Happy Birthday “Princess Shayna”: My Children’s Book That Teaches, Kindness, Understanding, and Respect!
Princess Shayna’s Invisible Visible Gift
On this coming Friday, February 2/2/24, Princess Shayna’s Invisible Visible Gift will be 27 years of age. The fictional princess and I were born the the “second day of the second month of the new year”. My Family Fairy Tale is a chapter book that children can color in the black and white drawings in each chapter, and they can also enjoy the beautifully colorfilled Gift Giver’s Guide, to help children, their parents, and teachers begin a conversation about each chapter and the messages in the chapter. I created the Gift Giver’s Guide with the superb educational expertise of my college roommate, Michelle Bracken, and the remarkable illustrations, which were drawn and colored by Len Birnbaum.
Meaningful Messages
During this challenging time that includes wars, political strife, climate change disasters, toxic vocabulary, antisemitism, the lack of respect and care for other people, and the increase of hatefilled language and actions (just to mention a few), I think it is important to share the meaningful and significant messages in Princess Shayna with the children, in our lives: One of those messages is: “There is no greater gift one can give than the gift of self-esteem“. I believe that every child deserves to feel loved, safe, and confident within a trustworthy home, school, and community environment!
The Princess Is Not Perfect
In today’s world, our children face a multitude of mental, physical, economical, and social challenges. In the story, the children learn they do not have to be perfect to be loved. “Not even the princess is perfect“, Princess Shayna has Type One Diabetes. It is important and comforting for the children to understand that other children and adults also face challenges, similar to what they face, in their lives.
Bully Behavior
The 2nd edition of Princess Shayna was published in 2011. I felt it was critical, as it is today, to include a section about dealing with Bully Behavior. When Princess Shayna visits each of the four villages in the Kingdom of Kindness, I included the following paragraph.
“Adults are accountable for teaching children the difference between acceptable manners and unacceptable behavior when they are not feeling good about themselves at home, school, or in the village,” White Falcon said. “Each child learns the How to Treat Others Principles: Do not frighten, embarrass, threaten or push and shove others, and do not be mean and hurt another villager’s feelings by making fun of their ideas, excluding them from parties or games, talking behind their backs, taking their toys or books, or calling them nasty names.”
Brain Colors And Kingdom of Kindness Villages
The four villages in the Kingdom of Kindness relate to my four Brain Color Personalities. On Princess Shayna’s Vision Quest, learns about the villagers’ many “Praiseworthy Gifts” in the Village of the Yellow Sunflowers, the Village of the Blue Forget-Me-Nots, the Village of the Green Healing Herbs, and the Village of the Orange Tiger Lilies.
Author Visits
Over the past 27 years, I have enjoyed many Author Visits to school in person and online in the US, Canada, and Germany. My Blue Heart always smiles knowing that reading Princess Shayna has offered so many children the gift of discovering and understanding their “Praiseworthy Gifts”, attributes, abilities, and strengths!
Student’s Thank You Note
I have a thank you note, which I cherish, from 2014, framed on my desk from a 5th grade boy! Max was in an enrichment class that I visited for a semester, as his class was reading Princess Shayna and enjoying activities about their Blue Hearts, which deeply touched by Max’s Green Brain and Blue Heart:
“I want you to know how much of an author you mean to me. You are an author who brightened my path, who let me think, who made me strong, and who let me be the way I am. Thank you, Max F.”
Musical Productions
I was delighted that a 3rd musical production of Princess Shayna was workshopped and performed at the The Raue Center for the Arts, in August 2022. I am also looking forward to the 4th original production that is in the works at The Raue Center School for the Arts. You can read about the 1st and 2nd Princess Shayna musical productions on my website.
Closing Thoughts
I am grateful and blessed with all the extraordinary experiences and people I have met because of Princess Shayna’s Invisible Visible Gift!
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