We all can think back to our birthdays as children and how they were such magical days. Going to school in our best outfit and being met with birthday wishes from our teachers and friends, not-so patiently waiting to go home and hopefully eat cake. As a parent, teacher, or caregiver, we’re sure that you try and keep this magic alive for the kids in your life now, but have you ever stopped to think about how book birthdays can also be magical? Continue reading to celebrate the anniversary of some of our favorite books being released to relive the magic moments present in their stories:

The first book we are celebrating this month is Dazzling Travis by Hannah Carmona (published April 2019), which tells the heartwarming and inspiring story of a young boy named Travis. Unlike some of the other children he is surrounded by, Travis likes to do activities such as dancing, playing dress up, and acting. He stands out for this, and some of his classmates judge him for his interests. Instead of changing how he is, Travis stays true to himself, and continues to “dazzle.” This motivational book finishes with stories about other notable people who were initially judged for their actions, but stayed true to themselves and were successful in their respective goals. This book is a wonderful way to encourage children to stay true to their own interests, no matter what others think.

Next on the list is Evie’s Field Day by Claire Noland (published May 2020) which tells the story of a resilient little girl named Evie. She loves competition because she has won many awards in the past, and is very excited about her field day at school. She competes in a bean bag toss and an egg walking race, but to her surprise, does not win. At the end of the day is the sack race, her favorite and best event. Instead of finishing however, Evie chooses to help a stranded baby bird and realizes that some things make her feel much prouder than just winning. The story does a wonderful job of explaining to younger audiences how selflessness and compassion can oftentimes feel much more rewarding than a ribbon or trophy.

This Could Be You by Cindy Williams Schrauben (published April 2022) explains a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset. The story lists many different situations such as dreams, teamwork, creating new toys, or standing up for what is right and uses inspiring words to convey how children can use their abilities to accomplish anything. A growth mindset is beneficial in these scenarios because without it, they would not have tried and it has been proven that this could impact future development of resilience and positivity. Teaching children early on about the importance of a growth mindset can be very beneficial to their development, and this story explains that in an understandable and interesting way for young audiences.

Another great way to teach kids positivity is through reading Kindness is a Kite String by Michelle Schaub (published April 2021), which shows how kindness can be the perfect way to form friendships and bonds with others. Kindness should be a closely held value in our lives, and teaching this to children early on can set them on a very successful path in understanding others. 

Aside from kindness, there are other values we should hold closely in our hearts, and a great way to understand the importance of this as parents is through Sunny Side Upbringing by Maria Dismondy (published February 2020). This guide tells of different values important for childhood development such as problem-solving, patience, understanding, and honesty. 

Both Sunny Side Upbringing and Kindness is a Kite String do a superb job in explaining the importance of family values and how to teach these values to young children.

If you are as excited about the anniversary of these books as we are, we invite you to use the discount code, SPRINGBIRTHDAY, in the month of April to share these wonderful stories with your families, classrooms, and loved ones so we can continue to spread the uplifting and inspiring messages around.

Get  resources for your bookstore or library, here at Cardinal Rule Press. Download your FREEBIE here.

 Lily Dokhanchi is studying English with a minor in Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is an intern at Cardinal Rule Press and enjoys writing and editing while working in ways that can impact children. In the future, she hopes to become a writer and work with kids to write about and depict their experiences.