Hope Is an Open Heart - Softcover

Lauren Thompson is the author of several New York Times bestselling children's books, including the much-beloved Little Quack series and the award-winning picture book POLAR BEAR NIGHT. She is also the author of THE APPLE PIE THAT PAPA BAKED and BALLERINA DREAMS: A TRUE STORY. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, Robert, and their son, Owen. You can visit her Web site at www.laurenthompson.net.

Kindergarten-Grade 2—This is an attractive book with possibilities for productive discussion if presented by a sensitive and intuitive adult. The text consists of a simple sentence per spread, with "hope" in large font and a color that correlates to a color in the photograph, an effective technique for tying the two together. This is followed by a philosophical definition with a key word or two in bold type. Some of the definitions may prove confusing to children—"Hope is sad tears flowing, making room for joy"—if encountered in isolation, but could enlarge their understanding if an opportunity for reflection were provided. A clear and vivid color photograph accompanies each spread. An author's note explains Thompson's impetus and motivation, but, more importantly, the circumstances experienced by some of the subjects, such as Hurricane Katrina and the 2004 Tsunami. This is a useful book for children who have endured or are learning about some of the disasters that have rocked the world recently.—Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
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