Tuesday, May 6, 2014

THE DO'S AND DON'TS by Hayley Rose: A Review

THE DO'S AND DON'TS by Hayley Rose
Illustrated by Mark Sean Wilson
Published by Inkwell Production; August 24, 2013
Hardcover, 38 pages
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Rating: 5 out of 5 stars 



About the Book
The Do’s and Don’ts is a whimsical lesson book aimed at teaching young readers the difference between good and bad behavior/etiquette. In the book Zack and Chloe go from being manner monsters to well-behaved children as they provide samples of typical scenarios that not only young children encounter but can relate to. For example, Zack becomes a Manner Monster when he loses a game, kicking and pouting like a poor sport. In contrast, good behavior is then modeled depicting Zack congratulating the winning team. Unlike other etiquette books for children that tell a story or just communicate positive behavior, The Do’s and Don'ts compares and contrasts between good and bad behavior. Simply, yet colorfully displayed, are examples of inappropriate behavior and decisions young children may display followed by behavior and decisions that are more socially accepted. Each compare and contrast anecdote is set in the same scene so that young readers can instantly see the differences between good and poor behavior.

My thoughts
As a  mother of an introspective 10-year-old boy and an hyper-active daughter of 5,  I had to adjust my parenting style to my kids' personality traits...not an easy task. Human motivation, when it comes to children, can be a tricky business: rewarding, threatening, grounding, scolding, and praising are some of the most common strategies used by parents to guide, lead, and mentor their kids through their development, but are these parenting tools the right way to offer our children the best behavioral model? 

Parental pressure, or lack of it (the 'pushy' and the 'permissive' styles), can seriously damage our kids and hinder their self-motivation. It is proven that a gentle and yet authoritative parenting model will more successfully help little boys and girls to develop their inner compass. An intelligent and joyful guiding tool comes from Hayley Rose's etiquette book, The Do's And Don'ts: the benefits of providing our children with an example of community-mindedness and critical thinking, through the colorful and friendly pages of a book, rather than the pressure of a controlling and restrictive parenting style, are enormous. Using Hayley's book and similar literature as an 'entertaining' and more relaxed way to guide and communicate with our little loved ones will help both parents and children to face the challenges of growing up and adapting to the world, with serenity and creativity. Great read for kids in pre-K, K, and elementary grades.

***Review copy graciously offered by the publisher in return for an unbiased and honest opinion.

About the Author
Multi-award-winning author Hayley Rose released her first children’s book, Fifo When I Grow Up, about a six-year-old bear starting school in 2002, followed by the wildly popular geography book and #1 best-seller, Fifo 50 States, published in 2010. In 2012, Hayley was selected as one of “The Top 50 Writers You Should Be Reading” by AuthorsShow.com. In 2013, she branched out with a new series featuring a new set of characters, Zach and Chloe the Louis the manner monster. Her new book, The Do’s and Don’ts, was released in September 2013 and has already garnered four literary awards, including the Readers’ Favorite, USA Best Books and the prestigious Mom’s Choice Awards, bringing her career total to twenty-one. The follow up book in the new series, Today I Feel Emotion, will be released in the spring of 2014. Hayley Lives in Scottsdale, AZ, with her dog Blanche. Visit her website at www.booksbyhayleyrose.com.


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