Review of Bee Heartful: Spread Loving-Kindness by Frank J. Sileo

Readers will rejoice that Bentley the bee is back in this third book in Frank J. Sileo’s award-winning series. When compassionate Bentley sends loving-kindness thoughts to himself and others, he can feel his heart growing: May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you be safe. May you be peaceful. When Willie Wasp steals Bentley’s favorite red scarf, it really stings! Bentley has the whole garden buzzing as he works through the situation. This sweet story shows the power of strong, positive, and loving thoughts.

Includes a note from the author with more information about loving-kindness and related meditation, and guidelines for how readers can practice being heartful just like Bentley!

Book Links

Goodreads * Amazon * BN

(affiliate link included)

**My thoughts**

Reading this book took me back in time to when I was doing my Montessori training. My mentor teacher often had the children do these still exercises and sending loving-kindness thoughts to other children, especially when they were absent for any period of time. You could really see the difference in the kids as the school year went on and they practiced this more and more. They also were calmer themselves. It wasn't a perfect cure-all for agitation and other problems. But it was a sweet and calming activity to do. This story of Bentley the Bee would be a great introduction to using the calming breathing with kids. And placing it where children could look at it again and again would let them practice it on their own. 

The book also gives a lot of information to adults about why these meditations are beneficial and how to present them to children. It provides a script to use as you are introducing it. And it encourages you to seek help for a child who appears to be suffering from any clinical issues.

I would definitely add this book to my classroom collection.

Thank you to the publisher for fulfilling my review request via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review of Grandma Rose's Magic

Grandma Rose's Magic is a beautiful story that clearly demonstrates the power of karma and doing good for others. It is also a sweet story about the magic of family and friends.

Grandma Rose is able to create magic with a piece of cloth and thread. She sews clothes for her children and blankets for babies, doll clothes. People are so impressed with her work and gush over it. Grandma Rose always says it must be magic. As she gets paid, she sets the money aside. She is saving up for a special set of dishes that are like the ones she had as a little girl for Shabbos. She goes to the store and the dishes are gone. A little sad, she decides to instead go grocery shopping for a feast. When she comes home, everyone is there, each with a piece of the set to say thank you. They ask how she knew they would all be there to buy the food. Must be magic!

The lesson here is that if you treat others well and do kind things for them, they will also take care of you and do kind things for you. It's a lesson that needs to be reinforced in today's society. This is one to add to my classroom collection.

I received an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Butterfly's Treasure

The Butterfly's Treasure by Schim Schimmel is one of the most beautiful, awe-inspiring books I have ever seen. The vibrant colors on the cover alone inspire dreams of far-away places. Each turn of the page reveals another jaw-dropping, inspirational view of some of the world's most majestic creatures and places. As I read this book to my class of 3-6 year-olds, I was moved by their exclamations as they saw each painting.

The story itself is just as inspiring as the artwork. Young Caterpillar is the last of this season's monarchs. He meets Old Monarch, who is the last of last season's monarchs. Old Monarch wishes to impart his wisdom upon the young caterpillar, and proceeds to tell him of his travels around the world over the last year to find treasure. Old Monarch encounters some of the greatest creatures around the world, including brown bears, polar bears, seals, elephants, lions, gorillas, tigers, snow leopards, penguins, dolphins, and wolves. He finds them in the most beautiful locations around the world. Young Caterpillar realizes that the whole world is a treasure to cherish, and after becoming an adult monarch, sets off to seek it for himself.

Following the reading of the story, I went around the circle and asked the children to tell me what some treasures were. A few mentioned jewels and pirate's gold. But even at their young ages, most were able to identify that animals, people, and nature were things to be treasured. This is testimony that Schim Schimmel's message is easily conveyed to even the youngest reader.

Schim Schimmel is the artist/author for three other books that have garnered international attention for their artistry and message: Dear Children of the Earth -- A Letter From Home, Children of the Earth...Remember, and The Family of the Earth. All of these titles are perenniel favorites in my classroom and those of my colleagues. The Butterfly's Treasure will earn a place of honor next to them on the shelf. I'm already eagerly anticipating his next work!

Purchase The Butterfly's Treasure


Andrea Coventry is a reviewer for Bookpleasures.com.