Peachtree Love

Ah, romance. It’s a beautiful thing, isn’t it?

For kids, though, love and romance are big concepts associated with deep emotions that they may not be ready to tackle.

But self-respect, self-acceptance, and self-love? Those are seeds that can be planted early.

Below are 3 fantastic titles (with sneak peaks of 2 not yet published titles & a look inside one that you can borrow from your local library today!) with themes of finding value in yourself.

PLUS, because we forgot to send you roses on Valentine’s Day, we’re doing a giveaway! (Details below.)

Churchill’s Tale of Tails

Churchill the pig has lost his tail.

In an effort to replace it, Churchill tries on all sorts of other options, but none is quite right.

His tail isn’t as grand as the peacock’s or as bold as the tiger’s, but it’s the one that suits him best.

When kids are first sorting out who they are, they play dress up, they experiment, and despite who they choose to make themselves into, it’s good to remind them that they are special just as they are.

Lost for Words

Tapir is in search of his voice.

He’s discouraged when he can’t write the way his friends can.

Realizing that he’s different is hard for Tapir, but, instead of giving up or thinking of himself as inferior, he starts looking for something he is good at.

He soon discovers that he doesn’t need words to express himself as beautifully and thoughtfully as anyone else.

Penguin’s Hidden Talent

Penguin wants to be a part of the talent show, but he doesn’t have the flashy gifts that belong on stage.

Instead, he helps organize the production.

It’s not until his friends attempt to throw him a party (and botch it!) that Penguin realizes his knack for organization is a talent in itself.

Some kids have less dazzling—but no less impressive—talents; they’re organized or they’re great at listening or they’re a stellar student. Not everyone can star in the show, but there would be no show without someone to run it.

Food For Thought

By starting early and instilling values of self-respect and confidence, and celebrating the differences that make us unique, we can help cultivate a kinder generation—one that’s compassionate towards others and gentler on the person in the mirror.

That’s what our giveaway contest is all about. Here’s what you must do to enter:

Think about self-worth. What does it mean to you as an adult? What does it mean to the kids in your life (yours, your younger siblings, the kids you teach, the kids that come to your library)? What do you wish you could go back and tell yourself or your parents about self-worth?

Then talk to the kids & work together on a little (or huge!) project about positive, healthy self-love.

That’s it!

Your project can be as elaborate or as simple as you wish, and you can answer in any method you see fit. The important part is collaborating with a child (or group of kids!) to be creative. Draw us a picture like Tapir, record a fashion show like Churchill, or just write a thoughtful blog post like Penguin might—it’s all up to you and your kids!

Giveaway Details

The Prize: One winner will receive one copy each of Churchill’s Tale of Tails, Lost for Words, and Penguin’s Hidden Talent.

Eligibility: Must have a U.S. address. We cannot ship overseas or to P.O. Boxes.

Open: February 20, 2014 – March 6, 2014, 11:59 pm EST.

To Enter: Post a link to your response in any format (video, art, blog post—whatever!), on either Facebook or Twitter. In your post you must: