We All Need Love

By Rana DiOrio, Founder, Little Pickle Press

This month at Little Pickle Press we explored the difference between needs and wants and helping our children to understand the difference. We tell our children that they need food, shelter, and love. Everything else represents things they want.

Of the three things we need, love is the only one that is free. As we reflect upon the year that has past and contemplate the one before us, let us remember that love is the greatest gift we have­­­. And it is so easily given and received.

I was raised Catholic. Almost nothing in our home would indicate that with the exception of a leather- bound bible on the bookshelves of my office that a client of mine gave me long ago and a framed scripture passage that my mom gave me to hang in my first apartment. I have found a place for the beautiful message inked in calligraphy in each place that I have lived, and now it resides in the bedroom of our girls. It is 1 Corinthians 13:4-13, which reads in part:

Love is patient and kind, love is not jealous, selfish, or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil but is happy with truth. Love never gives up; its faith, hope, and patience never fail. Love is eternal . . . .

If scripture doesn’t resonate with you, then consider the lyrics of Greatest Love Of All, an inspirational song written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed and performed first by George Benson and later, Whitney Houston:

I believe the children are our future.

Teach them well and let them lead the way.

Show them all the beauty they possess inside.

Give them a sense of pride to make it easier.

Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be.

Alternatively, there is the beautiful song written by Stephen Dorff with lyrics by Linda Thompson for Celine Dion––Miracle:

There is nothing you could ever do

To make me stop loving you.

And every breath I take

Is always for your sake.

You sleep inside my dreams

And know for sure––

Who could ever love you more?

Or this quote by Frank A. Clark that gets right to the point:

A baby is born with a need to be loved––and never outgrows it.

So as we enter the new year, please be liberal with your love. Love the children in your life and allow them to love you. Show children how to love by loving first yourself and then others. I can’t think of a better New Year’s resolution.

From all of us at Little Pickle Press to all of you, we hope that your 2011 is full of happiness, health, prosperity, and above all else, love.

Resolved!

By Dani Greer

Every year-end we get the chance to make positive resolutions for the upcoming year. Most of us at least give this a passing thought, and maybe even some serious attempts to change something in our lives and personalities for the better. Here are some of the top New Year's resolutions:

• Spend more time with family and friends
• Become more physically fit
• Lose weight
• Get out of debt
• Get organized
• Learn something new

Those are just a few of the standard resolutions most people claim.

I've reached a point in my life in which my resolutions are a bit different. My goal for a few years now has been to simplify my life and to own less. This automatically makes my life easier to manage. Because I've resolved to buy less, that goes hand-in-hand with less debt. As I simplify and accumulate less, I also free up time to do the things I love. That includes spending time with the people I care about the most, and who value me for who I am as a person, not by artificial standards of success.

Diet and exercise are a regular focus just to maintain well-being and vigor as I grow older. Sometimes I need to remind myself to get off the computer to do it. So that's a stronger focus this year - less computer time and more time in the outdoors! I always commit to learning something new, and this year it might be guitar lessons one last time, before my hands are too weak and my hearing is totally gone! Sometimes changes in our very beings dictate what we wish to do in the immediate future.

What about you? Do you make New Year's resolutions? If so, share some with us. If not, why?

The Last Week of the Year

By Dani Greer

It's the last week of the year - that odd time between the busy Christmas days and yet another celebration on New Year's Eve. If you're like me, you might be looking at the unfinished business from the old year, and thinking about all the things to come in the new.

In my family, it was tradition to spend the week clearing out the old. Some of you may have grown up with Boxing Day, when clothing and other stuff was sorted and given to the needy. That's an old English tradition. My mother mostly had us sorting, putting away, and getting everything spiffied up into sparkling near-perfection. German superstition said that anything left languishing would follow us into the new year, so all laundry, leftovers, and unfinished filing had to be handled that last week or else, and it must be done before New Year's Day! Be sure the larder is full or you'll have lack all the next year, too!

What about you? Are there any year-end traditions you follow to start off on the right foot in the new year? What about superstitions and fortuitous good luck charms? Do you always eat black-eyed peas or sauerkraut for good luck? What's the craziest tradition you've heard of? Share with us your memories, thoughts, and ideas.

A Special Present For You From Santa

Santa Claus presenting The Night Before Christmas. Ho-ho-ho, Merry Christmas!

You can see the 2010 Norad Tracks Santa video by clicking here. Live action cams all day!

Norad Tracks Santa

Christmas With Grace

By Rana DiOrio, Founder, Little Pickle Press

Christmas was always magical in my home. My parents went all out for us. We usually had our tree and stockings, handmade by my mom, up the weekend after Thanksgiving. My parents would give an astonishingly fabulous party the Saturday night before Christmas every year. They each had demanding professional jobs yet they found the time to host this gala, for which they prepared everything themselves, each season to celebrate with friends.

Then came Christmas Eve—the best night of the whole year! We hosted many members of my Italian family for a sit-down, 5-course feast. Although it would have been a lot easier to cut corners, we never served the meal buffet style, and we always used our finest china, crystal, and sterling, which had to be washed by hand.

The house always looked amazing. My mom’s brother, Uncle Frank, owned Towne House Flowers , a supportive LPP customer, and he helped us to decorate the house with panache—beautiful festoons over each fireplace, lush garlands wrapped around the handrails, stunning wreaths on each door, poinsettias everywhere, and breathtaking flower arrangements for each table.

We had two long tables, one for the adults in the dining room and one for the “kids” in the adjacent “dark paneled room.” My brother and I were at the time the youngest of the DiOrio tribe, so the “kids” were young adults. Our table was always the most fun. Before we served the first course, my Dad would call on one of the cousins to say grace. Some years, he would give the chosen person advance notice so they would have time to think about their message and write it down. Other years, he would just call them out, and put them on the spot to say grace, which the aunts especially would always critique. In either case, the grace giver would stand between the two rooms before all 40 or so of us and bless our family, our meal and those who prepared it, and remember those who were less fortunate. I am going to try this with our oldest, Ryan Francesca, who will turn 7 on Christmas Day. We will only be 15 or so, and I will give her some notice so the experience won’t be terrifying!

After the five courses, which included the traditional feast of the seven fishes, the massive clean-up commenced. As my family is a trifle patriarchal, my mom, my Auntie Dolores, my cousins Karen and Lisa, and I would clear and wash everything (did I mention by hand?). My Auntie Dolores frowned upon throwing “good wine” away, so she would polish off any that remained in the cleared glasses. That is, until she would inevitably break something while washing at the sink, at which point I would finish the job, and Auntie would take a rest and drink some decaf.

Then, at 10:00 pm, my mom and I would leave for church. We sang in the choir and needed to attend a rehearsal before midnight mass. My dad and brother, our grandparents, and sometimes a few of our other relatives would join us for mass. To this day, I don’t know how we managed to conjure the energy year after year. It must be attributable to the miracle and grace of Christmas.

From all of us at Little Pickle Press to all of you, have an especially wonderful and meaningful holiday season.

Christmas Recipes From My Childhood

By Rana DiOrio, Founder, Little Pickle Press

Christmastime for me always involved a lot of cooking with my mother and grandmother. I loved to “help” them cook. My mom had a special stool for me that we used so I could peer into the various bowls and, of course, my own apron, which made me official.

I wanted to share with you two of the recipes we made together. As for the first one, we made countless cranberry nut breads each holiday season. We gave them to the postman (now postal delivery person), the milkman (now the rarely seen milk delivery person), the garbage man (now the trash collector and recycle technician), our school teachers, our piano instructor, our choral director, etc. You get the picture. Everyone received one of these treasures:

Cranberry Nut Bread

2 c               all purpose flour
1 c               granulated sugar
1 1/2 t          double acting baking powder
1/2 t             baking soda
1 t                salt
1/4 c            butter
3/4 c           orange juice
1 T              grated orange rind
1                 egg well beaten
1/2 c           chopped walnuts
2 c              fresh chopped cranberries

Mix dry ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles course cornmeal. Separately, combine orange juice, grated orange rind, and egg. Add wet ingredients to dry ones, mixing just enough to dampen. Fold in nuts and cranberries. Pour into greased loaf pan (9” x 5” x 3”). Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 55 minutes. Test with a toothpick. If dry after inserted, it is done.

Then, there were the beloved butterballs! We would make these for the class parties, for my parents’ annual holiday party, and to just have around to share with egg nog for whomever stopped in during the festive season. With this much butter and sugar how could they not be amazing!?

Snowball Cookies (aka Butterballs)

½ c              butter

½ c              Crisco or other shortening

1 t               vanilla

1 c               chopped walnuts

2 c               flour

6 T              powdered sugar, plus additional powdered sugar for the topping

Cream butter and shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Blend in flour and nuts. Roll into small balls and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake in a pre-heated 325-degree oven from 10 to 20 minutes (depending on how big you made the balls). Roll in powdered sugar while warm and sift another coat of powdered sugar onto the cookies when cool.

Consider making one of these special holiday recipes with your little pickles, and by all means tell us how it went!

Community Food Pantries

By Dani Greer

'Tis the season to be jolly. To a large portion of America, that means participating in a month of decorating, buying, and probably too much eating. At least all the holiday advertising will have you believe that. The reality, however, can be a bit more grim especially in times of economic downturn. There isn't a community nationwide that isn't feeling the pinch and community food pantries are suffering the added pressures of feeding more families, many of them decidedly of the middle class.

In my small town, philanthropy is often low-key. Citizens tend to quietly help each other in times of challenge, including the feeding of those who cannot feed themselves. It isn't unusual for someone to write a check to the local grocery store requesting an anonymous gift card for a neighbor in need. Churches also help, and recently a local denomination got a donated storefront for their own community pantry. Donations of food and money come not only from the sponsoring church, but from individual contributors and anyone is welcome to receive help, no questions asked. There is also an unspoken understanding that the objective is to feed the body first. If anyone wants food for the soul, it's not obligatory, but is available. This unqualified giving is perhaps the biggest gift they offer. No one is made to feel uncomfortable for any reason.

Major cities, like my husband's home town, often have larger food pantries that are tied into national networks, and receive government as well as private grant funding. Even they are strapped this year. Cities with nearby military bases feel the pinch even more, for despite a steady paycheck, families with deployed breadwinners sometimes just can't make ends meet from month to month. This is why Hand Up Youth Food Pantry in San Diego is in the running for a Pepsi Refresh Project grant of $250,000. Keep this in mind when you donate to your local food pantry - you just might be helping a military family in need. It's not a connection most of us make, but it's a serious reality. Support Our Troops takes on a whole new meaning.

Think also of how the face of hunger differs from country to country. The past two days we've compared giving in Spain and the USA. Here is a video of a chef in India who changed his focus about feeding people and is now helping those in need rather than wealthy patrons in a prestigious hotel. It's a very moving story presented by CNN: Feeding the Hungry, Nourishing the Soul. Please watch it. Ultimately, it's more than just about food for the stomach. In this season of giving, let us think about feeding souls, too, and that means the giving of love.

How are you demonstrating the spirit of the season? Do you donate to your community food pantry? Quietly and personally share with someone in need? Tell us how you put love into action.

Giving is Giving Part 2

By Karen Friedman

Yesterday, we discussed some of the philanthropic philosophical differences between America and Spain. Today we share some more observations.

A major entity here is the socialist government.  It is a strong source of social support with its powerful public health system, pension plans, and local public sports-cultural facilities.  In Spain, we don’t see the various committees at museums and schools to organize events like we do so often in the USA. Here, government funding reaches far into the local communities and offers help to people.  City programs for recycling are becoming ever more present and children are taught in school the importance of helping the environment. There are major subsidies for cultural centers, public sports facilities, schools, and medical centers.

Finally, the family has a tremendous influence on the society here. In the past, families were often very numerous, though now the average family is just 3-4 people.  In Spain, the family bonds are strong and people tend to live near their family. So many times, the concept of giving back is actually demonstrated in a “normal” manner of taking care of your family - caring for your grandparents or disabled family member, passing on used items to siblings or cousins, collecting funds among family members to help another family member, and other more personal and direct acts of giving.  

Cortijo Park in Marbella, Spain

These are cultural differences in giving back.  However this is changing, slowly.  Religion is diversified and devotion to the Catholic church has changed.  Today, Spain is a diverse, multi-cultural society including millions of immigrants who do not have their own family to rely upon.   Also nowadays career paths often involve transferring to another city leaving behind the traditional support of family.   

The government role is critical to facilitate help getting to the people and places it is needed. People are aware of this and are increasingly opting to make a small donation with their tax returns. Also, many more non-profit organizations operate here than in decades past, trying to satisfy the growing, larger needs of the society. There are also many non-profits that focus internationally yet are funded mostly by Spaniards.  

A main difference with the USA is that here the “giving back” comes more from the heart in more personal arenas rather than a larger desire to give back to society or from a well-orchestrated philanthropic effort. One opportunity for growth here is to instill in younger generations that we all can give back personally and it requires our time and effort.  It is needed. And it matters.

The Spaniards have always given back and are empathetic people.  They give generously from their heart.  The culture here breathes a genuine compassion for others.  The power of giving back has many faces. 

Do you have experiences in foreign countries regarding philanthropy? How does it differ or compare with giving in the USA? Please leave us a comment!

Giving Is Giving Part 1

By Karen Friedman

When we give back to others, donate to the needy, or help the planet, it is all a form of giving.  This is a simple concept, and it is universal, yet the reality of giving back differs by culture.  In the USA, there is a tremendous sense of giving back.  We see it in the schools, churches and synagogues, and the multitude of non-profit organizations. Our children understand the words “volunteer” or “fundraiser” from a very young age.  It is part of our American culture to help others, to give back.  The fabric of our society is weaved with everything from donations to fundraisers to volunteering to mentoring to Earth Day to benefit concerts to matching donation programs to social responsibility for businesses.

Exploring other places on our planet, we can see that this is not the reality everywhere else.  Looking at just one country – Spain – where I have been living for the past 11 years, the concept of giving back is strong yet not the same as our American version.  People certainly care and help and give back, yet in a different manner and with a different motivation.  There is a genuine, heartfelt concern for others.  

 In the past, most “help” has come from the government or the church or often from your own family.  In this predominantly Catholic country, the church has been a major conduit for help and donations.  Spaniards direct their donations to the local church that then distributes accordingly. Spaniards are generous in their giving to the church and many people volunteer to facilitate the “help”.  Also, the church subsidizes many Catholic schools here.  The schools offer a limited education of giving back with children, such as visiting nearby geriatric centers or hospitals. Unfortunately, outside of school, there is not a strong culture for young people and children to participate in these efforts.  Adults certainly give back with used clothes donations, volunteering in the soup kitchens, visits to local geriatric centers, and in many more ways.

There are other factors at play in this European country, and we’ll examine them further tomorrow.  Do you have an experience of sharing and giving you would like to mention?  Perhaps through your church or a a nursing home? Leave us a comment.

Meet More of Our Lucky Winners

We're pleased to announce more winners from the second week of the Sofia's Dream blog book tour. Hannah O., Pamela P., Brie P., and Pamela H. - your books will arrive soon. Amanda G. was our grand prize winner of the iPod and book. Congratulations!

Here's a picture of one of our lucky winners from the first week of the tour. Thank you all for participating in our contest and loving Little Pickle Press books!

Book Review: Of Thee I Sing

Book Review—Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters by Barack Obama and Illustrated by Loren Long

Reviewed by Rana DiOrio, Founder, Little Pickle Press

Reading Level: Ages 4 - 8

Hardcover: 40 pages

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (November 16, 2010)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 037583527X

ISBN-13: 978-0375835278

Product Dimensions: 12.3” x 9.5” x .4”

Shipping Weight: 1.2 lbs.

I must admit that it seems presumptuous and feels a trifle intimidating to me to be writing a review of a book written by one of the most powerful leaders in the world and illustrated by one of the most respected children’s book illustrators of all time, but here I go.

The Story: This is exactly my kind of book. It provokes meaningful discussions between parents and children, teachers and students. Who was Jackie Robinson? Why was he important to history? Who is Maya Lin? What was the significance of the Civil War? The Vietnam War? The pivotal conversations that this book evokes are innumerable. 

The Artwork: I had the privilege of listening to Loren Long present at the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) 2010 Summer Conference. I was awed by his creative genius, and this book takes my admiration of his talent to a whole new level. He depicts many layers of nuance and conveys so much meaning through the extraordinary illustrations in this book. I was especially moved by his portrayal of Sitting Bull.

The Passion: The love, respect, and admiration the author feels for his daughter is so palpable in this book that I cried as I read it to my own daughters. It is also clear how the author defines strong character and what he values most about our country by not only the heros he chooses to admire but also through his evocative word choices.

The Message: The underlying message is that all of these ground-breakers were once children, just like the readers, and they hatched the ideals that shaped our great nation. The take away message to children is that they can make a difference. Dream, and then make it so.

My Only Issues: My only suggestions for improvement are: (1) I wish the book was more environmentally-friendly, that is, printed on recycled paper and without a dust jacket; and (2) I wish that the author had re-framed the question about being smart. Had he read Dr. Carol Dweck’s Mindset: The Psychology of Success, I’m sure he would have praised the amount of effort his children exude vs. how “smart” they are.

The Conclusion: Buy or borrow this book and read it to the little pickles in your life. I will be giving it as a gift for a long time to come, and I imagine that you may do the same.

The Significance of Bailey Park

By Rana DiOrio, Founder, Little Pickle Press

As the writer in the family, I agreed to help my Dad, Ron DiOrio, write the annual appeal letter for Habitat for Humanity of Martha’s Vineyard (Habitat MV). My Dad has donated a great deal of his time and talent to Habitat MV over the past decade serving as its President. Because the letter has relevance to our Need vs.Want theme this month, I wanted to share an adapted version with you.

The Town of West Tisbury on Martha’s Vineyard magnanimously bestowed upon Habitat MV three lots. They are located off County Road in a section of town called Bailey Park. Habitat MV plans to build homes for three families on these lots, and they require $200,000 to do so.

When my Dad learned of the gift of these lots, he was struck by the irony, or perhaps serendipity, of their location. If you recall, Bailey Park is the affordable housing community that George Bailey (played by Jimmy Stewart) helps to finance in the Christmas classic, It’s A Wonderful Life. There are other parallels between this story from a simpler time and what Habitat MV is trying to do today. When Bailey’s Building and Loan Association, the force supporting Bailey Park, was in trouble, the community came to its rescue. Similarly, Habitat MV has been supporting affordable housing on the island for 12 years, and they are asking their supporters, their community, to help them with this capital campaign to continue its mission of building simple, decent housing for families in the lowest qualifying income range. In the movie as in life, giving is galvanizing to a community.

At the end of the letter, my Dad reflects, “I have been in my role as President of this organization for over a decade, and I remain in awe of your generosity. Thank you, in advance, for giving us your resources—funds, materials, skills, time—so that we may achieve our goal this year of building three homes for families who need them.” In the spirit of the holidays, please consider making a donation to Habitat MV http://www.habitatmv.org/donate.html. Every little bit helps.

Teachers and Young Readers Share Our Books

A very cool video from some of our fans! Thank you for supporting Little Pickle Press!

Adopt-a-Family for the Holidays

By Dani Greer

It’s holiday time and as I do every year, I’m watching all those old favorite holiday movies. It’s a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34^th Street top the list, followed closely by my favorite version of Little Women starring Katharine Hepburn.

Little Women is all about overcoming our character flaws, and the resident matriarch, Mrs. March, is the penultimate philanthropist when it comes to demonstrating pure generosity and love. The girls are hard-pressed to follow suit. In one poignant Christmas scene, all fore-go their own desires and comforts to create a lovely holiday for their beloved mother. Gifts and dinner are waiting as she returns home from a day of charity work – and what does she do? Talks the girls into hauling the entire bit of loveliness to the poor widowed Mrs. Hummel and her seven orphans so they can have a better Christmas, too! It’s not exactly what the girls had in mind.

This old-time version of adopt-a-family for the holidays is one most of us can’t imagine or have ever experienced. For one thing, our giving isn’t quite so direct in the modern world, and it makes sense when you think about it. Being on the giving end definitely feels great, but it’s sometimes more difficult for the receiver of generosity. Almost every charity is sensitive to the dynamics of giving and receiving, and so adopt-a-family programs tend to be more anonymous than what the Little Women experienced in their small town of Concord, Massachusetts during the Civil War era.

There are various organizations to contact if you decide adopt-a-family is a cause you’d like to embrace for this season. Nearby churches and temples might have a program in place for needy members. Local social services and non-profits are also logical centers to contact. Even your local Kiwanis Club likely has an adopt-a-family program in full swing. All will have procedures in place and probably several levels of giving. These might include:

• Cash donations
• Gift cards for transportation and groceries to be used anytime
• Purchase of specified age-appropriate gift items for specific family members
• Adopting one family and providing all dinner and gifts for members

It will all depend on your family’s level of ability and desire to participate to the smallest or greatest extent. No matter what your level of involvement, know that it is all important to the recipients, and that even if you don’t meet them face-to-face, they will be grateful. Your reward might not be very tangible to you, but it exists and perhaps could be considered part of the gift and lesson you and your family receive during the season of giving – to learn to give from the heart without any thought of a reward in return – not even a personal thank you, without the slightest bit of personal recognition. Learning to give anonymously is one heck of a character builder! It gets easier with practice, and there’s no time like the present to start. 

Have you adopted a family for the holidays? Did you go through an organization to do it? Share some of your experiences with us here!

This holiday season, give the gift of learning how to stretch your brain!

By Rana DiOrio, Founder, Little Pickle Press

About the Story. On November 26^th, Little Pickle Press launched an exciting new book—Your Fantastic, Elastic Brain: Stretch It! Shape It! This innovative and timely picture book teaches children that they have the ability to stretch and grow their own brains. It also delivers the crucial message that mistakes are an essential part of learning. The book introduces children to the anatomy and various functions of the brain in a fun and engaging way.

About the Author. JoAnn Deak, Ph.D. is an author and an international speaker, educator, and preventative psychologist. She also works with parents, teachers, and other adults who work with children as a consultant to schools worldwide on issues of brain development and gender equity. To learn more about Dr. Deak and her work, please visit www.deakgroup.com.

About the Illustrator. Sarah Ackerley began pursuing her dream of becoming a real live picture book illustrator after earning her BFA from the University of Texas at Austin in 2004. To her delight, Sarah currently works as an illustrator in Los Altos, California, where she resides with her husband and two fickle cats. To learn more about Sarah and her work, please visit www.sarahackerley.com.

How the Author met the Publisher. Our Chairman, Robbie Vann-Adibé, pulled me aside after our yoga class early one Saturday morning (that is how we met years ago). He had attended a lecture delivered by Dr. Deak at his children’s school the previous week. He thought that what she had to say about the brain and its development was important not only for adults to know but also for children. I agreed with him and purchased one of Dr. Deak’s books, Girls Will Be Girls, the next day. After reading and enjoying it, I sent Dr. Deak an email with our idea. To my delight, she responded right away. Within weeks we were under contract and working on what has become Your Fantastic, Elastic Brain.

How to learn more about the book. You may learn more about the book on our website at www.littlepicklepress.com and by following the blog book tour we have scheduled for it the week of January 11 by visiting www.littlepicklepress.blogspot.com.

How to get your copy. You may obtain your copy of Your Fantastic, Elastic Brain on our website. You may also buy copies on Amazon or, better yet, your local independent bookstore. If your local indy bookstore does not yet have our books, well, by all means please tell them that they ought to!

We welcome your feedback. As always, we welcome your feedback about Your Fantastic, Elastic Brain, or anything else for that matter. You may reach us at info@littlepicklepress.com. Thank you for your interest in what we’re doing.

Need vs. Want: Helping Children To Understand the Difference

By Rana DiOrio, Founder, Little Pickle Press

We tell our children that they need food, shelter, and love. Everything else represents things they want. We give them the things they need. We encourage them to earn the things they want, or we give them the objects of their desire for birthdays, holidays, or other special occasions. They “earn” what they want by accumulating Put-Ups (Random Acts of Kindness), accruing stars on our Chore Chart, or from actually making money by helping with special projects around the house (such as picking the sticky berries off our tri-fig plant; the going rate is a penny a berry!).

I think that all too often our children feel entitled to things. They don’t make the distinction between what they need and what they want. The result is, we are raising children with narcissistic qualities. We did a four-part blog series on this very topic, so if you are curious to learn more, please check it out (see links at the bottom of this post). I find that helping my children to understand that other children don’t even get what they need is an effective way of driving the point home.

One way we do this in our home as through our relationship with Seng Vy, the little girl we sponsored at the Cambodia Children’s Fund. Seng Vy is in between the ages of our two girls. She was rescued by Scott Neeson, Founder of CCF, from a fate of picking garbage from a toxic dump near her home. Today, she is thriving with healthy food, safe shelter, and love. CCF also provides her an education. Our girls write to Seng Vy and send her pictures and care packages of small things they think she will enjoy. The caring translators at CCF convey our messages to Seng Vy in her native tongue and then take the time to give us her feedback in emails written to me in English. It is an amazing program and has served to help us to explain the difference between need and want and to demonstrate our responsibility to help those who are less fortunate.

Another way you could make this distinction in your home is to adopt a family this holiday season. Find the local nonprofit near you that helps families who are going through a tough time get the essentials they need with the help of other families. Your children can review the wish list with you and help you to choose a warm coat or boots or a book they’ve been dreaming about. You can pick out the supplies for the family’s dinner with your children. As an alternative, you can volunteer in a soup kitchen with your children, so they can see first hand that others struggle each day to get what they need. I promise you that these activities will catalyze meaningful discussions with your child about what’s most important in life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Top 16 Ways Parents Can Prevent Their Children From Becoming Narcissists:

Part 1

Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Our Last Blog Book Tour Stop

Today, we give you the final stop in the Sofia's Dream blog book tour, and share a part of the creation of this book that is very special.

When the author, Land Wilson had his own children, he started exploring ways to inspire in them respect for the environment. His research for the story led him to the profound observations astronauts have made about the environment.  In 2000, he had the privilege of interviewing three Apollo astronauts—Captain Walter M. Schirra, Jr., (Commander of Apollo 7), Captain Frank Borman (Commander of Apollo 8), and Captain Eugene Cernan (Pilot aboard Apollo 10, and Commander of Apollo 17). All three of these space explorers expressed passionately that the view of Earth from space transforms the human understanding of who we are in this world and the impact we are having on it.

Here is a portion of the interview Land had with Navy Capt. Walter M. Schirra in February 2000:

Land Wilson: The view of this earth from space transforms the human understanding of “who we are on this world” and “what we are doing to it”. I have translated these insights into a fable, which discusses the problems people have created for the earth and themselves and how children can help to improve these problems. To the best of my knowledge, there are several books that deal with the subject of teaching children the importance of caring for Earth, but none use the astronauts’ perspective, which I convey through a magical friendship between a little girl and the Moon.

As someone who has been in space, I thought you might have some thoughts regarding this matter.

Walter Schirra: I sure do.

Land Wilson: Is it true that the view of earth from space transforms people’s understandings of earth and what we do to her?

Walter Schirra: Absolutely! It did for me. I have said this saying many times: “I left earth three times, found no place to go. Please take care of space ship earth.” I use this line as a closing line for some of my environmental talks. It is also in my book, Schirra’s Space (Navel Institute Press).

Land Wilson: Would you say that the other 32 Astronauts who took part in all missions leading to landing on the moon had transformations like you?

Walter Schirra: Yes, they all did to varying degrees. They all took a good look at the impact man was/is having on earth. We all saw air pollution and the pollution of the waters from space.

Land Wilson: Do you mean oil spills?

Walter Schirra: I mean the pollution you could see in the form of discolored waters created by people in populated areas, which then flows out into the oceans.  When you see earth from space you see the ozone and how thin it is even without the global warming problems. We astronauts say that the ozone layer is like the shell of an egg.  It is thin and fragile and you realize that humans had better learn to be more careful with it.

And two other astronauts made these comments:

“In space you see how beautiful the Earth is with its blues and white clouds, brownish, pinkish continents. It’s alone in the vastness of space. You see that it is fragile, and you want its people to be responsible citizens because this is the only world we have.” – Colonel Frank Borman

"Suddenly, from behind the rim of the Moon, in long, slow-motion moments of immense majesty, there emerges a sparkling blue and white jewel, a light, delicate sky-blue sphere laced with slowly swirling veils of white, rising gradually like a small pearl in a thick sea of black mystery. It takes more than a moment to fully realize this is Earth... home." - Edgar Mitchell

As Land points out, our missions on the moon yielded many developments in technology, space travel, and moon science. One of the great legacies of our Apollo astronauts has been a more detailed understanding of our planet.  As each Apollo mission offered breathtaking images of Earth from a distance, people worldwide became more aware of the Earth and of their relationship to it. It was no coincidence that in the year following the first moon landing, the environmental movement was born as marked by the establishment of Earth Day, the EPA, and many other prominent environmental groups.

It was with this foundation that Sofia's Dream was born, many years in the making.  You can surely see what a tremendous inspiration it was for Land Wilson. Today, the book is in print and is being shipped from the Little Pickle Press offices daily, and Land has embarked on the next leg of his journey: taking his environmental messages to schools everywhere. His Earth Talks With Kids for grades K - 6, combine hands-on activities, music, storytelling, and slide shows around the theme of teaching environmental awareness. If you're interested in engaging him to come speak to a school assembly, please contact him via email or for more information, visit his website.

Before you leave, be sure to sign up for our final giveaway! The drawing for the iPod Shuffle ends tomorrow, and one lucky winner receives not only the cute pickle green iPod, but also a copy of Sofia's Dream. Leave a comment with your email address. We'll announce the winner at noon CST tomorrow (Saturday). 

If you're interested in purchasing a copy of the book for a lucky child in your life, visit our website at http://www.littlepicklepress.com and order now for Christmas delivery!

Sofia's Dream Blog Book Tour Stop in Space

Today, Sofia's Dream visits the madly popular science-fiction blog of novelist, Alex J. Cavanaugh, surely one of the most popular bloggers in the cosmos! It wasn't a big stretch to ask Alex to host a tour stop for us: after all, his lately released novel and Sofia's Dream both take place in space. So today he offers a fun stop that will show another side to the story's development, and hopefully will convince you to buy the book for a special child in your life. We have some pretty compelling reasons from two very important people in the creation of Sofia's Dream. Visit Alex's blog and be sure to sign up for the book drawing, too.

For a chance in our iPod Shuffle drawing, leave us a comment here and please include your email address so we can contact you if you win! You'll also be registered to receive our beautiful monthly email newsletter. The drawing for this week's iPod will be on Saturday at noon CST and the lucky winner will get to download the original iTunes created for the Little Pickle Press titles. We know your children will love them! Be sure to connect with us at right, too, through Friend Connect, Twitter, and Facebook.

Enter our iPod Shuffle drawing by leaving a comment with your email address!

Today's Blog Book Tour Stop for Sofia's Dream

Today, we visit the Blood-Red Pencil where Dani interviews Sofia's Dream illustrator, Sue Cornelison. You'll get the inside scoop about the artwork for this sweet story. It might just surprise you! There'll be another book drawing, too, so go over there and leave a comment including your email address.

For a chance in our iPod Shuffle drawing, leave us a comment here and please include your email address so we can contact you if you win! You'll also be registered to receive our beautiful monthly email newsletter. The drawing for this week's iPod will be on Saturday at noon CST and the lucky winner will get to download the original iTunes created for the Little Pickle Press titles. We know your children will love them! Be sure to connect with us at right, too, through Friend Connect, Twitter, and Facebook.

Enter our iPod Shuffle drawing by leaving a comment with your email address!