Midwest Book Review on “Holidays With a Tail”

Holidays with a Tail: A Tale of Winter Celebrations” is multicultural holiday story that appeals to culturally diverse juvenile audiences.

Written experienced elementary school teacher, Kelly Bouldin Darmofal, Holidays with a Tail begins the story with Alex on Christmas Eve, after having just moved from the suburbs to the city. Alex had wished for a Christmas gift of a puppy to play with. The next day brings one new surprise after another. Being Episcopalian, Alex celebrated Christian traditions in December, and he was overjoyed to find a puppy-sized box with holes in the lid for his present. Out popped Zipper, his new adorable golden puppy, his special Christmas gift.

The next day, when grandparents came bringing more Christmas gifts, Zipper surprised Alex by running out the door and into the snowy night. This begins a wonderful tale of exploration of ways different folk with different religious traditions celebrate the midwinter time of Solstice.

Zipper leads Alex and his mom, Katy on an exploration and traveling tour of festivities and homes, including four different families celebrating the Jewish Hanukkah, the Hindu Dwali, the Latina las Posadas, and the African American Kwanzaa. Each resident kindly explains the symbols and reasons for their celebrations, along with special foods and candle lighting customs and their significance.

Alex and Katy reclaim Zipper and eventually return to their home to celebrate Christmas dinner with their family and their special foods and gifts.

“Holidays with a Tail: A Tale of Winter Celebrations” is the perfect vehicle to explain to young children the wonderful richness and significance of different holiday celebration traditions for different cultures, peoples, and religions.

Read the original review on MBR


Holidays With a Tail: A Tale of Winter Celebrations
Kelly Bouldin Darmofal, author
Brad A. Calhoun, illustrator
Loving Healing Press
5145 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
www.LovingHealing.com
9781615996155, $17.95 PB, $29.95 HC, $4.95 Kindle, 34pp

Float: A Guide to Letting Go

SKU 978-1-61599-459-5
$15.95
1
Product Details
UPC: 978-1-61599-459-5
Brand: Loving Healing Press
Binding: Paperback
Edition: 1st
Author: Aimee L. Ruland
Illustrator: Carl Anderson
Pages: 32

Float: A Guide to Letting Go seeks to encourage children to process their emotions gently and in a way that allows them purposeful ownership of what they think and how they feel. It will aid them in identifying the root of their feelings, help them to examine their reactions to emotions and decide for themselves what they may be ready to release. The thoughtful use of color and symbols, and the guided practice of breathwork, encourages readers to maintain a broad focus as they become more grounded and aware. The playful rhyme dances with readers as they grow on their journey to the present, where they are beautifully set free.

Readers will enjoy:

  • Learning how to identify and examine emotions
  • Understanding how to release unwanted thoughts and feelings
  • Permission to acknowledge, accept, feel and heal in a unique way

“Aimee Ruland’s book, Float, is a masterpiece of creativity where the intangible becomes relatable, fun and beautifully depicted. Teaching children mindfulness, kindness and intention regarding their feelings might just be the most important lesson we can teach them. This book belongs on the shelf of every child—or anyone who has ever been a child.”
--Stephanie Wharton, M.Ed., INHC

“What a beautiful message for children of all ages! A brilliant example of emotions and feelings that may be difficult for children to define with words. Float is the perfect story to help a child’s mind and body unwind at the end of the day. I found myself thinking about the message long after reading the story.”
--Tanya Swanson, kindergarten teacher

“Beautiful, soothing words to comfort children and guide them in using imagery to help deal with the weight of daily emotions.”
--Susan E. Slater, children’s librarian

Float does a great job blending imagery to relate to feelings of young children. The colors of the balloons are neatly tied into each feeling discussed in the book. The strategies are appropriate, simple and thought provoking. A great read!”
--Matthew Menard, M.S., M.Ed., LPC

“Aimee Ruland is the Dr. Seuss of children’s therapy books. My seven-year-old loves the book, and so do I.
--Jeffrey Barkstrom, LAC

From Loving Heaing Press www.LHPress.com

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