*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author, Faye Rogers at Authoright and Clink Street Publishing. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Blurb: An alphabet book with a difference! Who said A is for Apple? Why not A is for Acceptance?! Let’s learn the alphabet using words that will inspire and empower everyone to thrive in life! Packed with fun illustrations and thoughtful quotes and themes, The Alphabet For Life is a unique children’s book the whole family can enjoy and learn from for a lifetime.
The Alphabet for Life is definitely a unique resource!
The pictures and big ideas (‘L is for Love’, ‘K is for Kindness’) are perfectly pitched for children to enjoy and explore, and sparked some excellent family discussions in our house about what the words mean, what the pictures represent, and why these are values that are important in life.
The quotes, on the other hand, mostly shot right over Minishine (6) and Babybows (3) heads! They felt more aimed at older children, or even adult readers. There was an excellent selection, each picked to illustrate the idea for that letter, ranging from James Patterson and Lana del Ray, to Confucius and Goethe.
I think this is an ideal book to use for family time. It is perfect for parents to dip into as a teaching tool to remind youngsters of why we share, or help others, or work hard. For older and adult readers it serves as a reminder of one’s own personal values and the importance of staying true to them in an increasingly complicated world.
I do have to give a special shout-out to page ‘X’ of this mindful-alphabet, as the ‘Elsa Meerkat’ had all of us – children and adults alike – crying with laughter.
The Alphabet for Life is an alphabet book that looks beyond teaching children their letters, to the more important lessons we hope that they will carry with them through their lives.
Minishine (6): The Elsa meerkat was my absolute favourite! It was kind of weird, but fantastic.
Babybows (3): I love it. I like the Elsa meerkat, and the snake and the spider.
Ms: It’s about learning about the alphabet and also about good behaviour and being nice.
Bb: All the animals are nice. The snake and the spider are very nice. [mournfully] But they didn’t have any shoes… 😦
Ms: [thoughtfully] … or feet, it said. And I don’t really understand what that bit means. I don’t really know what some of the bits mean.
Bb: It’s EASY! Because snakes don’t have feet and spiders don’t have shoes, see! And a meerkat can be Elsa when he wants to!
Ms: I want to be Elsa too!
Fran Norris is a mother of two living in Devon. Like most parents, her daily life largely involves coming up with creative approaches to making the good-for-you stuff enjoyable and appealing to children. She believes that education should nurture our natural curiosity and empower each individual to reach their fullest potential. Inspired by the playful way children approach any task, from brushing their teeth to eating toast, Fran is convinced that fun should be at the core of all learning.
As a former scientist, Fran approaches life as a wonderful experiment and loves to question everything. Her children provide a never-ending source of mystery and challenges to be solved. Creating THE ALPHABET OF LIFE reconnected Fran with her love of drawing and painting, encouraging her to work as an illustrator now.
You can find Fran Norris on Instagram here and here, or follow her on Goodreads.
The Alphabet for Life is available on Amazon right now!
Don’t forget to check out the other stops on the blog tour (details on the poster below) for more great reviews and content…
Bookshine And Readbows 