Teaching morals and ethics to young children can be tricky. Natalie Moutafis has discovered a new picture book that teaches us about positive qualities and encourages children to grow in their mindset.
Children’s books based on the alphabet are not uncommon, and there’s a new one that can be added to your bookshelf.
This one is a little different. It’s based on morals and ethics — or virtues. Written by ethicist Dr Maura Pierlot, Alphabetter takes readers through the alphabet, one new positive word at a time.
Set out like a mini dictionary, the reader is introduced to a new word, a couple of synonyms, a descriptive meaning, and a thought-provoking question to help parents, carers, and teachers bridge further conversations.
When reading this book to my primary school-aged children, I noticed they thoroughly enjoyed learning new words (particularly the ‘bigger’ words) and then trying them on for size. Using the prompt questions provided, I was able to encourage them to think about times when they had put these virtues into practice.
My 7-year-old was able to relate to the word ‘engaged’, thinking of how when he builds new Lego and doesn’t want to stop until it’s complete.
When I asked my almost 5-year-old if she could think of a time she had been ‘nurturing’, she recalled when we potted some new succulents and how we had to remember to water them. A memory she was able to identify, thanks to the help of the illustration on the page.
Dr Pierlot says, ‘It is vital that young readers can see themselves on the pages, so I aimed to devise scenarios children could relate to both as a concept and in action’. To aid families in this process, Dr Pierlot has combined her learnings from philosophy with her passion for children’s development to create an educational resource that helps adults teach children qualities and values that promote a kinder, more compassionate and inclusive world – a better world.
Alphabetter is a thought-provoking picture book with inclusive and engaging illustrations that would suit readers aged 4+.
About the book
This is part of our series of reviews of children’s books, both new and released in recent times.
Alphabetter by Maura Pierlot, illustrated by Jorge Garcia Redondo, is published by Affirm Press and retails for $19.99.
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