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Conflict is a part of life for all people, and children can be taught how to deal effectively with conflict, not how to avoid it. This children's book and companion leader's guide emphasize kindness, respect, tolerance and responsibility in order to help children learn peaceful behaviors and make positive choices in their relationships with others. In simple, affirming words and colorful illustrations, the children's book teaches skills such as "think before you speak or act"; "treat others the way you want to be treated"; "there is always an alternative to hurting someone back"; and "you can use your own feelings as a guide when relating to others." The leader's guide offers a complete introductory course on conflict resolution and choice making for young children. Fifteen lessons reinforce the ideas presented in the picture book with activities and simple discussion questions; special Home Handouts encourage parents and caregivers to reinforce the concepts and skills their children are learning; letters to parents and caregivers help leaders communicate about the course; and two reading lists, one for children and one for adults, point the way toward additional resources. (EV)

Every child deserves to believe that she or he is truly a wonder. Together with the children's book, the Leader's Guide provides a complete course on self-esteem for young children. The Guide endorses three core beliefs: (1) All children are inherently valuable without regard to gender, race, religion, family background, economic status, appearance, abilities, health, possessions, or any other factor; (2) All children have the right to feel good about themselves exactly as they are; and (3) A child's value is unconditional. The children's book introduces several important concepts that strengthen and support self-esteem. The Leader's Guide shows how to teach and reinforce those concepts in a hands-on, experiential way. The activities make full use of children's natural curiosity and creativity. The Guide is divided into chapters that correspond to the children's book sections. Each chapter has four parts: (1) an opening statement about the concept being presented; (2) a series of goals that describe the main ideas; (3) activities to try with children; and (4) suggestions for follow-up that reinforce the concepts taught in the lesson. (RJM)