A kindness and gratitude journal that teaches you to be kinder to yourself and others and helps you create inspiring messages for all. It all started with a single stone on a beach in Cape Cod and now spans the globe. The Kindness Rocks Project, founded by Megan Murphy, author of A Pebble for Your Thoughts, is based on the profound truth that one kind message at the right moment can change someone’s day, their outlook, and their whole life. This rock painting project has become an international grassroots movement! The messages on these positivity pebbles take many forms: gratitude, affirmations, encouragement, offers of hope?all signposts along the way for someone to find at exactly the right time. Now more than ever, people are longing for kindness and connection. During these uncertain times, daily news reports focus on disturbing events of terrorism, gun violence, senseless murders, and political bickering. We are bombarded with images that evoke fear and hostility. The Kindness Rocks Journal provides a space to create a positive counteraction to all this negativity. Sometimes, all it takes is just one simple positive message to change your perspective, and that is what this interactive writing journal aims to help you do. In the Kindness Rocks Journal, you will have space to:Respond to helpful journal prompts, affirmations, and quotesGrow through hard times with kindness and joyLearn how to paint an inspirational Kindness Rock and share it with others Fans of Start with Gratitude, The Kindness Challenge and the Chicken Soup for the Soul books will love the Kindness Rocks Journal.

Do you find yourself wanting more out of life? It’s time to bring play to your every day Play is not just for kids! There are many reasons we need play in our lives. The Playful Life shows you why and how to bring more playfulness to all aspects of your life. You’ll explore how to create meaningful, relevant, and fun experiences for yourself and others through both a playful mindset and playful behaviors. Through research and 20+ years of teaching children and adults, authors Dr. Julie Jones and Jed Dearybury have found that play is not only fun, it’s essential to a full life. In this book, they share their knowledge and inspire you to reflect on the need for connection and joy for healthy living through play. This book will equip you with new definitions, ideas, and ways of thinking about play for your daily life. With a relaxed tone, comical banter, and real talk, the authors encourage new understandings about what play is and empower you to make more playful choices. If you strive to find balance, overcome stress, and enjoy each day through play—The Playful Life is a must read for your life journey! Learn what play means and why it’s so essential to our everyday lives—at every age Discover the incredible benefits of play to your physical and mental health Get ideas for incorporating play into your everyday life at work, at home, or when you’re out and about Begin healing past traumas and grow into the person you are meant to be—through play and playful living! Building on the popular book The Playful Classroom, this is a new and exciting take on what play does for all of us-- physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively.

Lively writing, colorful photos, and bright borders make this craft book particularly inviting. The real fun begins with Linda Kranz offering step-by-step, well-illustrated directions for decorating small, flat stones with flowers, animals, heart shapes, sports motifs, foods, places, holiday designs, and more. The finished items are perfect gifts, which young children, perennially in search of inexpensive presents, will appreciate. By providing hours of creative entertainment at little cost, this offering is sure to be popular with crafty children and their teachers and caregivers.

Jam-packed with 365 "happiness prompters," this colorful journal is sure to brighten your day. Each page features a specific intention, inspiring quote, surprising scientific fact, or thought-provoking question to ponder. When you approach your day with Salmansohn's "happiness prompters" in mind, you amp up your ability to notice (and create ) many more joyous moments in your day. But that's just half of what it takes to live a supremely happy life. This journal teaches the top two habits of happy people: to naturally set their intention to enjoy a happy day, then end the day reflecting on what made them happy. When you end your day writing about what went right, you further strengthen your happiness mindset. With fill-in dates so that you can write and reflect at your own pace, this little journal features a graphic design and fresh attitude perfect for today's modern happiness-seeker.

As seen on the Today show. “Maybe the thing I love most of all is how these sweet rocks give people hope, sometimes when they need it the most.” —Becca Anderson, author of Bad Ass Affirmations It all started with a single stone on a beach in Cape Cod and now spans the globe. The Kindness Rocks Project, founded by Megan Murphy, is based on the profound truth that one kind message at the right moment can change someone’s day, their outlook, and their whole life. The project has become an international grassroots movement! The messages on these thoughtful pebbles take many forms: gratitude, affirmations, encouragement, offers of hope, all signposts along the way for someone to find at exactly the right time. Sometimes, all it takes is just one simple positive message to change your perspective and that is what this book aims to do. Through visual photos of inspirational Kindness rocks, readers can connect the meaning of the rock to their life situations or circumstances. Along with instructions on how to create your own rock, you will learn: How to cultivate compassion and connection How to grow through hard times Affirmations to boost self-esteem and offer hope How one act of kindness can change a life A completely unique kind of art therapy for healing and helping “This idea is so right on so many levels. The tactile reminder of thoughts to enrich our lives. The unlimitedness of rocks similar to the abundant ways we can be more compassionate. And, I love its double message: physical rocks with meaningful messages, and, the fact that kindness truly does rock.” —Allen Klein, author of The Art of Living Joyfully

An NPR Best Book of 2021 NYPL 10 Best Books for Adults, 2021 A story collection, in the vein of Carmen Maria Machado, Kelly Link, and Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, spanning worlds and dimensions, using strange and speculative elements to tackle issues ranging from class differences to immigration to first-generation experiences to xenophobia What does it mean to be other? What does it mean to love in a world determined to keep us apart? These questions murmur in the heart of each of Brenda Peynado’s strange and singular stories. Threaded with magic, transcending time and place, these stories explore what it means to cross borders and break down walls, personally and politically. In one story, suburban families perform oblations to cattlelike angels who live on their roofs, believing that their “thoughts and prayers” will protect them from the world’s violence. In another, inhabitants of an unnamed dictatorship slowly lose their own agency as pieces of their bodies go missing and, with them, the essential rights that those appendages serve. “The Great Escape” tells of an old woman who hides away in her apartment, reliving the past among beautiful objects she’s hoarded, refusing all visitors, until she disappears completely. In the title story, children begin to levitate, flying away from their parents and their home country, leading them to eat rocks in order to stay grounded. With elements of science fiction and fantasy, fabulism and magical realism, Brenda Peynado uses her stories to reflect our flawed world, and the incredible, terrifying, and marvelous nature of humanity.

An award-winning, shareable, cozy hug of a picture book featuring Ishi, an optimistic little rock who reminds readers to choose and share happiness! The ISHI book features a simple rock character which appeals to a wide audience,with valuable lessons in compassion for the self and for others. The FROM / TO page on the inside cover of this picture book encourages the readers to share the book and pass it on with kindness, which creates opportunities for the readers to experience the joy of giving. Previously available as a self published sensation, Ishi is now coming to bookstores worldwide! AWARDS: - Gold Award, National Parenting Publications Awards 2015 - Finalist, Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2015 - Silver Medal, Benjamin Franklin Book Award 2015 - Gold Medal, Mom's Choice Awards 2014 - Finalist, The Wishing Shelf Independent Book Awards 2013 "Ishi is a hit in our house. Its demanded almost every night!"--Anna C Lem, a mom from San Francisco "This little book is a tiny gem!"--Benjamin Franklin Book Awards "Had a bad day? Then open this little book and you'll feel better. Much better"--The Wishing Shelf Awards

Raising kind, confident, and resilient kids in today's fast-paced world can feel like an overwhelming challenge. But what if you had a treasure chest of engaging activities to make character-building fun and effective? Enter "The Good Kid Toolkit" – your go-to resource for fostering positive behaviors in children ages 4-12. Packed with 200 creative, evidence-based activities, this book transforms character education into an adventure of growth and discovery. From empathy-building games to confidence-boosting challenges, each activity is designed to nurture essential life skills while creating lasting memories. Inside, you'll discover: ---Easy-to-implement activities for home, classroom, or therapy settings ---Age-appropriate variations to grow with your child ---Reflection questions to deepen learning and spark meaningful conversations ---Expert tips for handling common behavioral challenges