About the book:
A Thought Catalog Book
A Girl's Guide to Life is a timeless book of warm and sensible advice for young girls, originally written by a mother for her own eight-year-old daughter. From compassion and empathy through self-expression and creativity, from thoughtfulness and helpfulness and good deeds through gratitude and heartfelt apology, from the incomparable joys of friendship to the importance of learning how and when to say no, this little book offers wise counsel that will be of use for many years to come.
Age Range: 7 - 11 years
Grade Level: 1 - 6
Hardcover: 80 pages
Publisher: Prospecta Press (January 6, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1632260204
ISBN-13: 978-1632260208
Product Dimensions: 4.4 x 7 inches
About the author:
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Michelle has lived for many years in Columbus, Ohio, where she directs the MFA Program in Creative Writing and lives in a century-old house with her husband, the painter Glen Holland, and their good dog, Molly. Their daughter used to live there too, but she is all grown up now.
My review
"Your life is the reason you should read this book"
This book is simply put, a piece of advice from a mother to a daughter, and although it has been recommended to lower age groups, the relevance of these thoughts never fails to catch you off-guard. The author herself writes in the introduction, "Because here's the thing: even as you grow older, you are going to be the very same person you are now. And no matter how grown-up you become, it never hurts to be reminded of the things that are really important in life."
When I decided to read this book from NetGalley, I had surmised it to be a didactic sermon on how we should live our lives. I couldn't have gone any more wrong. This is the most heart-warming, comforting string of words ever pulled together that I have read. It is a Thought Catalog Book after all, I should have known better!
The language is lucid, effortless and endearing. Even if you are all grown -up and happy in your zone, the reader is bound to be moved by the rules of the book. It is a book for life. I myself am surprised that a simple writing, adorned with simple illustrations and written in the most simple manner could make me revisit all life lessons I have learnt.
What makes this book special and worthy of your time is that these are rules to living a fulfilled and more fruitful life, and this book works at the learning stage as well as at the reminder level. We need to be reminded that more than anything in this world, we need to hold on to the inherent goodness in us.
I especially liked the fourth part: All Play and no Work. And how in a precise, succinct two-pages, it reminds us how good it feels to help someone without being asked to.
Since I am always pondering a lot about friendship and the like, I was curious to read what was contained in that section, the last one of all.
And I did get my answers.
I will wait for other books by the author too.
Last words:
Do unto others as you would have others do unto you!
Review copy: Netgalley ebook
