The Book of Me: A Children’s Journal of Self-Knowledge: a children’s journal of self-discovery - Softcover

The School Of Life

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1912891611 ISBN 13: 9781912891610

Publisher: The School of Life Press, 2021

Synopsis

Daily journal for children aged 9-12 to promote self-knowledge, confidence, happiness and emotional well-being.

Children love to explore, born with a boundless desire to understand the world around them. While most of the outside world has already been mapped, there’s a whole other world that has yet to be discovered, one that’s accessible only to them: their own minds.

The Book of Me is a guided journal of self-discovery. It takes readers on a journey inside themselves, helping them explore their mind, their moods, their imagination, their conscience, and how they determine the course of their lives. Alongside wise and engaging explanations of ideas, each chapter contains a wealth of interactive exercises that together help to create a rich and unique self-portrait. Through writing, drawing, cutting out and colouring in, children can begin to untangle the mysteries of existence and work out who they really are (and who they might become…).

Combining psychology, philosophy and sheer fun, The Book of Me is an introduction to the vital art of self-knowledge, showing how it can help us grow into calmer, wiser and more rounded human beings.

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK OF ME

'Have you ever considered keeping a journal but not really known where it might be best to start? The look is over for The Book of Me is just what you have been looking for. A guided journal complete with spaces for you to record thoughts and feelings and plenty of information, facts, figures and of course illustration as well as colourful pages.' Armadillo magazine

'This book is very inspiring for young children who want to take themselves on adventures and accomplish dreams. It gives you an idea of what your life will be like when you grow up. It makes you want to picture your life in the future and it gets your mind racing with ideas. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone but especially those looking for an adventure.' Goodreads reviewer

'This book would be a great addition to any KS2 classroom, and would provide interesting discussion points during PSHE or general wellbeing sessions. This book could also be shared with younger children as a read aloud.' Mrs. I: Teaching Year 6

About this title

About the Author

The School of Life is a global organisation helping people lead more fulfilled lives. Through our range of books, gifts and stationery we aim to prompt more thoughtful natures and help everyone to find fulfilment. The School of Life is a resource for exploring self-knowledge, relationships, work, socialising, finding calm and enjoying culture through content, community and conversation. You can find us online, in stores and in welcoming spaces around the world offering classes, events and one-to-one therapy sessions. The School of Life is a rapidly growing global brand, with over 7 million YouTube subscribers, 389,000 Facebook followers, 239,000 Instagram followers and 163,000 Twitter followers. The School of Life Press brings together the thinking and ideas of the School of Life creative team under the direction of series editor, Alain de Botton. Their books share a coherent, curated message that speaks with one voice: calm, reassuring, and sane.

From the Back Cover

Daily journal for children aged 9-12 to promote self-knowledge, confidence, happiness and emotional well-being.

Children love to explore, born with a boundless desire to understand the world around them. While most of the outside world has already been mapped, there's a whole other world that has yet to be discovered, one that's accessible only to them: their own minds.

The Book of Me is a guided journal promoting self-discovery in children ages 9 to 14. With beautiful illustrations by Ben Jarvis throughout, the book takes readers on a journey inside themselves, helping them explore their mind, moods, imagination, bodies, and relationships.

Written in a warm and engaging tone, The Book of Me helps kids create a rich and unique self-portrait through fun exercises, including: Keeping a mood diary, writing down what emotion a song makes us feel, making up new words and their definitions, channeling Picasso by drawing an object or person in a new way and using shared knowledge to make friends.

By writing, drawing, cutting out, and coloring in, children can begin to untangle the mysteries of existence and work out who they really are-and who they might become.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Play

Young people are especially good at using their imagination. One way they do this isthrough play.

 
Most forms of play involve pretending, or make-believe. We might imagine thatinstead of a small person, we’re actually an international spy, or a murderous pirate. Or that we’re not in our back garden after all, but a tropical jungle, and that the stick we’re holding is really a sword, or a magician’s staff.

What’s your favourite thing to pretend to be?

What’s your favourite place to pretend to go?

Play is exercise for our imagination – just like running is exercise for our bodies. This is why play is just as important as work (despite what some grown-ups might say). It helps us develop our imagination.

Older people aren’t usually as good at using their imagination. It isn’t that imagination gets less powerful as we age, it’s just that most older people don’t make time to play. They think they are too busy, serious and grown-up. But this is a silly thing to think. Adults need to play just as much as children do (which is why it’s a good idea to encourage them to play games and pretend with you).

Why don’t you ask an adult how they would answer these questions?

What do you like to dress up as? Draw it below.

Creativity

When we use our imagination to make something, we are being creative. There are lots of ways of being creative. We might:

Paint an egg

Write a short story

Make a drawing

Write a song

Invent a dance

Decorate a cake

Do an impression

Make a model out of clay

Just like playing, being creative helps us exercise our imagination. The more things we create, the more we can train our imagination to grow more powerful.

We can be creative anywhere, though we might find there are some places where we are more creative than others. Some people find they are most creative when they’re in the bath or the shower.

When do you feel most creative?

Where do you feel most creative?

Originality

Sometimes, our imagination can come up with something that has never been thought of before. This is called inventing, or being original.

Can you invent a new animal? Draw one below. You could try to make it out of bits of other animals (like the head of a lion and the body of a snake, for example).

The author Lewis Carroll wrote a poem called ‘Jabberwocky’, which he filled with neologisms – original words that he invented. Here is the first verse:

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

Can you spot the neologisms? Underline or circle them.

Why don’t you make up some new words? Come up with three new words and write down what they mean.

Edition details

• Publisher: The School of Life Press
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1912891611
• ISBN 13: 9781912891610
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192