In a society that often seems to encourage us all to look, act, and think the same, it can be difficult for kids to feel like what makes them unique matters. The truth is, the world needs each of us to discover, embrace, and celebrate all that makes us special so we can use our gifts to inspire others and to ultimately make a positive and lasting impact on the home we all share.
In Think Big, we are reunited with moody Baboon as he discovers another powerful secret. His home, the African savanna, faces a drought that threatens his and the other animals’ food sources, forcing them to face challenging situations where their very lives are at risk. The animals are scared, but inspired by Baboon, they learn to reflect on who they want to be and what choices they need to make to shape their futures. When the animals discover that a transformative power exists within each of them, they find that their internal “U-Shaped Bridge” – a recurring theme of a smile throughout Kronenberg’s trilogy – allows them to connect their minds to their hearts, igniting their courage. Can they use their newfound power to not only survive, but ultimately thrive, amidst hardship?
In the book, readers will learn:
· How our self-talk helps us to be our best selves
· Anything that follows the words “I AM” is who we begin to be, and anything that follows the words “I CAN” is what we start to create
· The value of the three G’s – Goals, Gratitude, and Giving – to attaining our best life
· The importance of solving our problems together
· How we can embrace the circumstances we are in and discover how our unique qualities and abilities can change them
· The secret of CATCH-M – our “U-Shaped Bridge” which is our big internal smile – that ignites the courage we need to “do good” and make good choices
Part of the proceeds from the book will support WE, Grameen America, and teachers who want to bring classroom dreams to life via Donors Choose.
More information can be found at www.katkronenberg.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
I had a chance to interview her about the book to learn more.
What was your inspiration behind this book?
As a young girl, I lost my brother suddenly. The impact on my family was devastating. We had no emotional or social skills to speak of. The heartache took over my parents’ lives, and the pain wanted to take control of my life as well. So I tried everything in order to not let it: physical, spiritual, mental and emotional! I read hundreds of books. I sought out mentors and studied people I call heroes to see how they dealt with hardship and pain.
Now, I have kids of my own. As a mother, how do I lead them? My books are my journey. The African Animals are my light. Nature has been a great teacher. These books have been a fantastic resource for my family and me, reminding us that we can do good things with the good we have and be the heroes of our stories together… no matter the circumstances.
Why is it so important for kids to "think big?"
Kids need to learn to "think big" because life is filled with wild twists and turns we don't see coming. When we face hard times or pain, we all have to ask ourselves: who do we want to be? How do we want to show up? The animals in Think Big demonstrate ways to answer these questions by thinking big, and acting as our best selves even in the face of our challenges.
How can kids learn to embrace what makes them unique?
Kids can learn to embrace what makes them unique by celebrating who they are.
Mel Robbins says, "Scientists have crunched the numbers on the odds of you being born, at the time, to the parents, with the D.N.A. structure you have is 1:400,000,000,000…One to four hundred trillion. You are not born fine. You are born fantastic!" We are all born extraordinary with gifts only we can share with the world.
Kids can learn from each animal in my Trilogy as they each celebrate their unique reason for being born and their own dynamic dreams. One might say an overweight 16-legged caterpillar wanting to fly was crazy, or Steve Jobs building a personal computer was nuts. But they both believed in themselves and their dreams. As a result, we have butterflies, and I am writing this from my personal computer. So let's celebrate our unique reasons for being here and chase our dreams together!
Why is it so important to learn to solve problems together - and how can parents help foster this sense of collaboration?
If we take to heart what Helen Keller said, "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much," we can see why working together to solve our problems is important. Parents can show their kids how the animals in the Live Big Trilogy celebrate successful collaboration once they learn to be kind, share, listen, and care. The animals in Think Big show us all how great our lives can be no matter what happens once we decide to problem solve together using the 3 G' s—Goals, Gifts, and Gratitude!
Kat Kronenberg’s life story and ability to inspire audiences has positioned her as a coveted keynote speaker, presenter at schools, and Austin Business Journal’s Profile in Power Winner, Central Texas Women of Influence. She is also a Mom’s Gold Choice Award Winner, Family Choice Winner, Writer’s League of Texas Discovery Prize Winner living in Austin, Texas. As a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, her hope and dream is that with books we can encourage one another to “follow our bliss,” stay in the arena fighting for our dreams, and allow joy and fulfillment to be our internal GPS.
No comments:
Post a Comment