The “Charlie Bubbles” children’s book series, penned by actor / children’s author, Paul Carafotes, addresses hot topic issues children are facing in the world today.
Pressures weigh on their little shoulders in many environments – school, sports and social situations. Children are often desperate to fit in so they are not bullied. They want to excel academically so they are not labeled stupid. They are extremely competitive with the pressure to be an elite player and perhaps the next sports legend. Children are missing out on the opportunity to be a kid. They should shed these burdens and be celebrating the endless possibilities of what their future holds. The good news is parents and children can benefit from the life lessons found in the “Charlie Bubbles” story book series.
Standardized testing, common core standards and expected elite athletic performance do not truly capture all the amazing individual qualities a child possesses. Too often we make the mistake of pushing children to play year round in multiple sports, leagues and clinics. Forsaking unstructured time playing, exercising imaginations, reading and relaxing.
The Charlie Bubbles series brings us back to our childhood. It exudes empathy and compassion, addresses fears while simultaneously modeling how vitally important feelings are to a child. The characters within these whimsical stories model how friendships are formed; our uniqueness; that appearances are not all that meets the eye and how together anything is possible. We can stand up to bullies; we can be self-expressive; we can care for one another. The books positive message of being “helpful, loving and kind” resonates deeply with families in a world where this message can be hard to find. Children are whisked away on a magical journeys with Charlie, the boy with the magic bubbles. The bubbles float him on adventures where he makes friendships, overcome our emotions and understand life lessons.
In the first book, The Adventures of Charlie Bubbles, Charlie befriends a frightened squirrel and a discarded teddy bear. United, the new friends overcome their anxiety, learn appearances are not all what they seem and you cannot “judge a bee by its buzz”. In the second installment, Charlie Bubbles 2 Smartsville, Charlie teams up with his old friends and new to help a joyless city of ants with the power of music. He inspires the Smartsville ants’ transformation where they realize that change is positive. The third book in the series, Charlie Bubbles To Fenway!, we find Charlie being bullied by three mean crows. Charlie learns he cannot give up with the help of friends. He summons the courage to stand up to them in order to fulfill his dream of playing for his favorite sports team. Charlie Bubbles is a character all children will bond to immediately. He will inspire them and help them overcome fear.
Studies tout the long lasting effects of reading to your child pre-birth, as a baby, and as a toddler as part of your daily routine results in exceptional growth of your child’s brain development, emotional state, vocabulary and further fuse bonding between parent and child. The benefits are limitless.
The Charlie Bubbles storybooks are great tools for parents and children that will help fuel their young minds and imaginations. To help spread the message Paul Carafotes has been visiting hospitals and classrooms with his reading, singing and encouraged participation. He and the stories carry very positive messages, really speaking to the children about their lives, overcoming their fears and what their young hopes and dreams may already be. After all, isn’t that what we want for our children? To have the courage to follow their hearts and dreams. To be helpful loving and kind. That’s what I’d like to see. We need our kids to stand up and acquire a voice, to develop and become bright minds to move us through the next millennium. Charlie Bubbles is a building block to your child’s future success. To learn more about The Charlie Bubbles adventures visit http://www.CharlieBubblesBooks.com or follow them on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/TheAdventuresOfCharlieBubbles and Twitter https://twitter.com/CharlieBubbles5.
By Bonnie Budd
