While Valentine's Day is typically thought of as a day for romance, it's worth remembering that what our world really needs right now is the sort of love that is exemplified by kindness, compassion, and tolerance.
As writers and illustrators of children's books, it's even more important for us to keep those rare qualities of our better nature in mind. After all, our young readers are looking to the adults in their lives as role models. Unfortunately, right now, what they see is a polarized world full of bickering, bullying, and selfishness. This unbecoming behavior can be found in every religion and political party, despite the fact that children look to those exact communities for guidance. It's frightening.
Children's books have long been a haven and a refuge for kids who find themselves in situations that are challenging. It seems that living in the world we do, every child would benefit from reading a story where they see kindness, compassion, and courage; wonderful tales set in all sorts of settings, and with a diverse cast of characters. We need to provide all the children of our world with a refuge, now more than ever.
Happy Valentine's Day!
