Review of My First Gratitude Journal: Fun and Fast Ways for Kids to Give Daily Thanks

Grateful kids are happy kids!

Practicing gratitude increases happiness, improves self-esteem, and lowers levels of stress—and this easy-to-use journal is sure to help kids tap into that extraordinary power for the first time. Through writing and drawing, children will learn to give daily thanks for the good in their lives. Every ten days they’ll respond to more in-depth prompts that ask them to think about gratitude on a broader scale. Best of all, they’ll develop a healthy habit for the rest of their lives.

My First Gratitude Journal features:

• EASY TO USE PAGES: Simple daily prompts make the journal easy to use and thought-provoking at the same time.
• WRITING AND DRAWING: Each daily page is split into halves—the top half for writing and the bottom half for drawing. Kids can be as creative as they want to make the journal their own.
• THE BENEFITS OF GRATITUDE: Slowing down to appreciate the good in their lives teaches kids how to be both mindful and grateful.
• A CHARMING KEEPSAKE: Parents and children will enjoy reading this journal years down the road to see what they were grateful for in their childhood.

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**My thoughts**

Journaling is a hot topic these days, particularly among adults. I remember doing a lot of journaling when I was a kid, so I am happy to see some journals coming out that are geared toward the younger generation. And I am particularly fond of the idea of teaching kids to find something to be grateful for every single day. This journal is simple, requiring the child to basically write one sentence about something for which they are grateful every day and why. And then for those who love to draw, there is a drawing space included on each page. If the child is more verbal, (s)he can continue to write in that space. They are also encouraged to decorate their journal in any way that they feel expresses their daily gratitude. And then there are pages that are more specific, including friends, families, and more in their daily lives. I like that you get some extra prompts, because even for adults, some days it can be hard to think of something. It's a great starting point for the new, young journaling kid.

Thank you to the publisher for fulfilling my review request via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

'Mom Made Us Write This in the Summer (Max and Maggie Series #1)' by Ali Maier

Synopsis:

A sister and brother, forced to write in the summer, and share ONE journal? Ugh. This is exactly what happens to 10-year-old twins Maggie and Max Pruitt. When Mom comes up with a plan for them to keep a summer journal, Maggie and Max can’t believe it. Worse yet, they have to share!

Through their writing, Maggie and Max find out they have very different (and hilarious) views about growing up, family and life.

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About the Author:

Author Ali Maier's writing show a unique and funny perspective on family. She has a degree in elementary education from John Carroll University, and is the parent of two close-in-age siblings. In addition to writing and being a mom, Ali and her husband have spent the past 20 years building their interactive web marketing company based in OH.

Website - www.MomMadeUsWriteThis.com

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Review of Gossip From the Girls' Room

Books in the form of diaries or journals seem to be the latest craze in chapter books for elementary-aged kids. One of my darling 8 1/2 year-olds has been working her way through the series The Diary of a Wimpy Kid and is graciously letting me borrow them to review. Her current read is Gossip From the Girls' Room by Rose Cooper.


Similar to Wimpy Kid, the story is typed out in a handwriting-like font on lined journal pages with illustrations presumably done by the author. This time it is a girl telling the story. Sofia Becker uses it as her handwritten "Pre-Blogging Notebook" and doesn't allow anyone to read it, except for her best friend Nona. Usually the day following her handwritten entries, her thoughts go up on her real blog, which is "almost popular." She writes under the psudonym "Blogtastic Blogger." Her thoughts reflect what she has seen and heard while attending Middlebrooke Middle School, where many students have a teacher-monitored blog.

She spends a lot of her time hiding out in the bathroom stall, spying on the other girls when they come into the restroom. Her favorite target is Mia St. Claire, the most popular girl at school. She likes to create all kinds of gossip by posting everything on her blog, whether or not it is actually true. This part of the book reminds me a bit about Harriet The Spy, which was popular when I was young. Harriet also spend hours watching people and jotting notes about what was going on. Sometimes she even printed her observations in the school newspaper. Perhaps that was some of the other inspiration for this book?

Along the way, Sofia learns small lessons about why gossip is not nice. She finds herself being the butt of jokes and discussion and gets into big fights with her BFF.

The book was a fast and easy read for me. I don't really care for the tone of Sofia's character. I find her to be somewhat snotty and not at all like most of the girls at her level of social skills that I remember from my junior high days. She is not quite the kind of girl I would want my girls to emulate. She does mature a bit by the end of the book, and probably will develop more as the series continues. (Book 2 was due out this spring.)

Gossip could provide a foundation for discussions about why gossiping is not okay and how damaging it can be. It can help to teach how to properly blog, especially when discussing other people. It's an easy book that will capture the attention of girls who need something a little easier to read to engage them. I may or may not check out the next installment, should I come across it. The 8 1/2 year-old loves it and will probably read the entire series.