As an organization, we are not afraid to admit that this may sound dramatic or clich?d, but we believe that the world is full of an unseen hope that resides within each of us. We know that all people have something to offer, if only a story or a blessing. We are not trying to save the world; we simply hope to offer people a place to start when they seek to address the tough issues in their lives or in the world. Understanding the spirit of generosity in the modern world is not easy. For most, it is difficult to know where to start. Recognizing that generosity is fundamentally a reciprocal phenomenon, we seek to harness the creative capital in the world to generate opportunities for self-empowerment in those parts of the world that are often neglected despite widespread media coverage. For us, this is about relationships in their simplest form.
Yesterday was Earth Day, a day that is celebrated worldwide to show appreciation and to give awareness about our natural environment; in many countries they celebrate Earth Week. In some ways I don’t feel that a day or a week is enough to give in celebration, not only in the trees and the ground beneath our feet, but the insects, the animals, the plants and our species. The Natural Environment by definition means all living and non-living things that occur naturally. In my heart I think we should all celebrate in small ways the appreciation that sometimes goes neglected, to the Earth and all that it encompasses, that has sustained us for centuries. There are so many places we don’t even know about, so many animals that have yet to be brought to our awareness; many of them endangered, many of their habitats being lost. In some places, though, there are people who have woven themselves together through the difficulties in their lives to teach us through stories. Women and children from all around the world sharing with us, in each book, their culture, their life, global issues and education.
Dot-to-Dot Children’s Books views children’s books as wonderful platforms for affecting social change: we engage young women and children around the world in writing children’s books, providing them with an enriching and empowering experience; our books highlight regions and cultures around the world, as well as important global issues, educating the children, parents, and teachers who read our books; sales of our books raise money to support the causes featured in our books; and our projects bring together scores of individuals around the world to edit, design, illustrate, test, distribute, and share our books -giving people around the world an opportunity to make a difference.
I was given the wonderful opportunity to review a handful of the Dot-to-Dot Children’s Books from their Endangered Species – Empowered Communities Series, these included:
- Yara’s Amazing Nose – Learn how a nose transforms an identity and a friendship for one of the most unique creatures in the animal kingdom – the lowland tapir! Written in Collaboration with 20 girls from Tumupasa, Bolivia.
- Carey’s First Day – Follow Carey the hawksbill sea turtle as he navigates the hazardous journey from his nest to his future home in the open ocean. Written in Collaboration with Fabretto Children’s Foundation Students in San Isidro de Bolas.
- When Honey the Tiger Flew – When Honey the Tiger Flew is the story of a young
tiger who, through determination and ingenuity, rescues his mother. Written in Collaboration with the Somaly Mam Foundation Voices of Change. - The Snow Leopard Dream – Under blue skies dotted by clouds in a remote region, a young girl overcomes her fears and befriends a snow leopard. Written in collaboration with Help the Afghan Children’s Rokhshana Girls School.
- Ndeze and Ndakasi’s New Home – Two orphan mountain gorillas learn the ways of the world as they find a new home. Written in Collaboration with Tungane & Mugunga Primary School Students in DR Congo.
- Shuba and the Cyclone – A river dolphin loses her way after a cyclone and a crocodile becomes an accidental hero. Written in Collaboration with Young Women & Children from Chandpai & Dhamrai, Bangladesh.
- Sam Learns Some Lessons – Using the wisdom of elders, a herd of elephants cope with a water shortage. Written in Collaboration with AfricAid’s 2010 Kisa Scholars.
- Kajo and Akari’s New Friend – Seeking adventure, brother chimpanzees chase a butterfly through the forest. Written in Collaboration with Young Women from Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda.
Each Dot-to-Dot Children’s Book supports an Organization and the profits from those books goes directly to the cause in which it is assisting, most often the author(s) belong to a school or Organization that benefits from it. You can click on the title of each book and be taken directly to the page that will teach you more about the children and/or women that wrote the stories and how each book sale directly affects them.
At the end of each book there are pages dedicated to the story that include:
- The animals they write about and why they are in endangered.
- Facts about the country and the Life there.
- About the Authors and the Organization they are contributing to.
- The Founder of the Organization and why they need your help.
- What you can do to help spread the word and support the Organizations.
Connect:
You can connect with Dot-to-Dot Children’s Books on Facebook and find out how you can Get Involved at Dot-to-Dot.
Buy It!
You can buy the Endangered Species and Empowering Communities stories for $13.95 each, proceeds go towards the Organizations that support them.
The Giveaway: How would you like to win all 8 of the Endangered Species and Empowering Communities Series? To enter the giveaway please follow all of the directions below! If you don’t follow the rules, you can’t win!
