Book Giveaway: Leap Back Home To Me

Congratulations to Amber Castleberry 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.  The books our children are hearing and reading will move, inspire, and sometimes even shape their 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, our reviews will help you sort through the thousands of titles…  and you can choose wisely.

Title: Leap Back Home to Me

Author and Illustrator: Lauren Thompson

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Cost: $10.87

Buy it: Here

It’s graduation time. I am not even a parent of a graduate (unless you count fifth grade… sniff.) But, ceremonies around the nation serve to remind us that childhood is, in deed, fleeting.

Lauren Thompson’s newest bestseller will resonate with parents in the midst of this season of endings and new beginnings. Leap Back Home To Me blends silly and sweet to create a touching story of a mother encouraging her young frog to explore the vast world.  To make it even more whimsically compelling, Matthew Cordell’s watercolor and ink illustrations complement Thompson’s work.

Mama Frog and her little one begin their tale, side by side, on a lily pad; but the youngster quickly progresses to tiny hops away from his Mom’s side. Following her parental encouragement, he leaps over the tickly clover, and soon works his way to bigger and better things…

Leap frog over the owl’s nest.

Leap frog over the trees.

Leap frog over the rocky hilltop, (WHEEEEE!)

Then leap back home to me!

With each incremental leap, the frog is reminded to return to his Mama (where she awaits with books, food, and other comforts of home.)  

The Bottom Line:

Leap Back Home To Me is sweet without forcing sentimentalism. However, the ending might give parents pause, simply because it reminds us of how quickly kids grow up and that one day it will be the child’s decision when – and how frequently!  -- to come home. 

To Talk to Your Kids About:

Do you have a child who thinks they are ready to fly the coop now? Or do you have one who is really timid about moving away from you at all? What are healthy ways to hold back the ones raring to go? Encourage the ones who need the extra boost? This book provides the opportunity to discuss this with your kids.

Is your situation a little more complicated, in that you have a child who never seems to seek out home as a primary place of reference? Does every venture require you to chase him or her (either physically or emotionally)? 

It can be discouraging to fear you are slowly losing influence in your child’s life. If so, this book might help you to get a glimpse into your kids’ thinking -- why do they think frog always came back home?

For Parents to Consider:

One of the poignant themes of this book is the pattern of parental encouragement that precedes healthy maturation. Wise parenting often leads to a well -balanced adult who chooses to come home. Where do you find yourself needing to grow in the encouragement department, and where does thinking about your kid’s growing up bring fear or doubt?

This book brings up another interesting point – do you loosen the reigns (like Mama Frog) as the kids get older, or have you chosen the opposite parenting philosophy (by choice or by necessity)? 

Tell us your thoughts!

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.