Begin with the end in mind and the end is a new generation full of intelligent, well balanced, sensitive, strong and community-conscious adults that work together toward a more cohesive, joyful peaceful world.
Turns out we shouldn’t be so quick to turn our young children into advanced readers. Research has shown picture books to be a more effective way to not only transmit information but retain it longterm. The study suggests that some picture books contain more advanced language than books without pictures. In fact, publishers praise the picture book for the particular way it can develop a child’s critical thinking skills.
The development of these cognitive skills are especially useful when dealing with tough issues, and helping children understand the complex world around them. Researchers have found that the brain activity that occurs when we read fiction is very similar to experiencing that situation in real life, so reading about a situation helps children work out how to solve it in reality.
Scientists are discovering that chemicals like cortisol, dopamine, and oxytocin are released in the brain when we’re told a story. When it comes to creating deeper connections with others, oxytocin is associated with empathy, an important element in developing, deepening or maintaining good relationships
Between the swapping of picture books for chapter books, television, and digital media, the demand for picture books has been steadily declining. This, in turn, has resulted in the number of these books available decreasing each year. Not having these fictional picture books available to children would truly do a disservice to our youth and future generations.
Blandine Carsalade, the creator of Book Prunelle, recognizes the importance of ensuring these books are available to children because she has seen the profound effect they have had on her own children.
One day while reading to her children Carsalade realized that she was not happy with the selection of picture books available, which catapulted her to create a technology-driven solution. Being very environmentally and socially conscious she didn’t want to contribute toward the killing of more trees and burning of toxic chemicals. She knew she needed an alternative to traditional publishing, so she created a unique online interactive children’s book publishing platform called Book Prunelle. “We offer children a way to scratch their digital itch that also plants the seeds of social consciousness as well as addresses tough issues in an entertaining, educational, reassuring and ecological way.” Says Carsalade. “Specifically we help children build community consciousness and emotional intelligence through the magic of storytelling in its most effective form; through picture books.”
By combining the most effective type of learning around a “being part of the solution” mentality we can help to form at a very high level our future politicians, CEOs, medical professionals, and so on. Carsalade’s philosophy is, to begin with, the end in mind and the end is a new generation full of intelligent, well balanced, sensitive, strong and community-conscious adults that work together toward a more cohesive, joyful peaceful world.