - knowing that their loved ones are always there for them! Appreciating each moment and daring to be brave as you grow is a beautiful message for children and adults. Slow down, read a book, and cherish a moment together.

If I Could Keep You LittleIf I Could Keep You Little

"Was about to complain about how tired I am this morning after waking up with the baby 6 (yes- I’m counting) times last night and having toddler feet in my ribs early this morning. But, then I scrolled my camera roll and remembered the book Kenzie “read” to her brothers before bed time last night. ❤️ I’m always in such a rush to get out of this stage and move to the next (hopefully easier) stage. Reminding myself to slow down, embrace the dark circles and muffin top, and enjoy this stage we’re in."

If I Could Keep You LittleIf I Could Keep You Little

"Currently hiding my tear stained cheeks behind the world’s sweetest children’s book ever … Mommas, if this is one you don’t yet own, you need it. Go buy it now. It’s the sweetest! You need this book. Oh, and while you’re adding it to your cart, go ahead and add a box of Kleenexes as well, because you’ll definitely need some of those too."


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erica.harr

“It's one of my favorites on her shelf. It's sweet and simple and I think a lot of people should be reading it before they go to bed at night - or when they wake up in the morning for that matter... and I'm not talking little kids, or parents reading it to their little kids - I'm talking EVERYBODY...”

mrstroasts_teachingposts

“We ended our week last week talking about different ways to show kindness. After reading What Does It Mean To Be Kind? we each wrote one way to show kindness ❤️ “make someone happy when they are sad...sharing a ball...give someone a hand...” were just a few ideas. We’ll be on the lookout for these kind actions throughout the year in and outside of school ????????”

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Americas Test Kitchen The Complete Cookbook for Young ChefsAmericas Test Kitchen The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs

Maryam Ayati

5.0 out of 5 stars

“I finally get it! I'm almost 40 & this book simplifies it so well that I am now able to help my students and children. Being present is something easier to understand when you're older but still hard to practice. Getting it and practicing it when you're younger is so valuable and sets the tone for the rest of your life. This book has helped me calm myself as a parent of two toddlers when tantrums are at their height, demonstrating for them what and how. I've used the examples from the book with my high school students to help them manage stress and find calm. I didn't read it to them but adapted the simplicity of the principal. I've used this book's simplicity to help manage add/adhd in myself to help gain focus. It's a must read for anyone of any age who is trying to get themselves together!”

Dont Push the ButtonDont Push the Button

“Kids are smart. And observant. Even our littlest children know that right now, there’s a lot of talk about what it means to be American, who’s a “real” American, and what kinds of values America stand for. And it’s complicated, but that doesn’t mean we should avoid talking about it at home or in school.


I actually choked up when I arrived at the illustration of a US naturalization ceremony; if you’ve never attended one, it’s one of the most powerful experiences I’ve ever had as a native-born citizen. Nina Mata’s artwork brought back all the raw emotion and excitement and tears and flag-waving in the wildly diverse Brooklyn courtroom that day.”

Alexia Vernon

5.0 out of 5 stars

“Even though this book is recommended for ages 4+, my 2-year old daughter loves Little Pickle Press books so I bought her a copy and I'm glad I did. We read it together several times a day, my daughter can now better appreciate what I do, and she is already talking about starting her own business. As an entrepreneur and change maker, I can't imagine a book that could more embody the values I strive to pass on to my daughter. Ask "What if?" questions. Persevere even when other people tell you, "No." Take risks. Harness your creativity. Use technology to solve problems. Honor your voice - always. This book is beautiful and downright genius, and I'm telling every mom and fellow women's empowerment colleague and friend I know to purchase a copy.”

“My 7 year old was able to read this book with just a little help from me.  After reading it we talked about ways our family is being Green and ways to help others be Green too. My son said that his school does recycle but sometimes the other kids do not throw their paper in there. He said he is going to start helping others be Green by reminding them to recycle.”


Dont Push the ButtonDont Push the Button

Books are more than words on pages - they can be just as interactive as games. Don’t Push the Button encourages kids to engage and play on every page - so get ready for loads of laughs!


We are an independent book publisher outside of Chicago driven by the belief that books change lives. At Sourcebooks, we are passionate about publishing content that connects, enriches, and reflects our world. For us, every book is personal and every voice has a place.


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