Alex Writes

The Positive Effects of Caregiving

There are many misconceptions when it comes to caregiving. Some say that it is the most draining work, while others say that it sucks all the motivation in you. Perhaps they haven’t tried to look on the other side of things where everything about caregiving is better and brighter. Being a caregiver can bring you the best of both worlds. You can see it in the memoir One Caregiver’s Journey, where time and situation made Eleanor Gaccetta a sole caregiver for a loved one.

The positive effects of caregiving is frequently appreciated and gazed upon. It could be because the public only sees the toughness of the job. But let us remove all the negativities that come along caregiving and feature the brighter side of the job. Listed below are the positive impacts of caregiving that you should know.

Helps you become a better person

Personal growth is always necessary. No matter where you are in the world, growing as a person should always be in your bucket list. You probably are drowned with all the sorrows and agony of the job, but can you recall the time when you have wished for it the most? The more you strive to do better, the more you allow yourself to grow in the middle of the chaos. But sometimes you cannot notice the growth; it is because of being too focused on the work. All you need to do is to trust the process and appreciate the results. Who know how big of a development caregiving brings to your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health?

Makes you consider the situation of others

Being considerate is a skill that needs constant development. It is not something that is given to you from birth. Instead, it is something that you learn along the way. Becoming a considerate and understanding person is one tough job, but you really need to be one in order to deal with life and caregiving. The longer you become a caregiver, the more you harness your ability to consider the situation of others. You see, not everyone is taking the same path. Some has gone through unfortunate events, making them unable to function and move normally. That is why caregivers are there to provide the care and assistance that people need. In return, caregivers are being molded into a person that is understanding and considerate.

Improves your problem-solving and creative thinking skills

Who has ever thought that caregiving can enhance two of the most essential skills a person must possess? The work of a caregiver is never easy. There are a lot of bumps in the road that will either make or break your career. There are even those challenges that impact your mental health. But when you strive to do better, you can get a clearer view of the situation. The more problems come to you, to more solutions you can generate. All you need to do is face the problem and create relevant solutions. Do not dodge the ball of concerns, because it will only prolong your agony. Moreover, creative thinking is pretty essential. It is the ability that helps you create better solutions, engineer better plans, and improve tough situations. So, who said caregiving is not beneficial at all?

Ignites your compassion and empathy

There are people that don’t know what compassion and empathy really means. There are also those that cannot easily identify situations where the two aspects are needed. For better understanding, compassion refers to the feeling of concern towards the agony, pain, and mishaps of a person. Empathy, on the other hand, pertains to the skill of comprehending and sharing the emotions of other people. These two nouns are definitely hard to execute but are the most needed today. When you become a caregiver, you will start to become compassionate and empathetic. It is because you can see the daily struggles and hardships that the patient goes through. It will create an unfamiliar feeling within you that will slowly make you not just understand the situation but to feel what he is feeling. How wonderful it is to be able to help someone in need while not expecting anything in return.

Ethiopia: People, Culture, and Economy

Ethiopia is among the oldest countries in the globe. It is being housed in the Horn of Africa, along with Djibouti, Eritrea, and Somalia. The capital of the country is Addis Ababa, which is located near the heart of the place. Ethiopia, moreover, is known to be the most populated place in the Horn of Africa.

Although there have been a lot of issues that has not yet been given solution in the country, like famine — which is being tackled by Byron Conner in his book The Face of Hunger: Reflections on a Famine in Ethiopia, it is still rich in history and culture. That said, provided below are the basic things that you need to know about Ethiopia.

People

The people in Ethiopia are referred to as Ethiopians. Moreover,the country is filled with diverse ethnic groups, resulting to the emergence of several languages. Ethiopia has a total of 100 languages that can be narrowed down into 4 categories, which are the Semitic, Omotic, Cushitic, and Nilotic. The first three groups of languages are fragments of the Afro-Asiatic family of languages while the last one is a portion of Nilo-Saharan family of languages. According to Encyclopædia Britannica, the ethnic groups in Ethiopia are composed of Oromo (35.3%), Amhara (26.2%), Somali (6.0%), Tigray (5.9%), Gurage (2.7%), Sidamo (4.3 %), and a whole lot more.

Culture

Like all other countries from all over the world, Ethiopia also has a rich cultural heritage. The customs and traditions that were created from the past are still being preserved at the present, which are evident in the country’s languages, religions, and more. The families of languages and religious groups in Ethiopia have their own group traditions. Although they have their own practices, there are still similarities in the norms that create firm and distinguishable national attributes.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has left a big influence in the country’s cultural heritage. Their most important national holidays include the Easter, Christmas, and Meskel — also known as the Finding of the True Cross. But in to lessen the superiority of Christianity, the EPRDF-led government and Derg raised the condition of Islam and proclaimed Id al-Fitr and Id al-Adha were proclaimed as major Islamic holidays.

Food has played a big role in uplifting the Ethiopian culture. Their unique but special cuisine has garnered a worldwide reputation. Wats and alechas are among the notable basic dishes in the country. These two dishes are stews that are made up of fragrant spices and pungent vegetables.

When it comes to the creative side of the culture, Ethiopia has a wide array of music produced by the nation’s diverse groups of people. Several of the songs are composed using the Amharic language. Moreover, the literature of the country is written in Amharic while there are others that are written using the Ge’ez language.

Ethiopia, furthermore, also has different establishments that aim to preserve its rich cultural heritage and history. The National Museum of Ethiopia, National Library and Archive of Ethiopia, and Museum of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies are among the best examples of the notable cultural institutions.

Economy

Ethiopia once had a progressive economy, but it didn’t prosper longer. Today, the country is still known to be among the poorest nations in the continent and the world. Despite from the economic downfalls and challenges that it faced, the economy of the land continues to strive.

The country is popular for the riches of its agricultural land. Regardless of the deforestations, erosions, and other events that harm the nature, almost half of the land is still capable of being farmed and cultivated. Almost all of the reserve lands are found in the parts of Ethiopia that possess good climate conditions that are best for agriculture.

When it comes to the amount of livestock, such as cattle, Ethiopia made it to the list of countries in Africa that are abundant in livestock. The moment when the grazing areas are being handled in a better way and the breeding are managed well, the livestock in the nation is constantly developing and has the possibility to meet the internal and external market demands.

Nearly 50% of the GDP of the country was conquered by agriculture. However, it is not the only one that propels Ethiopia’s economy because fishing, minerals, hydroelectricity, manufacturing, finance, trading, transportation, and other services are present to complete the 100% GDP of the country.

Promising Nonfiction Books You Should Read

Nonfiction is one of the giant genres in the world of literature. It contains multiple thought-provoking, heartwarming, and lesson-filled works that ignite multiple emotions from the readers. Memoir, biography, journalism, philosophy, history, travelogues, manuals, and essays are among the notable subgenres of nonfiction.

You can truly tell how big of impact nonfiction works bring to someone’s life when readers start to live by the words of a nonfiction book and /or author. What makes this genre more intimate and convincing is the fact that the stories and content are not made up but rather real. The genuineness of every story enhances its affectivity and meaning. Hence, here are some of the best nonfiction books that you should never miss reading.

White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo

This New York Times bestselling book was published in 2018. It was written by Robin DiAngelo and contains a foreword by Michael Eric Dyson. It investigates the fruitless response that white people exhibit when their inferences about race are being disputed. The book also talks about the way that the responses of the white people keep the racial inequality going.

The author cleverly highlights the events of white fragility and enables readers to get a better grasp on racism as an exercise unhindered to bad individuals. White fragility pertains to the withstanding actions that white individuals do if they are being racially challenged. It is composed of feelings of fear, conscience, rage and behaviors of wrangle and silence.

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End is an award-winning nonfiction book written by surgeon Atul Gawande. It was published by Metropolitan Books in October 7, 2014. The book centers on different health care-related topics and also contains personal reflections and tales of the author. One of the things that it talked about was the end-of-life care, which refers to the health care bestowed upon an individual who is suffering from a terminal illness that turned out to be incurable and/or intensifying.

Moreover, the book introduces the investigation of diverse replica of senior living. Being Mortal serves as a reflection on the way individuals can better live along with age-lined impairment, serious disease, and nearing death. The author cries for a modification in the method that professionals in the field of medicine manage and medicate near death patients.

Alternate Reality: The Mostly True Story of How I Became a Sociopath by B. Steve Ross

B Steve Ross is the author of the remarkable nonfiction book titled Alternate Reality: The Mostly True Story of How I Became a Sociopath. It was published by Mill City Press, Inc. last April 1, 2020. This book tells the largely real stories of how Steve Ross was raised in a dysfunctional family along with flawed relationships in a comical manner. It also contains the story on how Ross conquered the downfalls of his youth in order to experience a better and abundant life.

This Alternate Reality book also talks about how people who experienced toxic and abusive relationships are aware of the uncertainties and fears that they carry into their following relationship. Hence, they always have an emotional baggage that may create a negative impact to their new relationship and, sooner or later, wreck the new one — which piles up to the many uncertainties and baggage to be carried to the next.

Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls: A Memoir by T. Kira Madden

This memoir was published in March 5, 2019. Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girsl: A Memoir is a heartwarming and inspiring book that was written by T. Kira Madden. According to the author of Know My Name, Channel Miller, “The book I wish I’d had growing up.” Moreover, this book has also garnered multiple recognitions, such as Paste Best Memoirs of the Decade, Elle Best Books of the Season, Best Books of 2019: Esquire O, The Oprah Magazine Variety, and more.

It is the debut memoir of the author that contains a coming of age tale of a queer and mixed-race teen. Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls features how the protagonist was caught in the middle of a fierce conundrum of a place in Florida called Boca Raton where she discovered many shocking things, such as cult-like benefits, racial inequality, several white-collar felonies, and greatly masked catastrophic beauty standards.

Why it is Essential to Hire a Professional Editor

Do you have a work that is about to be finished? Are you uncertain if it is ready for submission or you still need to add some finishing touches? These are the common questions that every writer encounters when they have a work on-progress or a newly done output. But do not overthink it, because there are professionals out there that can solve your editing dilemma.

You can hire a professional editor to edit your work, like Van Arsdale’s editorial services and freelance editors. But you might be wondering why there is a need to get one when you can do it yourself? Well, here are the reasons why it is essential to hire a professional editor to attend to your polishing problems.

Skip the difficulty of reading your own piece

Sometimes, being the writer and editor of your own work is tough. The difficulty often lies behind the idea that your eyes cannot immediately distinguish the errors. It is because of the fact that you own the idea and you know the flow of the content. Hence, once you read a sentence your mind will automatically tell you what the sentence is all about. A single error in that part will become invisible to your eyes because you already know what you are trying to say. That is why there is really a need for a professional editor so that they can examine your work in a thorough manner.

Get someone with a better range than you

You cannot deny the fact that there are someone who has a better experience and range than you. There are times that you will definitely need the help of a professional to guide you in your proofreading. They will also be there to help you better your work. Hence, do think of it as a competition; instead, think of it as a channel for learning. Getting a professional editor will definitely help you hand in a better output and give your agents a hassle-free moment to review your work. It is also beneficial on your part because you will sleep soundly at night knowing that you have submitted a flawless work with the help of an editor who has a deeper background in editing.

Save some of your time and effort

Writing any piece of literature and marketing material is one tough job. You cannot really put so little time in writing a novel, short story, or poem because these things need your creativity not just words that came out of your mouth. It is also the same with marketing materials; you do cannot really expect to finish writing a landing page content, press release, and blog article in just a snap. With the time and effort that you’ve spent in writing, it would be impossible for you to have the same amount of resources to spend in editing. That is why getting a professional editor is essential, because you can have a time to relax and at the same time keep calm because you are confident that someone good is reviewing your work.

Refrain yourself from being frustrated

When you are writing, it cannot be avoided that you become drained. This state can worsen when you try to edit your work shortly after it’s done. You can become frustrated, and perhaps get a writer’s block. The thing with being frustrated is that it can affect the quality of your work. This doesn’t only pertain to the technical aspects of your output, such as the grammar, punctuation, spelling, and more, because it can also refer to the content-quality of it, meaning its composition, thoughts, and ideas. But when you hire an editor, every aspect of your work will be faultless. They can immediately spot the errors and give you suggestions on what need to be changed.

Hand in an impeccable work

This is the most important reason why you should hire an editor. Handing in an impeccable work to your publisher or your boss can give you the most amazing feeling. It will not only enhance your credibility but will also add to your confidence. When consult or hire an editor, you can release the pressure that’s bothering you for so long. It is due to the fact that you become laid-back because there is someone who is the best in his field polishing your content.

5 Must-read Books About Kindness

Kindness is a noun that is defined as a state of being unselfish, sociable, and mindful. When people look at kindness on its denotation, they cannot really appreciate the weight of it. However, the moment everyone adjust their view and examine its connotation — they will start to be thankful for everyone who demonstrates this trait. It is one of the many things that make the world a better place.

Hence, provided below are the best books that tackle kindness from the different genres of literature.

The War for Kindness by Jamil Zaki

The War for Kindness: Building Empathy in a Fractured World by Jamil Zaki is an insightful book that is creating big impact to the readers’ lives since 2019. This work has been putting science and tales that forms a wonderful whole. The book implies that the world is lacking empathy, and that people who have different characteristics tend to easily hate and misunderstood one another. However, it shouldn’t stay that way. The author shares his thorough study, including personal lab experiments that imply that empathy is not an innate trait; instead it is an ability that is nurtured by exerting effort. The book, moreover, lays down tales of remarkable individuals who represent the new views raised by the author and who struggle to fight for kindness in tough moments.

Alvin Can’t Jump by Jacquelyn Hester Colleton-Akins and Elbert Akins III

Jacquelyn Hester Colleton-Akins and Elbert Akins III are the authors of the juvenile fiction titled Alvin Can’t Jump. It was published by Xlibris Corporation last April 15, 2019. It follows the story of a frog named Alvin. He always communicates with the Creator to thank, apologize, and ask Him for the things that are in his life. One day, he was on a pond and discovered that he developed his hind legs. His friend named Dottie was there and witnessed his achievement. It was like the best time of his life when the Heavenly Father gave him his hind legs. Alvin also went through a lot of difficult times in his life, but he continued to be kind and humble despite it all.

The Power of Kindness by Piero Ferrucci

TarcherPerigee published the book by Piero Ferrucci titled The Power of Kindness: The Unexpected Benefits of Leading a Compassionate Life. It is a book about self-development and mental health, and contains a preface by Dalai Lama. The book contains a touching evaluation of a plain but deep concept. The author is among the well-respected transpersonal psychologists in the globe, who brilliantly explores several unexpected sides of kindness. He also raises an argument that kindness is the attribute that will not only bring people to their personal happiness and the joy of their surroundings, but will also lead people in a planet that has gone cold, challenging, scary, and anxious.

The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld

In February 2018, The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld was published by Dial Books. It is a critically-acclaimed work that is under children’s literature. The Rabbit Listened is a touching picture book that centers on kindness and empathy that aims to mend both big and small pains. The story is being moved by Taylor, a child who isn’t so sure on where to stand when something sad takes place. But what is peculiar is that every animal that surrounds him knows the answer to his struggle. The chicken desires to talk to him, the bear advices him to not be angered, and all others animals tried to talk to Taylor. But everything changes when the rabbit came in the picture, all it did was lend his ears to Taylor and that is all that he needs.

This touching picture book will definitely help you understand what kindness and empathy are. With the stunning pictures, your imagination will surely work to its best state. It will also help you get a better grasp about listening, comforting, pain, and healing. Without a doubt this book really deserve its multiple awards, such as the New York Times Editors’ Choice, New York Times Notable Children’s Books of 2018, Time magazine’s 10 Best YA and Children’s Books of 2018, Charlotte Huck Honor Book of 2019, SCBWI Golden Kite Honor Book of 2019, Wall Street Journal Best Children’s Book of 2018, and a whole lot more.

4 Types of Locomotives that You Should Know

You probably are wondering why we are talking about locomotives, when this blog is all about traveling, literature, movies, and other awesome things. Well, they are typically associated with the aforementioned categories. A train is a good mode of transportation that offers passengers with great comfort, convenience, and fun. Locomotives are also featured in different popular books, such as the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter series, Orient Express in the Murder on the Orient Express, and Polar Express in the The Polar Express. They are also being mentioned a couple of times by Sheldon Cooper in the show Big Bang Theory.

You cannot deny that locomotives are interesting; because, they do not only pull trains but they also have amazing types. Moreover, they have different appearances and features that make examining them more amazing. Also, who doesn’t want to go on train rides or railroad trips? It could be the most enjoyable thing to do in this lifetime! With that being said, let us discover the different types of locomotives that you should know.

Steam Locomotives

Steam locomotives refer to the kind of railway locomotive that give out their pulling power via steam engines. They are powered by burning flammable mediums, like wood, oil, or coal, in order to create steam inside the steam generator. The steams advance reciprocating pistons that are link mechanically to the drivers or primary wheels of the locomotives. Steam locomotives always carry with them some water and fuel, which are being placed in the tenders it or in itself.

This type of locomotive was first invented in the early 19^th century in the UK. It was being utilized for railway transport from its date of development until the mid-20^th century. But in 1902, the first ever steam locomotive by Richard Trevithick, a British mining engineer and inventor.

Electric Locomotives

In contract to the steam locomotives, electric locomotives are powered by electricity with prime movers located inside it. The engines that make use of the fuel often include diesel engines, gas turbine-electric, and more. Furthermore, the electricity that is fuelling this locomotive is from overhead lines, which is energy storage — like a battery, which is found onboard.

There are many electric locomotives that can be found all around the world. In Europe, they have the NER No. 1, FS Class E656, and British Class 91. The Russia and former USSR have the Soviet electric locomotive VL60pk and the Soviet electric locomotive VL-23. Canada has the GMD SW1200MG and ALP-45DP. The US has the Siemens AC S-64, and Bombardier ALP-46. In Asia, they have the China Railway HXD3Ds, Class EF65, and more. Lastly, Australia has the Electric Multiple Units.

Diesel Locomotives

The prime mover of a diesel locomotive is a diesel engine. There are many kinds of diesel locomotives that have been built, which commonly contrast in the methods by which the mechanical powers are transported into their driving wheels. Before Rudolf Diesel manifested his first ever diesel engine or compression-ignition engine in 1898, the railway cars were using either or both gasoline or/and kerosene for power. The diesel-electric powertrain was the medium used that proved the success of the diesel engines.

When most of the affected states of the Great Depression were mending their economies, they started to use diesel locomotives. It is because diesel locomotives have better adaptability and performance than what the steam locomotives can offer. Furthermore, the ČKD ČME3 is among the longstanding and most produced diesel-electric locomotives ever created.

Gas Turbine Locomotives

A gas turbine locomotive is a kind of railway locomotive that has the gas turbine as its prime mover. There are a lot of locomotives developed under this category; most of them differ in the ways on how their mechanical powers are being carried to the drivers. The 44-ton 1B-1 experimental gas turbine locomotive is a good example of it, which was created in 1952 for examination by the United States Army Transportation Corps following the design of Robert Tom Sawyer.

There are different types of gas turbine locomotives, which are the gas turbine-mechanical locomotives and gas turbine-electric. The former utilizes a mechanical transmission to convey the power production of gas turbines into the wheels. Thus, gas turbine-mechanical locomotives were used in France, Sweden, Czechoslovakia, and UK. The latter, on the other hand, makes use of a gas turbine to bring an alternator in order to bring out an electric current to be used in fuelling the traction motors.

4 Best Anthologies to Enjoy Reading this Fall

In the publishing world, anthology refers to the certain amount of literary works that are being compiled by a person and produced in a single work. They are like the cream of the crop of literature. Imagine buying one book and end up getting more than one story? It would be the best thing ever! However, they sometimes become underrated due to the high numbers of series and stand-alone novels in the market.

Anthology might be frequently overlooked but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t as great the others. In fact, the numbers of anthologies containing either or both poetry or short stories are rising as of the 20^th century. The increasing number of anthologies is directly proportional to the readers. Hence, anthology is not dead because it continues to thrive and bring a good impact to the readers’ lives.

If you want to dive into the amazing world of anthologies this fall, well today’s your lucky day! Provided below are the best anthologies that you might want to check out.

Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fiction and Illusions by Neil Gaiman

One of the most patronized anthologies in different genres of literature was published in 1998 in the US and 1999 in the UK, which is Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fiction and Illusions by Neil Gaiman. It contains a handful of beautifully written poems and short stories that are conquering fantasy, horror, comedy, sci-fi, and poetry. It was translated into different languages, including German, Polish, Hebrew, Hungarian, and more. Most of the contents of this book are already reprints from other references, like other anthologies, collated works, and magazines. The title of each story or poem in the collection includes The Wedding Present, Don’t Ask Jack, The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories, The White Road, The Price, Nicholas Was, and more.

Straight from My Heart: Journeys of Hope, Love, and Peace by Jacqui DeLorenzo

Jacqui DeLorenzo’s book of collected poems and true stories titled Straight from My Heart: Journeys of Hope, Love, and Peace was published in 2012 by iUniverse. It was produced by the brilliant mind and talent of a woman who lent her hand to others, in order for them to unravel their real selves. The book contains the personal journeys of DeLorenzo and the people around her as they create great impact on each other’s lives, as well as the readers’ lives. These tales will definitely bring you hope and ignite your bravery during the difficult times in your life or when you are overwhelmed with grief due to the loss of a loved one. Moreover, the book will help you get a better grasp about life and how it continues even when on is no longer on this Earth.

Meet Cute: Some People Are Destined to Meet by Jennifer L. Armentrout

In 2018, HMH Books for Young Readers published the YA anthology Meet Cute: Some People Are Destined to Meet by Jennifer L. Armentrout. It is a collection of short stories that showcase tales about the first encounters of people written by some of the remarkable young adult authors of this generation, including Katie Cotugno, Kass Morgan, Katharine McGee, Nina LaCour, and a whole lot more! These tales truly bring the readers crashing waves of romance, humor, heartbreak, and wit all at once. This book will definitely bring you to either believe in destiny, good fortune, love at first sight, or not — each romance must have a starting line.

Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse by Stephen King

San Francisco: Nightshade Book published the anthology of Stephen King titled Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse in 2008. It is under the genres science fiction and dystopia for its subject is definitely one of the most common themes of sci-fi, which is the end of the world. It is composed of 22 tales, along with an introduction from its editor John Joseph Adams. The book examines a lot of questions from different fields, such as science, psychology, and philosophy, regarding the meaning of keeping humans in the wake of the apocalypse. Because of the brilliance of this anthology, it received a lot of positive response from critics. The tales in the book are authored by some of the best writers, like George R. R. Martin, M. Rickert, Orson Scott Card, Stephen King himself, and a lot more.

5 Reasons Why You Should Read a Children’s Book

There is nothing as impactful as children’s books. Children’s literature has been since the 17^th century. The first known children’s book was the tale by Isaiah Thomas that was published in 1787 titled A Litte Pretty Pocket-Book. Since then, a lot of stories in the same genre were written and told to children during their playtime, study time, and bedtime.

Among the widely patronized children’s books today are The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, Mommy Mommy: Look the Man Has One Leg! by William Dalmas, Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne, The Little Prince by Antoine Saint de Exupery, and more. Aren’t you curios why children’s books have been around from generations to generations, and are constantly being read by people? If you are, then you are on the right page! Below are the some of the reasons why children’s books are worth-reading.

They contain a lot of humor and wit

Children’ minds are fickle. They can easily shift their interest from one thing to another. Their attention spans, like what adults have, are also short. Hence, reading is particularly a challenging task for them. Children’s books, however, contain stories that are full of humor and wit, making each child enjoys the story and wants to keep on reading. The funnier the story becomes, the more interested the readers to read and learn all at the same time. Without you knowing it, you and the kids have already absorbed much wisdom than you thought by enjoying the story because of its humor.

They turn out to be good teachers

Books, specifically children’s books, are surprisingly better teachers. Their approach to learning is different than those that are given in school. They appear to be passive teachers since they do not have lives and can only get the attention of kids with the use of their covers, stories, and other elements. Once the stories are being read, they will start to transmit the central message to the readers in their own efficient way possible. And that, my friend, is the reason why children’s stories are being widely read because the readers intend to read and get entertained, but unexpectedly end up learning important lessons without intending to.

They instill values to be applied in real life

Kindness, love, faith, hope, respect, and honesty are some of the values that are being featured in children’s literature. They are also among the values that you need to mold, protect, and display in real life. The innocence that every child and even adults have can be taken away from them in a snap. However, children’s books provide an opportunity to protect one’s innocence by instilling life lessons in their minds that they can cling to while they face life. As they grow older, these readers will slowly live by the words and values of their favorite tales from their childhood — and even until today.

They tell complex stories in simple ways

There are stories that are complex, not just in its structure but also the story itself. There are just so many angles that can make a story complicated. The struggle with these stories can be found in both parties, which are the writer and the reader. Being able to wrap every serious detail up and make it more child-friendly is the challenge for the writer while being able to understand what the story is all about is the struggle for the reader. If you are an avid fan of children’s literature, you can definitely absorb the important information along with the humor and wit because of the way on how they are told — which is in a simple method.

They remind you that the world was once a better place

Innocence — it is one of the most admirable traits of children and one of the things that literature tries to nurture. But the world seems a little bit harsh for kids with minds that are genuinely pure. What you can do to help your kids understand that the world is not as cruel as it was is to read them stories for children. While reading it to them, you also involved yourself in learning that the world that was once a better place and that it could continue to be one if only you’ll look into it in the right angle.

4 Significant Lessons Taught by Children’s Books

There is nothing as powerful and as efficient in teaching people, especially children, the important morals that must be learned in life than books. They are considered as teachers that aim to tell a heartwarming tale with the hopes of relaying the message that they contain to teach their readers. It is already a well-known fact that children’s books, from its name, are purposely written for kids. However, there is no rule imposed that restrict adults to read these books. Hence, the tales and morals in children’s literature are for everyone who wishes to learn.

The Bald Eagle Who Wanted to Fly the American Flag by Attilio Guardo, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, Matilda by Roald Dahl, Sammie the Shark and the Return of the Lost Gift by Janet Councilman, and Enchanted Rainbows by Gabriella Eva Nagy are some examples of great children’s books. If you want to know why this genre is being patronized by readers of all-ages, then you might want to take a look at these important morals taught by children’s books.

Love is all-embracing

The defining aspect every child, aside from their innocence, is their ability to love. Being a person who is so pure and loving is one of a kind in this world full of chaos and temptation. Although kids have their family members as role model, the ability of children’s books to teach them about love is more remarkable. It is because of the fact that these books look at love in different point of view; thus, the tales showcase the diverse aspects of love — such as love for family, love for friends, love for oneself, love for nature, and a whole lot more. It makes children see that love is more than just affection but also encompasses limits that people thought are impossible to cross.

Bullying is not tolerable

One of the major issues that bring horror to every person’s childhood is the event of bullying. It cannot be avoided that there are bullies everywhere and sometimes those that are being made fun of or threatened feel afraid to stand up for themselves. The impact of bullying gets worse and worse every day, and can somehow lead into greater issues. But children’s books are putting an end to bullying through their stories that aim to teach the readers that bullying of any kind is not tolerable. Also, they show solutions on how to end bullying — like standing up for oneself, confronting the bully, helping those that are bullied get by, and reminding readers to be a buddy instead of a bully.

Everyone is equal regardless of their differences

The society is already a mess and a big part of this mess is discrimination. Do not let your kids get to know the society in its messy way; thus, help your kids understand the ugly things in the world gradually by reading them books that are entertaining and educational all at once. There are many books that aim to teach readers equality. Children’s books are not new with discrimination for they have a lot of works that tackle this issue. It is just that nobody deserves to be discriminated or treated equally less than others because of his or her social status, disability, talent, and appearance. That is why children’s books are there to help children realize that respecting and loving others equally is important as they grow into better citizens.

Being kind is the best option

People already had their fair share of misfortunes and regrets. There has been a lot of mess in this world that people are trying to sort out. The point is that nobody knows the struggle of others and the battles that they are still fighting. That is why kindness can definitely make a big difference and that, my friend, is a perk you can get in children’s books. Choosing to be kind rather than be mad is already a step on becoming a better person, and that is what the common message of children’s books — which is promoting kindness. Since children are innately kind and innocent, the books will slowly guide them to continue their kindness no matter what happens and protect their innocence in this scary world.

5 Promising Children’s Book to Read this August

Children’s books are great teachers. Although they are written purposely for children, the stories that they contain go beyond their purpose. They do not only teach their target readers but also those people that are transitioning from childhood to adulthood. In other words, the tales are intended not just for kids but for grown-ups too. With that being said, listed below are the brilliant children’s books that you might want to check out!

The Ladybug and The Bully Frog by Caroleann Rice

In April of 2018, the book by Caroleann Rice titled The Ladybug and The Bully Frog was published by Xulon Press. It contains not only a wonderfully-written tale but also amazingly-created illustrations that were drawn by Charles Berton. The story is opened by a group of friends that cannot enjoy playing at the pond because of Milton, a frog who is a bully. Hence, the rabbit named Clover went to Mrs. Ladybug called Dot to seek for help and to the snail named Solomon to ask for some wisdom. Clover’s main mission is to make Milton realize that he is being mean to others. However, only those who are courageous and gutsy enough to face Milton, and have wings can do the job — someone like Dot. Will Dot complete the mission and help the bully realize that he is being a bully?

Sammie the Shark and the Return of the Lost Gift by Janet Councilman

Janet Councilman is the author of the beautifully-written book Sammie the Shark and the Return of the Lost Gift. The book was published by Covenant Books, Inc. last October of 2019. The story is set in a fictional and vibrant area in the ocean named Coral Bay. It revolves around the story of a little shark named Sammie who unexpectedly stumbled upon a shiny thing but he isn’t familiar with it. Sammie continue to ponder what the sparkly object could be but as the story goes, the thing that Sammie found happens to be a very important present for someone who is dear to him and who he loves so much. Thus, this book will definitely warm your heart and makes you appreciate your loved ones even more.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Harper & Row published the children’s picture book written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein titled The Giving Tree in October 7, 1964. It was followed by Who Wants a Cheap Rhinoceros? in 1983. Furthermore, The Giving Tree became one of the most famous books by Silverstein that has been translated into a wide array of language. The story focuses on a boy and an apple tree that formed a bond with each other. The latter is a generous tree while the former is a happy child. The story didn’t only revolve around the childhood of the boy but also on the times when he entered adulthood. The tree was still there, standing strongly and calling him “Boy” even if he had grown up already.

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

The original publication date of the book by Dr. Seuss called Green Eggs and Ham was August 12, 1960. Among the publishers of the books are Random House and The Living Books Company. Green Eggs and Ham is included in the series called Beginner Books. It was preceded by One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish in 1960 and was followed by The Sneetches and Other Stories in 1961. Moreover, the book centers on “Sam-I-Am” who is annoying a grumpy character to try and eat a food composed of green eggs and ham. The grumpy character declined Sam-I-Am’s offer by saying, “I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam-I-Am.” But regardless of how many times the grumpy character repeat his refusal, Sam-I-Am didn’t stop to pester him. Because of the persistence of Sam-I-Am, the character had no choice but to try the weird looking food and surprisingly ends up liking them.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Lucy Maud Montgomery, also known as L.M. Montgomery, is the brilliant mind behind the Anne of Green Gables series. The first book has the same name of the series and was published in 1908 by L.C. Page & Co., which was followed by Anne of Avonlea in 1909. The story is set in Prince Edward Island and centers on the story of an orphan named Anne. She is a very bright and enthusiastic girl who continues to amaze the people around her with her wit. She was mistakenly adopted by siblings named Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. The siblings were planning to adopt a boy but they were given Anne instead. Anne started to live with them, creating a difference on the lives of the Cuthbert and other people in their small town.