BOOKS: My Side of the Car

Congratulations to Kristi Davidson for winning this week's book giveaway!  While this contest is now closed, please come back to SixSeeds for more giveaways for good, family, fun!

At SixSeeds, we believe in the power of a good story... even the books our small children are hearing and reading.  Stories have an amazing power to move, inspire, and sometimes even transform lives... even young lives. This week, we take a popular kids' book and examine it. Hopefully, the next time you're browsing though a crowded bookstore...  you can choose wisely!

Title: My Side of the Car

Author: Kate Feiffer 

Illustrator: Jules Feiffer

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Cost: $11.55

Buy it: here

Patience or Persistance?  Which one saves the day?

Father and daughter duo, Jules and Kate Feiffer, have created My Side of the Car -- a tale of a young girl and her father driving to the zoo. 

The pair attempted the excursion in the past, but each time something thwarts their efforts.  But, not this time… daughter Sadie is determined that nothing will stop them.

No lost dogs, no grandparent visits. (Not even an escaped tiger!)

Sadie, ecstatic they are finally en route to their destination, narrates along the drive.

“We’re having the best time ever.  Until my dad says to me, “Sadie, it’s raining.”

But Sadie insists, “It’s not raining on my side of the car.”

Can her optimism actually change the weather?

What follows is an endearing tale of a daughter’s persistance and a father’s patience.

The Bottom Line:

This storyline is quite clever and well written, using repetition in a compelling way.

It’s easy to appreciate Sadie’s optimistic determination; she makes you want to cheer for her. Perhaps it’s the contagious way she deals with disappointment -– it’s not pouty or disrespectful, she just really wants to go to the zoo!

Even so, my kids and nephews weren’t quite as captivated with this book as I was.  Some of the subjective nature might just be hard to appreciate as a kid – it’s the sort of observation that grows more poignant with time. (The authors share the conversation that prompted the writing of this book, and this interaction between the two will bring a chuckle to parents.)

To Talk to Your Kids About:

Sometimes kids are disappointed by turns-of-events that do not even register with us. Try finding out what your kids consider their biggest disappointment. (My kids surprised me with their answers!)

Sadie was quite optimistic, and this time it really served her well. Talk to the kiddos about optimism and realism. Do each have their appropriate place?

For Parents to Consider:

The Proverb points out that “Hope deferred makes the heart sick”, but how do we walk our kids through the inevitable heartaches of childhood? How much should we shelter them from disappointments, and how much should we let them walk into them?

We are giving this book away this week! Please leave a comment for a chance to win. We always love to hear from you.

On one week from publication at noon (EST), we'll pick a name in a random drawing from all eligible entries received and send you an email notification.  When you receive your package in the mail, you'll find out which book you received!

Limit one (1) entry per person; NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and Washington D.C. who are 18 or older as of date of entry.