Thoughtfull by Dorena Williamson

Thoughtfull, written by Dorena Williamson and illustrated by Robert Dunn, tells the story of two second-grade boys: Ahanu, a boy with Down Syndrome, and Joshua, Ahanu's friend.

When Ahanu wins an award for being thoughtful, Joshua rejoices him. However, Joshua's joy is tampered by unkind remarks about Ahanu from other boys. After processing the situation with his dad, Joshua confronts the boys and stands up for Ahanu. Joshua encourages Ahanu and finds joy in their friendship.

My girls are both homeschooled and I continually look for resources that can teach them how to respond to social situations they may encounter. I liked that Thoughtfull offers positive values and responses while confronting the common occurrence of bullying:

• Thoughtfull affirms that all people are valuable and uniquely gifted by God. 
• Joshua speaks to the bullies about Ahanu's gifts, demonstrating a healthy way to confront bullying. 
• Perhaps most importantly, Joshua's relationship with Ahanu teaches that we ought to embrace each other rather than shying away from others who are differently-abled than us.

Thoughtfull is a hard-cover book that seems well-made and durable. The illustrations featured a racially diverse group of children and complemented the story nicely. My daughters (ages 3 and 6) enjoyed looking at them while reading the story.

I recommend Thoughtfull to parents of children between ages three to seven. There is a “Parent Connection” with Scripture and questions to discuss together.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Your Magnificent Chooser by John Ortberg

Your Magnificent Chooser, written by John Ortberg and illustrated by Robert Dunn, teaches children the power of a person's will using whimsical rhymes and delightful illustrations. Starting with the premise that your will – aka your “chooser” – is a God-given gift, the narrative continues by emphasizing the importance of this gift and presenting some ideas of how this gift is used. It then addresses mistakes and new starts as well as boundaries to be respected. Appropriately, the book ends with an encouraging “find something great / For your Chooser to do.”

I have an almost-five year old who, since starting VPK last August, has been working to learn some challenging social concepts. I requested this book, hoping to empower her to see that she can make her own decisions instead of imitating others. To that end, this book fit the bill. I liked how it addressed situations with friends who might not want to do the same thing. I do wish it had addressed more how to respond to a parent who asks you to do something (like cleaning your room) when you'd rather play. The issue was brought up in the book, but it wasn't immediately resolved as the next page moved into the concept of clashing wills with a friend – and that was resolved by choosing to be friendly again.

I recommend this book to Christian parents (as it does mention God) who want to instill in their children a sense of self-responsiblity and empower them to make their own firm choices.

Visit the publisher's website for Your Magnificent Chooser to find related resources!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."