The “What Do You Do With” Series by Kobi Yamada and Mae Besom
This little trio of books has become one of my favorites. Each one tackles an abstract concept in the form of a beautiful metaphor. The genius of using a metaphor is that these books are simple enough for children to understand even though these topics are notorious for being difficult to explain. Also, these books are done in such a way that they even appeal to teenagers and adults. Seriously! I love each of these books and every time I read them I learn a little bit more about the opportunities that life affords me as well as a little bit more about myself. Because of the intrinsic and reflective nature of these books, I thought it would be fabulous to pair them with journal pages for readers to use to recognize and apply the concepts in these books in their own lives. Together, they can create a journal that can be treasured and referred back to for years to come. I am including the printables (free for personal and educational use) below. Happy dance!
“What Do You Do With an Idea?”
This is the first book in the series and in it a young boy interacts with an idea in the form of an egg. The egg has a crown on it which is a symbol of it’s potential. The boy struggles with knowing what he is supposed to do with it and experiences a myriad of emotions. In the end he learns that ideas do indeed contain great potential and can turn into something incredible. (The journaling sheet is an opportunity to write down an idea that you have.)
Click here to purchase “What Do You Do With an Idea?” *affiliate link
“What Do You Do With a Problem?”
In this book the little boy encounters a problem that looms over him in the symbolic shape of a dark cloud. He worries and worries about his problem and tries to hide and ignore it. However, it only gets bigger and bigger. Eventually he decides that he has lived with the fear long enough and chooses to do something about it. He prepares and though he is still afraid he tackles his problem head on. Then something wonderful happens. He learns that hidden inside of every problem is an opportunity. Even if that opportunity is as simple as a chance to do something brave and become stronger. (The journaling sheet is an opportunity to record an anecdote of what you did with a problem when you were faced with one.)
Click here to purchase “What Do You Do With a Problem?”
“What Do You Do With a Chance?”
In this story our young protagonist is learning about the nature of chances. In the book they come in the form of origami airplanes or birds. (I’m honestly not exactly sure which one they are.) They don’t always come when expect and missing out on them can lead you to wondering what you are missing out on. However, taking hold of a chance can be exhilarating and reward you with fantastic new experiences. (The journaling sheet is an opportunity to talk about a time that you took a chance and what happened.)
Click here to purchase “What Do You Do With a Chance?”
Free Journaling Printables!
A fun idea with these sheets is to print off a bunch of all three and then put them in a binder to create a journal. If you give this Beyond the Book activity a try I’d love to hear how it goes! Share it on Instagram using hashtag #beyondthebook (I’m on Instagram as @book.nerd.mommy) or even just comment here with your thoughts. It would make my day! Or to simply save for later pin the image below.
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