Books that offer some very sage advice
These books for kids will help motivate and advise young readers. They also tackle very vital and timely subjects, such as guns and bullies.
“How to Be” by Munro Leaf; Universe/Rizzoli; 104 pages; $19.95.
The peppy, vintage design of Munro Leaf ’s “How to Be: Six Simple Rules for Being the Best Kid You Can Be” gives this adaptation of his beloved guides a true retro feel. Leaf ’s manners guides were originally published in the mid-20th century and instructed children, whimsically and innocently, how to speak politely and behave, and why those actions could be fun. This compilation includes sage wisdom and funny sketches. And somehow, the advice rings as true to today as it did then.
“The Noisy,” for example, goes like this: “They shout and scream and yell until I can’t even think. They make so much NOISE they make me tired.”
The “Me First, who never took turns ... wore his arms off grabbing things first. He wore his legs off pushing in every place first and his face is this way because he always tried to see first.”
The accompanying sketch has a rounded man with stubby arms and legs and a very long nose.
A fabulous gift book, “How to Be” is my new favorite manners guide for children.
“From Bullied to Black Belt” By Simon Morrell; Blue Porch Publishing; 194 pages; $14.99.
Simon Morrell calls his book “the true story of adversity, fear, redemption and a remarkable fightback,” and it certainly is. His autobiography describes being viciously bullied as a child and then subsequently developing crippling fears, anxiety and agoraphobia. After a deep depression, Morrell decided to fight back with martial arts and eventually became a black belt and highly esteemed self-protection instructor.
Written realistically with easy-to-read type appropriate for middle-grade to teen readers, Morrell notes, “No matter what your troubles, no matter how much you struggle and no matter how much you want to call it a day and give up on your dreams, don’t. Don’t because I know they can come true.”
“Taking Aim: Power and Pain, Teens and Guns” by Harper Teen; 348 pages; $17.99.
“One powerful subject. Sixteen different voices” is how this bold new book describes itself. Sixteen acclaimed authors, including Walter Dean Myers, Joyce Carol Oates, Chris Crutcher and Francesca Lia Block, offer insightful stories that explore the impacts of guns on teens. The fiction collection tackles the tough questions of gun culture, the psychology of the owners and the motivations and aftermath of gun violence. From a tragedy that befalls a beloved teacher to a realistic look at hunting to a boy with low self-esteem who’s impacted when he encounters a gun, the provocative, emotional stories are, due to the proliferation of gun violence, important.
A smart and vital book for high school discussion, (and all kids 13 and up), “Taking Aim” includes an editor’s letter with story excerpts and a downloadable discussion guide.