OUR CHILDREN ARE WATCHING - A groundbreaking book to shift the conversation

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Sep 15, 2016, 10:20 ET

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today more than ever, children need diverse, inclusive and inspiring books. This month, award-winning, multicultural children's publisher, Barefoot Books, releases The Barefoot Book of Children, its most important publication since it was founded 24 years ago.

Empower tomorrow's global citizens to grasp today's critical social issues with The Barefoot Book of Children. Hand-painted illustrations and straightforward text directly engage the reader, inviting children to ask themselves: How do other children live? How are we different? And most importantly: How are we alike? The Barefoot Book of Children is a playful, powerful and thought-provoking celebration of both the big ideas and the everyday moments that reveal our common humanity and tie us all together.

With all of the divisive, and often depressing, conversations in the media, even the most optimistic among us can feel a little helpless, especially when we think about our children, and the future world they might inherit. From a very young age, children can understand, absorb and internalize negative messages around them, increasing the need for discourse at school and around the dinner table.

Books offer an accessible resource for parents and educators to discuss topics children sometimes struggle to grasp, including differences in appearances, beliefs and lifestyles. With beautiful illustrations and a simple compelling story, The Barefoot Book of Children ignites kids' curiosity and compassion, while also inspiring adults to discuss topics like:

"Our children are watching": Hillary Clinton has a campaign ad showing Donald Trump's language as an example of what we don't want our kids to watch/hear/pay attention to. But what DO we want them to notice and how do we shift the conversation?
President Obama's "Empathy Deficit": How can we use diverse and inclusive books to foster empathy in children? How do we prepare them in the 21st century to thrive and contribute in their communities, and in professional and academic spheres?
Why children need diverse books: All children deserve to see themselves, their families and their experiences in the books they read. They also need to see and understand others in order to grow into compassionate, responsible global citizens.

"The Barefoot Book of Children encapsulates the mission that we have been committed to from the very beginning," says Nancy Traversy, Co-founder and CEO of Barefoot Books. "Perhaps if we all start sharing its important message far and wide, we can begin to change the conversation and help build a better future for our children."

"Children takes its readers on a visual trek across the globe, where they discover that — despite our different clothes and homes and languages — we are more alike than different."
Caryl Stern, President and CEO, U.S. Fund for UNICEF

The Barefoot Book of Children, written by Tessa Strickland and Kate DePalma, illustrated by David Dean, was published on September 6, 2016 (64 pages, hardcover, $19.99 USD / $24.99 CAD).

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About Barefoot Books
Founded by two young mothers in England in 1992 and based in Cambridge, MA, Barefoot has published 600+ books for children that encourage discovery, compassion, creativity and global awareness. Learn more...

Contact Jeanne Stafford, [email protected], 617.335.7946 to receive an advance copy of The Barefoot Book of Children, for further resources or to arrange an interview.

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SOURCE Barefoot Books