Featured Titles for Kids: Making It Up & Magic of Rain + Hidden Gem
Making It Up by Christopher Mannino
Illustrated by Cory Reid
Published by Familius
World Rights Available
This book offers creative tools for building better connections through play.
“Yes, and . . .” Explore how the principles of theatre and improv can help parents engage in imaginative play with their children with actor and theater teacher Christopher Mannino.
Just ask a certain animated blue dog we all love: Play-centered parenting is what every young child wants and needs, yet it's hard to manage in today's busy, hectic world.
How can real-life parents with real responsibilities and stresses drop everything to be silly with their kids? You don't need to be a trained actor to engage in your child's imaginative world. It's easier than it sounds, and far more powerful than you can imagine.
With the techniques found in Making It Up, accompanied by playful illustrations from Cory Reid, you'll have more energy, more confidence, and a stronger relationship with your kids in just ten minutes a day. And you might just find yourself having fun!
Reviews
"Refreshing, exuberant, and levelheaded. . . . Making It Up is a delightful, accessible parenting guide with recommendations for incorporating creativity, respect, and wonder into playtime."―Kristen Rabe, Foreword Reviews
"Makes a convincing case that engaging in imaginative play with kids is an essential way for parents to combat stress and bond as a family. [Christopher] Mannino argues that the foundational ‘yes, and’ mindset of improv can provide a jumping-off point for caretakers and their children to shake off self-consciousness and get creative. . . . Mannino’s optimistic, inquisitive approach and concrete suggestions will help parents rediscover the thrill of imagination."―Publishers Weekly
“Christopher's techniques will help you engage in play with your child in a way that builds imagination. Whether your kid dreams of fantastic dragons, silly adventures, or everyday activities, this book will help you find a way to connect and create stories together.” –Tracey West, NYT Bestselling Author of over 200 children's books
"Christopher is on to something powerful. Some of my daughter's favorite childhood moments happened during unstructured playtime with her parents. Creating massive forts in the living room and pretending to stand up to bullies were highlights for my daughter." –Tal Eyre author of Dad Mode: 25 Ways to Connect with Your Children
Christopher Mannino's writing journey began when he was stranded on the Cornish coast, near the legendary birthplace of King Arthur—an experience that inspired his debut series, The Scythe Wielder's Secret. He studied mythology, theatre, and literature in the U.S. and at Oxford. A former theatre teacher, Mannino now travels the world with his wife and two inspiring children, writing fiction and nonfiction for children and adults alike. An expert in helping parents and kids connect, Mannino has been featured in Business Insider, Newsweek, Parenting Today, and PBS. Drawing on his experiences as a theatre teacher, improvisation coach, and stay-at-home dad, his approach encourages imaginative play to strengthen adult-child relationships.
Cory Reid is a British children’s illustrator and designer who has contributed to numerous picture books and early readers. His work combines digital detailing with textured visual style. He began his career in the creative industry as a greetings card designer, before transitioning into children’s publishing.
Reid has worked with publishers such as Usborne, Owlet Press and Charlesbridge. He lives in Kettering.
Magic of RAIN by Pinelopi Sioni
Illustrated by Avital Yomdin
Published by Books That Save Lives
World Rights Available
Age Range: 3 - 8 years
A story showing how meditation helps children with anxiety, fear and feelings.
The Magic of RAIN is a transformative children’s book that introduces the power of mindfulness and emotional regulation through the practice of RAIN meditation. Endorsed by Tara Brach, this book offers a simple and engaging way to teach young readers emotional resilience.
Parents looking to introduce their children to the benefits of mindfulness and emotional awareness will find this book to be a life-changing resource. Through a beautifully illustrated and engaging story, young readers will learn to manage difficult emotions with ease and self-compassion.
The Magic of RAIN gently guides children through the RAIN meditation process to help them manage emotions. Readers will Recognize their feelings, Allow them to be present without judgment, Investigate where the feelings are felt in the body, and Nurture themselves with kindness and compassion. This approach fosters emotional resilience, mindfulness, and self-acceptance, empowering children to handle difficult emotions with ease and care.
Inside, you’ll find:
A simple yet powerful introduction to teaching meditation and mindfulness for children.
An engaging story that fosters mood regulation and emotional intelligence for young readers.
Endorsement from Tara Brach, leading voice on the RAIN meditation technique, making it an ideal meditation gift for families, libraries, and spiritual centers.
Guidance and helpful tips for parents using this meditation technique.
Reviews
"The Magic of RAIN offers children (and adults) a simple and potentially life-changing pathway for handling difficult emotions.” —Tara Brach, author of Radical Acceptance and Radical Compassion, and a leading voice in RAIN meditation
“Behind every difficult feeling is a part of you that’s hurt,” says Yaya—and that’s the truth. Likewise, behind every book that gently helps children navigate their emotions, as beautifully and succinctly as Magic of RAIN does, is an author with a part that is kind, wise, and capable of showing a highly recommended, practical path to transform emotional storms into sunny self-compassion—and that’s the truth of Magic of RAIN.“ —Dipl.-Psych. Ana Cristina Pires–Systemic Psychotherapist for Individuals, Couples and Families, IFS-Therapist and Supervisor
"Children yearn to be seen. This wonderful book provides exactly that through its elegant and profound writing, offering this gift with remarkable generosity." —Ilana Weiser-Senesh, Author, playwright, screenwriter and editor
Pinelopi Sioni is an embodiment guide of yoga, meditation, and the Alexander Technique, integrating trauma-informed principles and polyvagal theory into her work. She views emotions as messengers that, once welcomed and listened to, naturally move on. In 2013, she welcomed a wonderful daughter into her life. Since then, she has been exploring ways to connect the intricate emotional worlds of children with the beauty of meditation. To her surprise, she discovered that she could effectively use a simplified version of RAIN with her daughter as early as age three. Her dream is to help people of all ages connect with and express their emotions more easily, fostering a world with less unresolved grief and pain.
Avital Yomdin is an Israeli artist based and working in Berlin. After studying theater design in Israel, she began making art mainly in the field of street art. It naturally evolved into installations, examining the connection between space and spectator from a dramatic point of view in the public sphere. Her world of reference is always tied to the material she works with; it is intuitive and somewhat casual. She uses found objects and strips them from their original purpose, sometimes in a contradictory way. Much of her recent work deals with human portraits in connection with a piece of nature, all created with ready-made objects used out of context.
Indie Spotlight from Our Marketplace
My Name is Winter
By Athena Grace
World Rights Available
Age range: 4 - 6 years
Meet Winter, your sparkling bundle of joy brimming with boundless adventure! Carefree and vibrant, she views the world through a kaleidoscope of colors. Dive into her explorations, discoveries, and endless excitement in this captivating, beautifully illustrated book crafted for young girls and eternal kids at heart!
Why you should check out this title
A child’s imagination and creativity knows no limits. Therefore, our children must be encouraged to soar to the great heights for which they are capable.
About the Author
Athena Grace aspired to become a writer in 10th grade, she fulfilled her dream a few yeas later, when she returned to writing with an idea for unique children’s books: each would rhyme while weaving an intriguing story. Her works highlight compassion, curiosity, life lessons, inner strength, and the value of children thinking independently. She seeks to inspire goals, ambitions, and adventures through reading, while encouraging young readers to venture outside, explore nature, and observe the world through their own eyes. Recognizing children’s natural inquisitiveness, she aims to cultivate their confidence, desire to help others, and drive to pursue learning.
