Friends this year a book was released by Barefoot Books that they called their most important publication since the company was founded over 24 years ago. That’s some seriously high praise for a book, so of course I needed to check out the title, called The Barefoot Book of Children, for myself. I am not exaggerating when I say that before I even got to the end of the book tears were flowing down my face because I was so very moved by the beauty displayed on the pages. In a world that keeps getting smaller but doesn’t always seem to be getting kinder, books for children that highlight diversity and inclusivity are sorely needed treasures, and this book does an exemplary job of making every child who reads it feel represented.
If you are struggling to find a quality book that can help you kickstart important conversations that children are quite curious about (such as matters of difference they observe), The Barefoot Book of Children is absolutely fantastic for this purpose, showcasing differences in appearances, beliefs and lifestyles, all while keeping children engaged but not forced in any particular directions so that questions can organically be brought forth based on what a child might notice and take interest in during a particular reading (the illustrations are so rich with content that you can get through MANY different readings and get new questions or comments from your child each time).
Caryl Stern, the President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, has this to say about the book:
“The Barefoot Book of Children is a colorful and hopeful celebration of childhood. It takes its readers on a visual trek across the globe, where they discover that – despite our different clothes and home and languages – we are more alike than different. More than just an exploration of our commonalities, The Barefoot Book of Children is an affirmation of our inherent dignity as human beings.”
The pages are colorful, inviting, and truly delightful to children and the adults reading with them. In short, I cannot say enough great things about this book and I believe it is worthy of shelf space in every single home.
The Barefoot Book of Children sells for $19.99 and in my opinion is worth more than twice that price, but right now (the month of December 2016) you can get a copy absolutely free with your purchase of $50 or more from Barefoot Books by using code WARMHEART at checkout. You could make your life super easy and just order 3 copies of the book and get a fourth copy free, or if you’d like some suggestions, please reach out to me at stuffparentsneed (at) gmail (dot) com as I would be delighted to help you put together a great set of books for a child or children on your shopping list. And if you happen to be reading this in 2017 or beyond but you sure would like to have a free copy of this book, reach out to me and we can figure out a way to get one in your hands!