The Principles of Our World - Compassion

By Harvest Time Partners, Inc.
Price $9.99
Age 4-10 yrs.

It is not easy to teach principles to children in a way they can truly absorb. This book does just that. The author, David Esposito, takes us into real-life moments during which it may prove especially challenging to feel compassion for one another. A boy, tired and frustrated, finds compassion for his younger brother whose fear of thunderstorms is keeping them both awake at night. A girl chooses to befriend a new student at school even though doing so will disrupt her own fun. What makes these and the book's other stories so effective is that the characters' compassion for one another is not immediate. Like many of us, their initial reaction to a difficult situation is reluctance and self-concern. But instead of acting out that frustration, the character pauses a moment to work through the conflict internally, finding a place of wisdom and compassion before speaking. Through witnessing that process, and the positive interactions that follow, the reader internalizes that compassionate voice. These illustrated stories are engrossing, well-written, and highly effective. With them, Mr. Esposito has given our children a wonderful gift.