A few months ago, during a usual busy evening with the exception of being heavily pregnant, I was huffing and puffing, folding clothes, picking up toy cars up off the floor and rushing to get dinner ready when I heard Georgie talking in his room. Loudly. It was 8.30 and he was supposed to be in bed. Manically, I made my way up the stairs, fired up to give him a scolding. But then I stopped. As I came closer to his bedroom door I realised he wasn’t talking. He was reading.
And while he has been able to read since last year, this was the first time it actually occurred to me: that now, my little boy can read. All those dreams I had of giving him books with beautiful tales and colourful characters are now coming alive. We’re at that moment.
That’s why I am overjoyed to be partnering with MyBook Heroes, a local book-developing company made up of a brilliant team of people who are devoted to sharing important life skills for little ones through books. It’s a fantastic initiative that I thoroughly support.
Soon after I began communicating with them about writing a blog post I began doing some research. I discovered that MyBook Heroes delivers a powerful and inspiring type of read for kids. It allows them to become the character in the book. You actually have the option of naming the hero of the book after your son or daughter. And here comes the really impressive part: that child is a character who is fighting to find his self-esteem, to learn how to lead, develop courage and perseverance, gaining valuable life skills through adventures and fun.
Georgie was sent a book. It arrived in a big brown envelope and it has a special dedication to him from mama and papa. Because you have the option of doing THAT too. I chose the character I thought looked most like him. He’s been rocking his short hair lately and feeling mighty proud so I chose the coolest little dude in an orange t-shirt with short brown hair slicked back with a little flick in the front. So cool.
That’s another thing about MyBook Heroes. The illustrations are on point and exactly what young readers want. Georgie said he loved that it looked like a comic. ‘The little boy really does look like me with my backpack too!’ There’s attention to detail to inspire a mind that’s just beginning to discover the meaning of words. The books take place in reality, there’s a strong message on practically every page and there’s a bit of fantasy too. It’s the perfect combination for a curious minds, something that all children are.
MyBook Heroes is perfect for reading aloud too. Which is something I absolutely love doing. I read to Georgie every night up until recently when HE started doing the reading. James, two years old, is at that perfect age right now so I’m excited about getting back into the beautiful rhythm of reading to child of mine. I haven’t tried reading Discover the Courage in You to James. Maybe I should.
The rhyming story comes with steps too, on exactly what to do when they are faced with a problem. When I was asked to prepare a book for Georgie I chose Discover the Courage in You and loved that it touched on a variety of self-esteem issues, something so valuable to a growing boy. I liked messages it contained such as :
Step Three is to know that it is ok, when courage sometimes appears, and then suddenly fades. Just stick to your plan and keep on going, even if it is raining and the wind is blowing.
Georgie read the book that night. I listened as he took pauses between turning pages obviously studying the pictures that boast a range of characters, all with adorable expressions to suit the storyline. The next day, he exclaimed: It gave me 100 ideas how not to be scared!
My Book Heroes is offering all you lovely blog readers a 10% discount on website purchases using the special promo code GEORGIE10. The discount applies until July 15 2018.
A competition on Instagram and Facebook will follow too. So make sure you follow both Georgie’s Mummy and My Book Heroes on Instagram and Facebook for a chance to win the same book Georgie has, Discover the Courage in You. Available in both Greek or English, it will feature your child’s name as the hero and a personalised dedication.
To customise, place an order and grab a book from My Book Heroes and to check out more click on their website here.
