Cultivating Compassion in Children by Sonja Lange Wendt is a series of children’s book that look outside of the self; they encourage thoughtful thinking by seeing, interacting, discussing, understanding and adapting to the everyday changes and events that happen naturally and socially in life. To get the most value of these stories, questions at the end are provided.

Meet Seymour and Serina Seed. These two will be at the beginning and end of each story,and maybe even show up in between. Notice what these two may be carrying or wearing on the cover of each book. It’s a clue to something in the story. Seymour and Serina are the seeds of compassion children have, but sometimes they need planting, nurturing, and cultivating. Through increased awareness, understanding and discussion, they show that using compassion in different situations can be a natural way of life.

Currently there are 4 books in the series and can be purchased individually or buy the set for a beautiful addition to your child's library. Each book also comes with an adorable bookmark that has a magnifying glass attached for your child to explore. You can read more about this wonderful author and about the books and other items available at Sonja's site https://sonjawendt.com

I'm Not a Weed! -- If you are looking for a story about inclusion, acceptance, and welcoming, this award winning book is for you!  46 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches, hardcover

Can Old Be Beautiful? -- This is a Best Seller book in 4 categories (Peer Pressure, Values, Self-Esteem & Self-Respect, and Girls & Women's books).  Six-year-old Maggie questions her grandmother whether old things can be beautiful. It can lead to thoughts and discussion on positive self-esteem.  The illustrations in the book are beautiful and culturally diverse. There are questions at the end that the adult can discuss with the child to encourage thinking and increase their understanding. This is a warm and wonderful book for grandparents and elderly friend to read to young children. 48 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches, hardcover

What's Wrong With Grandpa -- If you are looking for a story for children about understanding aging, disabilities, acceptance, and compassion, this book is for you. This is a story of a little boy, Joey, who goes on the first hike of the season in the mountains with his grandpa. His grandpa has changed over the winter. He talks real loud in his noisy truck, he is using walking sticks on the hike, he can't keep up with his grandson like he had last year, he trips on a rock and looks funny when he reads a pocket bird book, and he can't spot things in the woods like he used to last year. This book will help explain the impacts of aging and how it doesn't change the love a grandparent or aging person has for a child. There are thought provoking questions at the end of the story to clarify and reinforce the concepts of the story. This is a wonderful story for grandparents to share with their grandchildren.   Available in hardcoer or softcover 48 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches

Baba-Balu Belongs, Too  -- Have you ever felt left out, or that you just did not belong or fit in. Do you know a child that has felt this way? Human beings need the feeling of self-worth to grow and develop into a healthy contributing part of society. BaBa-Balu Belongs, Too, is a story of a monarch caterpillar who doesn’t fit in. He feels uncomfortable in his own skin which he grows out of 5 times. The other bugs don’t play with him or include him. This causes him to be sad, mad, and even bad. This story also follows the metamorphosis cycle and includes several of the scientific terms related to it. This story of becoming can be related to any situation where the feeling of not belonging can hinder healthy growth, development, and self-worth. 40 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches

Growing Compassionate Children - Growers Guide (Cultivating Compassion in Children) -- The world needs more compassion and where else to start, than with raising compassionate children. This book includes twelve steps of “growing” compassionate children, a Grower’s Guide. It follows the steps needed to grow a healthy plant, starting with preparing the soil, where a plant can be deeply rooted in solid healthy ground, like a child growing within a strong foundation made up of positive values and principles. There are stories and topics addressing the impacts of societal issues such as the use of social media, anger, mental health, and violence to focusing on acts of kindness and making this world a better place for all. The topics are diverse and include math and science concepts as they apply to plants and growing compassionate children. It talks about the importance of knowing, understanding, and preserving our roots, where this knowledge and increased understanding leads to a more compassionate child. Makes a great gift for new parents. 112 pages, Paperback, 8.5 x 0.28 x 8.5 inches