There is a, sometimes, inexplicable magic noticeable in children’s books—especially those books that connect children to subjects that many parents find challenging to communicate: subjects like “feelings” and “emotions”. How could children’s books bridge the gap between parent and child in communicating emotional states? And just what goes behind the creation of a children’s books? That is what we talk about in this episode.
We invited author Josh Langley to talk about the power of children’s books.
Josh Langley is an award-winning author and illustrator who published 7 books in 8 years! His second book It’s Okay to Feel the Way You Do won the 2018 Australian Book Industry Award Small Publisher’s Children’s Book of the Year. Josh is an engaging speaker who appears at writers’ festivals, workshops, and primary-school events. He is also a multi-award-winning radio creative writer who runs his creative agency. As of the moment, he runs workshops based on his latest book for adults Find Your Creative Mojo: How to Overcome Fear, Procrastination, and Self-Doubt to Express Your True Self. He lives in 7.5 acres in the southwest of Western Australia where he spends a lot of time talking with flowers.
Key Learnings
- What drives Josh in the work that he does
- How Josh wrote 7 books in 8 years!
- How writing about your own story makes it easier for you to write
- How Josh manages his ideas
- The story of how Josh learned how to draw
- The story of Josh’s first book, Being You is Enough
- The magic of writing and reading children’s books
- Why showing how we make friends with our emotions as parents have a powerful effect on our children
- Why listening—and not fixing the child’s emotions—is, sometimes, the best solution
- A teaser about Josh’s upcoming book, Magnificent Mistakes and Fantastic Failures: Finding the Good When Things Seem Bad.
- Josh’s “five-year” vision
Quotes
“How can I help myself and, in that process, helping others at the same time?”
“If the kids see the parents being real—honestly real—then they’d mirror those actions, behaviors, and emotions.”
“The most important things for kids to learn: resilience, curiosity, creativity, and empathy. They’re the most important things they need to know now, because the world is going to change so fast.”
Links
- https://joshlangley.com.au/
- Don’t forget to subscribe: chataboutchildren.com/subscribe
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Any information and links presented within the Chatabout Children with Sonia Bestulic podcast are aimed to provide general information and advice only.
Information is to be used at the discretion of the consumer/ listener.
The information presented does not replace or substitute the expert advice received from a direct consultation with the relevant qualified professional.
