“Life is full of choices.” Choices make up not only our actions but influence the kinds of people we become. We make hundreds of choices every day. Many are easy and done without thinking, but some are hard. They shape the outcomes of our days, or even our lives.
Part of growing up is learning not only how to make choices but also to live with the consequences they give us, whether the outcome is good or bad. We may not be able to undo the consequences of a choice, but we can always make a new choice to get a different result.
Teaching children about choices and consequences, causes and effects, can be challenging. It is a concept many adults struggle to understand. This book creates a platform for conversation with your child about making choices.
A young girl goes to the pool and considers the choices she might make during the day, how those will affect her day and even some that affect who she is as a person. Some decisions are small, like which ice cream to choose, and some are much harder, like whether to be brave or kind.
The story itself is simple. The text on each page is concise, allowing the illustrations to do most of the work in conveying the story. If you are looking for a detailed story about a day at the pool, this might not be it. But if you are looking for a way to talk to your child about the choices they make, then this simple story can provide you with the talking points you may need.
The text does not say what specifically is happening on the page, allowing you and your child to explore the illustrations, discuss what the little girl is doing and how she might be feeling, even what the consequences to her choices (good or bad) might be. Additionally, the diverse and inclusive illustrations are well done and make the story accessible to a wider range of audiences.
This would be a great story to read starting at a young age and expanding it with your own dialog as your child gets older. A toddler or preschool aged child will enjoy the pictures and identifying objects and scenes, while a kindergartener or first grader can have more discussions with you as you read about the concept of choices and consequences, making this a great story to age with your child.
