Educational, Socialization, and Therapeutic Benefits of Where Is Charlotte? An Inner Child Tool for Us All!

Based on eye witness experience and testimonial evidence, Where Is Charlotte?:? Or Where Is _____?:? A Personal Story-Song Book provides an educator, counselor, and therapist, or any significant adult/family member a vital tool for engaging and focusing, animating and inspiring children. ?(And perhaps being tickled or touched if not inspired, oneself.)? For the story is both playful and pithy – just 24 illustrated pages and a little over 200 words. Our spunky and adventurous hero, “Li’l Charlotte,” captures hearts and minds almost immediately and sustains enchantment throughout:? all parties imaginatively participate in the universal game of Hide-and-Seek while singing the storyline to the classical tune of “Frère Jacques.” ?Where Is Charlotte? magically models and motivates:

???????????growing confidence and independence spurring inventive thought and action

?????????? asserting one’s voice and “No”-ing one’s truth, along with playful and authentic self-expression

?????????? self-assured comfort in one’s own space and in one’s body language

?????????? quickly engages a child and an adult’s attention by employing classical rhythm and rhyme

?????????? captivates through short and smart, spunky and silly lyrics and enchantingly vibrant images that are relatable as well as fantasy-like

?????????? releases a child’s natural, healthy aggression through playful growling and howling, as well as encouraging loving, “bear hug” connection

In addition, each child, whether individually or as part of a group, has a turn being the “star of the story,” fostering self-esteem, rewarded patience, playful and joyful adult-child sing along interaction, as well as group/community sharing and spirit.? Where Is Charlotte? is a classroom, office, and family resource for nurturing physical, cognitive, and social-emotional skills and growth while bringing all parties closer together.

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Educational, Socialization, and Therapeutic Benefits of Where Is Charlotte?:

Sight and Sound Synergy in Action! –? The Dynamic Dozen?

1. Engages multiple levels of sensory processing; is nature immersive:? The book immediately strikes the senses with its elegant simplicity, clarity and vibrant color; vivid illustrations as well as the texture of the book pages capture the eye, the sense of touch, and the imagination.? (Children love to lovingly cradle in their arms a favorite hardcover book.)? Also, most hiding places and background scenes are familiar and relatable, though some have a mysterious, “call of the wild” and fantasy-like aura. ?Auditory senses are primed singing the words to a classic melody; familiar lyrics, modified through simple and playful poetry, become even more captivating through rhythm and rhyme.? Words, phrases, and the storyline are easy to understand and remember.? Where Is Charlotte? definitely encourages exploring, engaging, and communing with nature, e.g., our plucky protagonist imagining being a radiant flower, hiding with owls in the willows, making sounds of wild animals. Charlotte is among flowers and trees, grassy fields and willows, in jungle and mountainous terrain (at least in her imagination).? Finally, our hero role models speaking up/having her authentic and assertive voice, being comfortable in one’s own space, being relaxed and reflective, in addition to active, as well as seeking joyful loving touch and connection.? Where Is Charlotte? is sight and sound synergy in action!?

2. With its substance and style, quickly captures both children’s and adults’ attention and emotional-playful engagement:? Where Is Charlotte? swiftly speaks to our “S”-ence by being Short & Smart, Silly & Spunky!? (Also captured by my new version of the old KISS:? Keep it Short & Smart!)? Almost everyone sighs, “This is so sweet!”? Then, with a little reflection, readers realize the book portrays many important psychological, self-identity, active exploration, imagination-building, and verbal and nonverbal communicational skills for confidence and success.? Finally, the book is very relatable because of the, a) universal nature of the hiding places and actions, b) familiar and comfortable adult-child interaction along with the diversity of the characters, and c) dynamic and stimulating balance between reality and fantasy.?

3. Declaring ownership:? Children want to write their name on the book; put it on their bedside table, cradle the book lovingly in their arms, declare it’s “their new favorite book,” etc.? Children, especially young girls, quickly bond with Li’l Spunky Charlotte.

4. Singing together creates a joyful alliance with the adult reader:? Consider these words of a grandfather with his four grandchildren, ages 4 ? to 8:? As we turned the pages singing, everyone was singing with joy and delight… We had to sing the book six times (before we could stop).? Singing together just may turn a classroom into a community!

5. Educators and parents are encouraged to substitute their child’s name or a student’s name for Charlotte:? Name substitution allows an individual child to bask in being the star of the story, whether reading with a parent, in a multi-child family setting, or in a classroom.

6. Fosters patience and being part of the group.? Children will patiently wait their turn for the reward of having their name be sung as the “star of the story.”? This works equally as well for boys or “too cool” 7-year-olds; though they may initially act cool, eventually they are asking questions about Charlotte and want their name to be sung.

7. Words and images may inspire children spontaneously to enact the game of hide and seek:? In a small playground area, daycare kids hid in compact tunnels, in jungle gyms, and behind trees; one child, while reading/singing with her mother spontaneously hid under her bed.?

8. Sparks imagination and fantasy through playful evocative questions and images:? For example, “Has she turned into a flower?,” is depicted by a sunflower with a radiantly smiling face.? Or “Is she floating on a light breeze,” that is, our hero, holding onto a big blue balloon, is floating in the clouds, soaring with the birds.

9. Reinforcing a youngster’s calling to be a “Child of the Wild”:? The book encourages the release of exploratory action and playfully aggressive energy, e.g., growling and howling.? Where Is Charlotte? will help children learn to constructively channel this energy through imaginative behaviors; children realize they can roar or growl not to scare others but to inspire focus, confidence, and intention in themselves.

10. Facilitates creative project add-ons:? Several teaches have commented that they can see the book as a hand puppetry experience.?? Also, covering-up the words and letting the child/ren, use their own words, let’s them free associate to the vivid, action-oriented images.? Now participants are creating their own Hide-and-Seek experience and story.

11. Inspires expressions of affection:? When reading to a parent and child about how Charlotte plans to “give a bear hug, too,” a child spontaneously gave her mother standing next to her a bear hug.

12. Inspires “N & N” – NO & Negotiation:? The book opens the door to constructive discussion about saying “No” assertively and respectfully, being authentic and self-assured, speaking one’s truth, and sometimes not getting your way, and learning to accept a “No.”? And in closing, let me illustrate the book’s power to facilitate “Negotiation.”? Consider these words from a senior psychotherapist:? I had an opportunity to read/sing your book to a 4-year-old little girl (patient) this morning.? She loved it so much, identifying with the spunky character.? She begged to take it home so we made a deal about her using her words and her mom just wrote and said she’s gotten her mom to read it twice more and she’s growling and howling and on and on.? Quite a success!? I’d thought you would like to know it was a hit!

Make Where Is Charlotte? the hit of your classroom, office, and household?

Coda

So, the answer to the question, Where Is Charlotte?... she’s inside us all!? Are you ready to help yourself and loved ones rediscover and bring to life our precious “Inner Charlotte?”

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?? Mark Gorkin ?Sep 2024

Shrink Rap ? Productions