Book Review: Magnificent Marvelous Me | By: Committee for Children By Art with Heart, a nonprofit organization Reading level: Kindergarten to Grade 6 From two-dimensional Guatemalan Worry Dolls to an invitation to artistically depict one’s life to a pirate board game (“Yer marooned! Name three things ye can do t’ calm down.”), Magnificent Marvelous Me is filled with activities to help children deal with the feelings that come with difficult family situations. Designed as an outlet for elementary-aged children, this large coloring and activity book helps children who are experiencing troubling times because of a death of someone close, divorce, parental problems, foster care, or other challenges. Nearly fifty activities by artists from around the world ensure that children will find a safe, fun shelter to explore their emotions and express what is too often kept inside. Young children are given a plethora of starting points for creative projects. The upbeat tone and whimsical and varied illustrations belie the serious therapeutic science behind the activities. Children will enjoy drawing and writing, but they will also be reflecting, challenging themselves, and seeking positive ways to handle their everyday stresses. For example, a beautiful illustration of a “Tree of Life” offers children a chance to fill in the blossoms, leaves, and roots with names of all the people who care about them: anyone or anything that has made a difference in their lives. The description of the tree gives some subtle direction to the activity: “The roots of a tree hold up the trunk and help it stand tall. The leaves give it food and energy so it can grow. The flowers make it even more beautiful and later turn into seeds, letting the process begin again.” Some children may fill in the spaces randomly with all their special people; others may consider who in their lives help them “stand tall” before entering names accordingly. Art with Heart is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping youth in crisis through creativity. Magnificent Marvelous Me joins the collection of other interactive books like Chill and Spill, Oodles of Doodles, and Ink About It to engage and inspire struggling children and teens. According to the organization, Art with Heart’s books “encourage resiliency using the concepts of art therapy to lead toward greater self-confidence and emotional clarity.” Social-Emotional Lessons in Magnificent Marvelous Me Children interacting with Magnificent Marvelous Me learn to identify their own feelings through creative challenges to describe their emotions. They also actively learn empathy. Children are frequently asked to draw or write about important people in their lives, describing what makes them special and how they are similar and different from themselves. In several activities children write about what they can do to help others feel better. A strong message prevails: You are special in specific, real ways. Rather than just telling young readers that they are magnificent and marvelous, the book asks children to tell the world why they are magnificent and marvelous. This puts the power and self-knowledge in the hands of children themselves. Educators working with Magnificent Marvelous Me will find it easy to adapt to a wide range of age and emotional levels. Buy Magnificent Marvelous Me in our online store. Read a blog entry (Magnificent Marvelous Teamwork) about how a Committee for Children program developer helped with the revision of Magnificent Marvelous Me.