Yet another beautiful book

This afternoon I have a story telling session at NLB. Of late to save time I tend to select picture books with less words but with a good story line. A less wordy book needs less preparation as one can impromptu as one reads from the book. However for today's session I borrowed quite a wordy book but with lovely drawings enitled "Laura's Secret". So I kind of need to rehearse a bit ie. turning it more into a story telling rather than a half read and half story tell session. To save time I practice whilst doing housework.

Err...another child's storyline (so read only if you can spare the time) but can be quite inspirational. Basically Laura and brother spent quite a bit of effort and time making a kite. However at the park, brother was mocked and bullied by a group of school friends as their kite didnt take off. He was tripped by one of the bullies, fell and broke his kite. Both went home feeling sad and downhearted. Laura however has a secret. She talks to the star every night from her bedroom window. She shares with the star everything, her joy, her sadness and her hopes and she always feel good after that.

That night Laura asked the star for help. Nothing happened and she fell asleep. In the middle of the night, her room was aglowed with starlight. The glow not only filled her room but made her wide awake. Suddenly she felt the energy rush and she got up to repair the kite, mending it with much stronger material and drawing teeth to make the kite look braver and bold. On top of that she saw the star sprinking stardust onto the kite such that it shone in the dark as if like magic.

Next day she told her brother that believing in something, wishing and working for it hard enough could make it happen. (haha very cliche i know). Well how the story went was the kite flew so high that the string became too taut to hold. "Then maybe you should let it go...Maybe a kite as special as this one needs to be free". So they let go of the kite and Laura asked the kite to reach for the star.

You see a children book just like adult books needs more than one reading to feel the magic or essence. I think I want to purchase this book. It will be good for me to use with my child clients, if not to just cheer them up, may also sprinkle some "hope" in them. I often believe HOPE is so essential to catharsis and story telling is often a media used for child counselling to get them to choose their desired ending. Even I myself am lifted by reading this book (but of course I am always easily delighted by children stuff!). I think parents of toddlers must really read to their kids to inspire not only their imagination and creativity but to ground them in values, hope and the love of life. I wish I have done more for my kids. But even you adults, if you feel moody or neurotic or what have you, take a trip to the children's section of the library. I guarantee you, some of the books will give you a lift!