Happy Water, Sad Water: A Story to Prepare Kids for Floods and the Aftermath
Read For Hope
February 20, 2016
E-book
37
Read For Hope
Intended for little ones, this book teaches kids how to prepare themselves in the event of floods and the aftermath.
At the heart of this story is Read for Hope’s vision to spread hope and advocate care for the environment especially for disaster-prone coastal communities in the Philippines.
The e-storybook aims to raise funds for the reconstruction of the library in Sulangan Central School, Guian, Eastern Samar on August 25-28, 2o16.
One of my advocacies is reading and it’s something I pass along to my kids. But I love reading (and blogging) the books I’ve read even more when I know I’m helping a worthy cause. That is precisely why I’m writing a review of this children’s book by Read For Hope called Happy Water, Sad Water: A Story To Prepare Kids for Floods and The Aftermath.
First let me tell you about the organization behind the book.
About Read For Hope:
Read For Hope started as an outreach activity created in response to the Yolanda (Haiyan) tragedy in Tacloban, Leyte in 2014. The team, composed of young professionals from Metro Manila, gave aid in the form of a mobile library and post-trauma relief to the students of Cabuynan Elementary School located in Tanauan, Leyte. In 2015, the team extended its activities in Guiuan, Samar with a Resiliency and Leadership Seminar for High School Students and Basic Computer Literacy Program for teachers. Read more about their past projects here.
This year, the group wishes to continue its efforts so it came up with this story book, entitled Happy Water, Sad Water: A Story To Prepare Kids for Floods and The Aftermath. It is inspired by the group’s learnings from its beneficiaries in Leyte. It aims to raise awareness for the environmental effects of global warming and climate change among children today and at the same time raise funds for the group’s upcoming efforts.
The inspiration for the book came to the group during their first trip to Tacloban in May 2014 when they discovered that the kids there no longer enjoyed playing in the rain and swimming in the beaches because of trauma from the Yolanda experience. They became scared of the slightest downpour and were terrified by thunder and lighting.
Inspired to share their story and help the kids overcome this fear, the book was born. At the heart of this story is the group’s vision to spread hope and advocate care for the environment especially for disaster-prone coastal communities in the Philippines.
The e-storybook aims to raise funds for the reconstruction of the library in Sulangan Central School, Guian, Eastern Samar on August 25-28, 2o16.
You can help the group’s efforts by purchasing this book for only Php 300, but any amount of donation will do. Click here to buy the book now and help out!
To learn more about Read For Hope, visit www.readforhope.com.ph.
Review:
I was really happy to receive a copy of this book for review because I have been continuously looking for educational ones that I can read to my five-year-old son, who’s currently undertaking preschool homeschool. I found the book very timely because we have now entered the rainy season here in the country and typhoons have already started to occur.
Although my son hasn’t experienced any traumatic typhoon-related experiences, he is afraid of heavy downpours, especially when there is thunder and lighting. So, I found the book the perfect tool to use to explain to him not just how and why this happens but also what to do in case we find ourselves in the midst of a typhoon. I believe that this is very important because even kids have to know how to protect themselves in the event of emergencies and disasters.
The book is well-written and very easy for little kids to understand. I love how the author, Mo Francisco, turned Sun, Lightning, Thunder and Water into characters, who feel emotions and react to things. It makes them more relatable for kids. The story revolves around weather, why Water can sometimes be happy or sad and how Sun, Lightning and Thunder play a part in that. It also shares what kids and their families should do to protect themselves whenever Water becomes sad and heavy downpour and floods occur.
The words used are simple. There are no long paragraphs. In fact, the storybook alternates its pages with illustrations. So, even if it’s 37 pages long, only about half of it has words on them. Perfect for little ones!
The accompanying illustrations done by Yzabelle Wuthrich are very cute and colorful but don’t overpower the pages. They’re just enough to add a fun visual representation of the story.
What I love most about the book though is it’s ability to tell such an important story and impart very valuable lessons to kids in such as short book. Also noteworthy is the second to the last page where Read For Hope shares some tips on what kids can do to help save the world.
I definitely recommend this book for your little ones. Aside from it being fun and easy-to-read, it’s very educational and helps support a worthy cause too.
I volunteered for Read for Hope in 2014 and 2015. I just wanted to thank you for your wonderful review and for supporting our cause! Cheers! 🙂
interesting book. anything that prepares our kids for possible disaster and handling its aftermath is a worthy advocacy 🙂
tina perez recently posted…iWOMAN: YOUR BODY, YOUR CHOICE, YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!
What a nice book. Can’t wait to get my own copy. Thank you for sharing this. 🙂
Edel recently posted…Globe Telecom’s Digital Thumbprint Program
We barely get flooded here at home but my heart goes it to children who has experienced flooding. I’ll check the website out, thanks for sharing!
Maan recently posted…Lunch & Dessert with Friends at Tiny Kitchen
Definitely worth the money. Will check their website and you will always be bless for sharing this advocacy.
we once experience flood during ondoy, and i hope yolanda will never hapend again. Creating books to eradicate from kids is a nice , fun-learning way!
*fear
I’d look for this book, my daughter loves to read and this book might help her also get over her fear of rain and thunders. Thanks for this review.
You are blessed to have the time and capability to read and review these kinds of books for kids, especially that it’s also for a cause. I hope you will be able to reach more readers so they can benefit from this book too.
TweenselMom recently posted…The Mind Museum’s Dino Play : Explore The World Of Dinosaurs
Does this have a printed version? Would love to have one for my little kiddo.
Liz A recently posted…Chicdriven Women Empowerment Expo…
Gosh, I have so much books at home that I wanna read! I’m so envious that you have time 🙂 But thank you for being so inspiring, and for sharing this book review to the rest of the world! I wanna read it!!!
The book looks really nice! Even if my kids are way older than the intended audience I still want to show them.
Rowena Wendy Lei recently posted…Greenwich Bacon Crispy Thins
It’s a nice book for a children to read and also it’s nice that it’s for a good cause. Will get a copy for my daughter.
Mommy Peach recently posted…Knorr #LutongNanay: Sinigang na Grilled Liempo
Sana they’ll also make a tagalog version of it. hihi I would love to read this book as we can use it in school too when students are assigned to disaster stricken areas. Thanks for the info, I’ll recommend this to our school:)
Jhoanna Tacorda recently posted…Toddler Talk: Toilet Training