Summer activities, positive messages, and books!

Lazy days of summer are upon us...and our kids as well. If we can all just slow down enough to notice.

I'm always amazed how much faster summers go by as we get older. But I look back fondly at my summers as a kid with all that extra time on my hands. Extra time to actually DO things—whether outside or inside—with friends, or on my own. Time to pursue hobbies and read books that weren't assigned by a teacher. And time most definitely not spent sitting in front of a computer.

Today, things are vastly different for kids. With all the "screen time" (TV, video gaming, computer, i-pod, cell phone, etc.) that kids log on a daily basis and all the "virtual" relationships they have with friends via cyberspace (vs. real "face" time), we shouldn't be surprised when kids seem disengaged when we're around them and try to talk about anything.

But we can't let that sway us from enforcing down time for our kids so they can interact socially—in person (away from all the electronic gizmo's fighting for their attention)—and perform important tactile pursuits such as music, dance, sports, crafts, playing in the yard or at the park, and that ever-important mental exercise: reading.

Having books around for that down time can help ensure kids are absorbing all the information we know their young minds are SO capable of learning. And that we know is so important to their early childhood development.

Here at Maren Green, our books affirm important social, emotional, and life skills to give kids the positive self-talk they need to grow up healthy, happy, polite, and kind with positive self-esteem and healthy confidence. It's why they WORK for young children, why they've won awards, and why we think it's worth sharing.

We hope you think so too. Stop by for a visit and see for yourself.

Happy Father's Day—or "Congrats-On-All-We've-Learned" Day.

As a dad for the last 12+ years, I have to admit I've long viewed my Father's Day as a sort of "service-time recognition" (close-to-but-not-the-same) equivalent to the Mother's Day counterpart. I daresay many of us dad's acknowledge (with appreciation and...relief?) the more significant role our spouse's play in the parenting arena, and humbly accept the nod for the supporting roles we play in raising our kids. That's not to diminish the primary role many fathers perform—and the incredible job they do—and recognition they deserve. It's simply a reality that, more often than not, dad's play the second fiddle, supporting role...sous chef, assistant teacher, vice president...you get the idea.

I look at my Father's Day as a day of reflection and thoughtfulness about what I need to be consistently doing on the other 364 days of the year so I'm always a good father to my kid. I think that is truly the hardest part—especially with the "ebbs and flows" of our roles as our kids progress from infant to toddler, preschooler to kindergartner, tween to teen, young adult to...(gulp) adult. What dad hasn't experienced on any given day how we're either an out-of-touch, embarrassing, dorky Dad (picture child with eyes rolling up into their eyelids)—or the smartest, coolest, bravest hero Dad our kid has ever known (and the hugs that come with it)?

Which is why, for me again this year, I'll love getting another "nod" for being a dad—but in my mind it will be for all I've learned this past year that's made me a good dad. A better dad. It's a reminder to myself of how dedicated I am to being the best I can be in my—albeit supporting—role as father to my daughter. It's a tremendous learning curve—and in all respects—the hardest (and most rewarding) job I've ever had in my life.

To all the other dads out there, I hope you think about, and act on daily, how important your role is to your kids. Tell your kids in some way, every day—how important they are so they know how much you love them—no matter what—just for them being themselves.

Eventually, they'll forget about us being that out-of-touch, embarrassing, dorky Dad we can sometimes be. I hope.

Have a wonderful "Congrats-On-All-We've-Learned" Day.

Mothers' talk is key to kids' social skills.

Here at Maren Green, we love to keep our readers up to date on helpful information that relates to the children in our lives. This latest information reported on CNN here, isn't surprising, but is an important reminder:

In a UK study funded by the Economics and Social Research Council, research has shown that the way mothers talk to their children at a young age influences their social skills later in childhood. Specifically, those who often talked to their children about people's feelings, beliefs, wants and intentions developed better social understanding than children whose mothers did not.

The article goes on to quote Dawn Huebner, a psychologist in Exeter, New Hampshire, who sees children ages 6 to 12:

"It's essential for both mothers and fathers to give children a vocabulary of feelings...children don't always realize what their emotions are and need to have words to describe them in order to become more empathetic."

Further support as to why our children's books on feelings are best-selling resources to help parents have conversations with their children. For birth to preschool, this sturdy little board book is a perfect introduction to the basic feelings of happy, yucky, shy, excited, mad, scared, kind, and more.

For ages 4 and up, the paperback version covers a full alphabet of age appropriate feelings such as brave, dramatic, generous, jealous, lonely, nervous, optimistic, proud, responsible, understood, valued, and more. Fun to read and beautifully illustrated, your kids will be able to name, claim, and share their emotions in no time.

Thanks for all you're doing to raise such capable, kind, and resilient children. We know it's not easy, which is why we're here to support you.

May 11-15 is National Etiquette Week

National Etiquette Week was established by Children’s Etiquette Consultant Sandra Morisset in 1997 as a self-assessment on the current status of civility in the United States. It's a wonderful opportunity for all of us to stop, reflect, and ask: How civil am I?

To my spouse or significant other?
To my children?
To my parents?
To my friends?
To my teacher?
To my colleagues?
To the stranger in the check out line?
To other drivers on the road?

The dictionary defines civility as follows:

Ci•vil•i•ty noun (pl.-ties)
formal politeness and courtesy in behavior or speech: I hope we can treat each other with civility and respect.
ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French civilite, from Latin civilitas, from civilis 'relating to citizens.' In early use the term denoted the state of being a citizen and hence good citizenship or orderly behavior. The sense [politeness] arose in the mid 16th cent.

Parents, educators, and caregivers, here's an easy activity that's perfect for this important week: Invite the kids in your life to get together—perhaps at this week's "family meeting", or as part of "morning meeting" in your classroom, or at group activity time during the day—and ask everyone (including yourself!) to answer the following three questions:

1. What does civility mean to you? (you can provide the definition—but have children, depending on age, answer in words or pictures what it means to them, or have a simple conversation together)
2. What are 2 examples of how you ARE civil every day? (have kids answer in words or pictures, or have a discussion together)
3. What are 2 more ways you CAN BE civil every day? (have kids answer in words or pictures, or have a discussion)

Give a good amount of time for kids to express themselves, then invite everyone to share their answers and have an open discussion of good ways everyone can be more civil with each other.

At Maren Green, we hear over and over again how helpful it is to have books around to support the the life lessons and positive messages we're trying to give children, and that's why you'll find the books shown in this blog entry of particular value. They're good to read one-on-one, good to read at storytime, and good for kids to read on their own. You'll find them conveniently available here.

From all of us at Maren Green, have a great National Etiquette Week!

Positive Impact of Social & Emotional Learning (SEL)

CASEL is a not-for-profit organization that works to advance the science and evidence-based practice of social and emotional learning (SEL). Their research findings from three large-scale reviews of the impact of SEL programs on elementary and middle-school students shows that SEL programs:

* raise achievement test scores up to 17 percentile points.
* increase social-emotional skills in test situations.
* improve social behavior (e.g., getting along and cooperating with others)
* decrease behavioral problems (e.g., aggression and disruptiveness).
* lead to more positive feelings about self, others and school.
* reduce levels of emotional distress (e.g., anxiety and depression).

Here at Maren Green, we also understand the importance of social and emotional learning for young children—and the harsh reality that most schools simply can't afford SEL programs for children. Compounded with how we're all becoming increasingly isolated as a result of the online social media craze (facebook, myspace, youtube, blogs, twitter, etc.), the opportunities to develop social-emotional skills in our children have become less and less. It's easy to forget how integral social and emotional learning is for our children's future success and happiness.

As parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, and caregivers and educators, it's important we rely on each other to help children develop their social and emotional skills—and that's where Maren Green Publishing can help. We publish affordable resources that make a positive impact on the social and emotional development of children.

For example, you can help children (ages 3 & up) learn the value of kindness, learn good manners (and why they matter), and understand and express their emotions with our set of 3 books: Kindness to Share from A to Z, Manners Are Important for You and Me, and Feelings to Share from A to Z. When read together, you'll be amazed at the great discussions you'll have with kids—and how quicky they put their new skills to good use.

We even have board book versions of some so you can start when they're younger. Check out: Feelings to Share and Manners Are Important for toddlers.

For less than the price of a new video game (our set of 3 books is only $23.97 online here), you'll be giving children social-emotional skills that will last them a lifetime.

That's a positive impact you can feel very good about.

Springtime and New Moms

Spring is a time for all things new. The earth comes back to life after a long cold winter, flowers begin to bloom, trees are leafing out, and many moms (and families) are looking ahead in anticipation of a new little bundle of joy.

At Maren Green we're inspired by this time of year and all the newness it brings. It's a time of optimism, appreciation, renewal—and a reminder of things that matter most.

It's also when our award-winning children's board book You Are Important serves as a good reminder of why we do what we do: because children are important. They are the future, it's an important future, and we want them to know just how important they are.

You can let them know, too. For the expecting mom in your life, we'd like to suggest our award-winning 'You Are Important' Board Book Series (set/5) as the perfect baby shower (or Mother's Day) gift that keeps on giving (and an affordably priced one at only $27.95 online).

Affirming words and illustrations help very young children know they are Beautiful, Brave, Creative, Friendly, and Important. Mom's (and us dad's, too) will enjoy reading these to their baby before they're even born. And you'll know you're contributing to a child's future sense of healthy confidence—and reinforcing that every child is precious and valuable.

We don't think spring gets any better than that.

Uh-oh. Watch out! You're about to sneeze!

Swine flu is spreading. As reported by CNN, 40 new cases here in the U.S. today. While we certainly don't want to add to our children's daily stress, it's difficult to keep wide-spread media stories like this from their attention. Everyone's talking about it. You may think it's not on their radar, but don't be fooled. Just because kids don't say anything doesn't mean they're not thinking about these big news stories—and even worrying about them. Worrying about the implications it might have on them, their loved ones, their school, and more.

As with any important issue, information and education are critical. The prospects of swine flu are frightening for all of us, but we can dispel the mystery and fear by arming ourselves and our children with important information and skills to deal with it.

What can we do? Make this a teachable moment and remind kids about some hygiene basics: covering our noses and mouths when we cough or sneeze, and washing our hands with soap and water. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) these are the top 2 things of What You Can Do To Stay Healthy. And they're covered specifically in our books below.

Please take a few minutes today to remind the kids in your life about these important (and timely) basics. And don't forget to practice them yourself:

From Manners Are Important for You and Me (click on image to enlarge):


From You Are Healthy (click on image to enlarge):

"Obesity is the No. 1 health crisis in the United States...

...and the nation could be at risk without immediate action," former President Clinton said at CNN's first Fit Nation Summit earlier this year. "We need to do something about it for our children, and for our country, because something like this could easily collapse our nation if we don't act now," Clinton said.

If that isn't a wake-up call, I don't know what is. Bottom line: one-third of U.S. children are overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity carries increased risk of myriad health problems, including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and arthritis.

As adults, most of us can relate to the challenges of maintaining a healthy lifestyle—from eating right, to exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, taking quiet time for ourselves, even finding time for simple fun. It's hard work. But anything is better than nothing, and as adults, we simply must do more. We have to understand that foregoing a healthy lifestyle no longer affects just us. When we're unhealthy, our children are unhealthy. Our behaviors become their behaviors—and those behaviors become established at a very early age.

One of President Harry S. Truman's favorite sayings was "The buck stops here." He even had a sign with this message made for his desk. As adults, as parents, as grandparents, as aunts and uncles, as educators, as caregivers, as counselors, we can all benefit from adopting this message as our personal mantra—especially when we think of the children in our lives and their future health and happiness.

You Are Healthy was published to support your efforts with the children in your life. As we work to set a better example, this book will affirm key behaviors important to children's health. Whether a child reads the book themself, or you read it with them, the goal is the same: children hear messages that become the positive self-talk they'll rely on to live a healthy lifestyle as they grow and develop. Experts agree:

"I highly recommend Maren Green Publishing’s You Are Healthy and the three companion books for encouraging healthy behavioral choices for children.”
—Neal R. Holtan, M.D., M.P.H., Preventive Medicine Specialist

“You Are Healthy is a terrific tool to introduce young children to important things we do to stay healthy. I love that it covers aspects from washing hands to laughing, playing, and having quiet time. These are good reminders for young and old alike.”
— Dr. Carol Carlson, M.D.

If there's good news when it comes to any crisis, it's that we can all do something to help fix it. Maybe someday soon we'll be reading

"Obesity is no longer the No. 1 health crisis in the United States..."

How will your community share kindness?

We were excited to see how our book Kindness to Share from A to Z is inspiring the entire community in Mishicot, Virginia to come together during this National Volunteer Week (April 19-25).

As reported in the Virginia Parlato/Mishicot News, one of their week-long events to bring attention to volunteering will include:

A book entitled Kindness to Share from A to Z will be read, there will be singing, and children can create a special Mother's Day gift.

We applaud the efforts of Mishicot Area Growth and Improvement Committee! Perhaps you can inspire a child—and your community—with this book, too? In simple words and warm illustrations of children in real-life situations, Kindness to Share from A to Z includes 26 ways to make the world a better place, no matter what age you are.


Examples from the book:

“Let’s hear it for vegetables, let’s hear it for fruits.”

...cheered First Lady Michelle Obama to about two dozen fifth graders at the recent groundbreaking of the new organic White House kitchen garden—the first full-fledged vegetable plot on White House grounds since Eleanor Roosevelt planted a victory garden during World War II.

The gardening effort reflects the First Lady’s persistent call for healthful eating. She often speaks about the importance of nutritious eating, the problem of childhood obesity, and of the challenges involved in getting her two daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, to eat more healthy foods like fruits and vegetables.

Although we're slightly resentful that we're not gardening yet here in Minnesota (where our winters tend to be regularly too long), we couldn't agree more with the First Lady's sentiments. We published our newest book You Are Healthy to encourage young children to practice healthy behaviors by letting them read similar (and very important) messages like: "You are healthy when you eat veggies and fruits every day."



Just think what can happen if more of us followed Mrs. Obama's healthy example and renewed our efforts to help young children develop a solid foundation of healthy habits. Children will establish their own healthy habits for eating right, exercising through active play, drinking enough water, getting enough rest, laughing and giggling, and much more, to stay healthy for a lifetime.

The First Lady's gardening effort serves as a great reminder that we need to act now—and especially when children are young. Did you know "approximately 25 million children are obese or overweight, making today’s kids possibly the first generation to live shorter, less healthy lives than their parents." says a report by the nonprofit organization Trust for America’s Health? This news is simply frightening—and should make us all stop and ask ourselves: "What can I be doing differently for the children in my life?"

We have a simple and effective idea: read You Are Healthy to make a positive difference in the health of a child in your care. It's simply written, has engaging and vibrant illustrations of multi-ethnic kids so all young children can relate to the messages and—more importantly—follow the examples shown. Whether you're a parent, grandparent, early childhood educator, librarian, or counselor, each page is an excellent conversation starter for discussions of other healthy behaviors, too.

So instead of buying that carton of ice cream, another box of cookies, or giving in to buying another candy bar at the checkout counter, buy a copy of You Are Healthy. It's only $7.19 when you order it from our website. We guarantee it'll last a lot longer and your child will appreciate it even more—especially when they're older and living a healthy lifestyle.

April is National Poetry Month

“Poetry is music written for the human voice.”—Dr. Maya Angelou, celebrated poet.

Inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month is held every April, when publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools and poets around the country band together to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture.

Here at Maren Green Publishing we love to support efforts to widen the attention of individuals—especially children—to the art of poetry. That's why our books are here to help you introduce a child to the pleasures of reading poetry—and help spark their creativity to even write their own poetry.

Start with our award-winning My Favorite Sounds from A to Z. The colorful pictures and rhyming poems invite children to listen more closely to the sounds in their everyday lives, imagine sounds they haven't yet heard, experiment with creating new sounds, and even sharpen their listening skills.


Then follow up with My Favorite Places from A to Z. These vivid poems and illustrations describe an alphabet of special places. Children are invited to remember places they've been, imagine places they'd like to go, and realize their world expands with each new place they experience.



And here are 30 more ways you can celebrate National Poetry Month.

Exclusive Maren Green pricing makes our books very affordable so you can easily share the "music" of poetry with the children in your life all this month. Both books are even more affordable when you buy them together here.

April is National Humor Month

And it has been for the last 33 years!

National Humor Month was founded in 1976 by best-selling humorist Larry Wilde, Director of The Carmel Institute of Humor. Mr. Wilde is the author of over 53 books on the subject of humor. You can find them here.

Designed to heighten public awareness on how the joy and therapeutic value of laughter can improve health, boost morale, increase communication skills and enrich the quality of one's life, National Humor Month is something worth celebrating with our kids—especially in these economic times when everything (and everyone) appears so serious. Kids need to laugh. As parents, educators, and caregivers, we need to facilitate that.

Our newest book The Dirtiest Hair in the World is here to help—and will definitely get kids on their way to some side-splitting laughter.

Here's the story: Claire has long, beautiful hair. She also has a mind of her own. And one day she decides she will not wash her hair. At first, her hair is not so bad. But as the weeks go by, tangles grow to brambles. Her parents despair! Luckily, even a very stubborn girl can change her mind. When Claire announces, “All right, I'll wash my hair!” that's when the fun begins. You won't believe what crawls, walks, falls, and flies out of Claire's hair.



Get your copy of this hilariously funny, vividly illustrated, rhyming tale here at a great price — and enjoy lots of laughter for the rest of this month, and many months to come!

Read to my baby?

That’s a reasonable question. After all, babies can’t understand words, right?

True. But as this recent article at KidsHealth.org points out, “you wouldn’t wait until your child could understand what you were saying before you started speaking to him or her, right? And you wouldn’t bypass lullabies until your baby could carry a tune or wait until he or she could shake a rattle before you offered any toys.”

Of course you wouldn’t. The same theory applies to reading aloud to your baby. Reading aloud is a very important form of stimulation for early childhood development and we know why. Early childhood experts report that by the time babies reach their first birthday they will have learned all the sounds needed to speak their native language. And hearing words helps to imprint them on a baby’s brain leading them to more likely learn to read at the right time.

Obviously these are great reasons to read to your young baby, but there’s another reason that’s even more important: the bond you develop with your baby because you’re doing what he or she loves most: hearing your voice and having you close. There’s no doubt that spending time reading to your baby is time well spent!

Maren Green’s early childhood books are here to help you in your efforts. When you read our award-winning ‘You Are Important’ Board Book Series to your baby, you’ll be affirming all the ways your baby is important: because they smile, because they explore, because they were born. And although your baby may not know what the images in a book mean, you’ll be amazed at how they can focus on them—especially faces, bright colors, and contrasting patterns—which is exactly the type of illustrations used in this series. The vibrant pictures depict a cast of multicultural young children in everyday situation that—when combined with the simple words—helps you affirm just how precious and valuable your little one is.

Order the complete series of 5 board books online here for only $27.95 (reg. $34.95)—a price you can only get from Maren Green Publishing. The boxed set makes a wonderful gift for the expecting mom on your list! And, it's available in Spanish, too.

Black History Month

As we celebrate the achievements of African Americans and their contribution to society, it's a perfect opportunity to remind children just how colorful our world truly is today—and how unique we all are, with our own talents and abilities. When children know this deep down inside, they're free to be themselves, feel good about themselves, and reach their full potential. (That goes for grown-ups, too.)

How can you—and the children in your life—celebrate Black History Month? With our award-winning book Colorful World.


Colorful World is Grammy winner CeCe Winans's inspiring song about diversity, something she cares about deeply. When children's book illustrator Melodee Strong heard the song, she was moved to create pictures to accompany the lyrics. The result is a joyful and vibrant book that celebrates differences and invites all children to be proud to be themselves. And the book comes with a CD of the song sung by Winans.

As our way of celebrating, you can purchase a copy of this award-winning book all month for only $11.99 (regularly $17.99, you save over 30%) Click here to order.

Share this important message with a child you know, today.

How are you feeling?

As we read the news of our slumping economy, jobs being eliminated in too many places, everything getting more and more expensive, and people becoming more and more frugal (which I personally think is kind of a good thing), it's clear times are tough these days. We're all feeling it.

As many of us are challenged with today's stresses on ourselves, our families, and our friends, "How are you feeling?" has become a more familiar question we ask, and get asked, probably on a daily basis. It's an important question to ask, but an even more important question to answer. Especially with our young children who need to understand that it's good to talk about how we're feeling. The more the better. And not just about the good feelings, but the bad ones, and everything in between.

It's fair to say children usually know a lot more about what's going on in our lives than we give them credit for (I'm always amazed at how perceptive my young daughter is). However, children can (and often do) tend to keep things bottled up when they don't have the words to describe how they're feeling.

Our book Feelings to Share from A to Z (paperback, $7.99 at www.marengreen.com) can help. However you can get this book into their little hands (perhaps after you've casually, but strategically, left it on the counter, nightstand or coffee table?) they'll be better off.

Wait till they ask who the book is for (you'll say: "Anyone...check it out and let me know what you think."). Before you know it, you'll be chatting together about the feelings described inside, relating to (and giggling over) the pictures, and talking about when either of you felt the feelings described. But most importantly, they'll be learning the words to describe and communicate to you (and others) how they're feeling. Bonus: they'll feel good knowing you're listening, too!

As focused as we all are on our hectic lives of work, errands, appointments, soccer or dance classes, and just generally trying to make ends meet, make time for this book. Trust me, children will relate to it and it will help them through the tough times now—and in the future. We owe them that. Afterall, their presence in our lives helps us through tough times...more than they'll ever know.

If you have a toddler, start with our sturdy board book version Feelings to Share ($5.59 at www.marengreen.com).

Now available in Spanish...

We're very pleased to announce that our popular award-winning 'You Are Important' Board Book Series is now available in Spanish. Affirming words and vibrant, multicultural illustrations help very young children know they are Importante, Hermoso, Amigable, Valiente, and Creativo. Each book reinforces that every child is precious and valuable.

Inauguration Day: A Good New Beginning.

From the publisher:

Today is the inauguration of President Barack Obama. A turning point for many people and many things, and a bright spot on what is seemingly a dull horizon of 2009 to come. On behalf of Maren Green Publishing, I hope the inauguration is a sign of hope for everyone. And especially for children, their families, and our communities. When people are inspired, great things do happen. We need great things to happen.

I find Barack Obama inspiring. I hope children will be inspired by him, too.

I hope children will be inspired to be tolerant and accepting.

Support children in their efforts to be tolerant and accepting of others (and themselves!) with our award-winning and best-selling book Colorful World. This beautifully illustrated book celebrates differences and invites all children to be proud to be themselves. The song by six-time Grammy winner CeCe Winans (CD included) that inspired the book is a musical experience that will enrich the experience of any listener and help build bridges among cultures. Every child in every school, home, and library should have the opportunity to read this book.

I hope children will be inspired to be kind.

Our newest book, Kindness to Share from A to Z uses simple words and engaging illustrations to invite children to show kindness in their daily lives. Each letter, each idea is a step toward becoming more caring and compassionate...and making the world a better place to be. Helping children understand how they can share their kindness with others is one of the best investments we can make for the future of our world.

I hope children will be inspired to be healthy and helpful.

When you read our new books You Are Healthy and You Are Helpful with a child you will be letting them know you support their efforts to be healthy and helpful in ways that will last them a lifetime. And perhaps inspire yourself as well! Research has shown children are happier and more confident when they practice good health and understand they are competent and capable. Parents, educators, and librarians: affirm the positive efforts of children with these books every day.

And lastly, I hope children are inspired to have more fun and spend more quality time with family.

These are stressful times. Invite a child you know to a rollicking good laugh with our new book The Dirtiest Hair in the World. Any child (adult, too!) will enjoy this vividly illustrated rhyming tale about a little girl named Claire who makes a snap decision to not wash her hair. What ensues will have everyone laughing wildly. When Claire eventually decides she'll wash her hair (after she can't get out of her room because her hair is so big and tangled and dirty—with things living in it!), that's when the fun really begins. You won't believe what crawls, walks, falls, and flies out of Claire's hair! In the end, even though Claire decides she likes to wash her hair, does she learn her lesson? Trust me, you'll want to find out. The large panoramic detailed illustrations make this perfect for story time.

Till next post, be well.

Todd