Book Talk Tuesday: Nancy Tillman’s The Crown On Your Head

“Children are our most valuable resource.”
– Herbert Hoover, 31^st U.S. President

Fats here.

Our contribution for today’s Book Talk Tuesday, hosted by the lovely Kelly Butcher from The Lemme Library, is Nancy Tillman’s The Crown On Your Head. We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Tara from Zeitghost Media and the Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing us a copy of this book. This is the first Nancy Tillman PB I have read.

mother_and_baby — Mother and child. Click on the image to be taken to the websource.

On the day that we met and I put you to bed,
I noticed a crown on the top of your head.

It was made up of sparkling, glimmering things
Like moonlight and fireflies, and dragonfly wings.

In Nancy Tillman’s latest creation, she shares with readers just how special children are. Children are born with a crown, and this crown is what makes them unique. It’s a beautiful way to express love and appreciation for children all over the world.

3471232925_a1c9be2ca3 — “No one has yet fully realized the wealth of sympathy, kindness, and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure.” – Emma Goldman, author. Click on the image to be taken to the websource.

This 32-page picture book is a wonder in and of itself. Written in the first-person point-of-view, The Crown On Your Head directly addresses children and conveys just how wonderful and how loved they are. It is a love letter of sort for children.

The cover of the book, a blend of deep indigo and golden yellow, reflects the high regard Tillman gives to children. Both colors signify royalty, and they go well with the title that carries the word “crown.” The cover design was a sight to behold, but I fell in love with this book the moment I turned to the title page. It showed a picture of a child wearing a glorious red cape, extending her arms sideways, as a group of red butterflies ‘dance’ behind her. She is a queen, and the field is her kingdom.

The same picture appears later in the book. Written on the page beside it are my favorite verses:

I always knew just what your crown meant.
It said that you were MAGNIFICENT.

(That means you are grand from your toes to your chin.
Take a deep breath, and let that sink in.)

stargirls — “Children are the hand by which we take hold of heaven.” – Henry Ward Beecher, social activist. Click on the image taken to the websource.

The lines above were followed by a series of verses that expound on the child being grand and magnificent.

That’s about as high as a word can climb!
That’s the top of a mountain…
a steeple chime.

That’s over the moon in a nursery rhyme…
and it means, like a star,

YOU WERE BORN TO SHINE.

(Blink three times and… there you are!
You are twinkling, little star!)

Being the stargirl that I am, it is not surprising that those lines also happen to be my favorite. Reading it again made me remember a song by Madonna called “Little Star,” which I discovered when I bought the CD entitled “Mary Had a Little Amp.” It is a soft-rock version of classic children’s songs and lullabies sung by contemporary artists. Below is an audiovisual presentation of the song including the lyrics.

Nancy Tillman affirms the splendor that children carry with them since birth. It is her heartfelt way of saying that, ‘child you are extraordinary, and all you need to do is believe.’ On the back jacket flap of the book, it was mentioned that Nancy’s mission in creating her books is to convey to children everywhere that they are loved.

3632663618_5c12cc530a — “An aware parent loves all children he or she interacts with – for you are a caretaker of those moments in time.” – Doc Childre, founder of HeartMath, a non-profit research institute and education organization. Click on the image to be taken to the websource.

This lovely picture book is a must-read (and a must-buy). It is a celebration of childhood and growing up. It is a book not only meant for children but for adults as well, especially parents. It is a constant reminder of who we are, and the things that make us truly unique.

Reading this book made me think of my uber cute cousin, Franzine, who is now three years old. Below is a series of pictures taken when I lived with her family. Have a fun-filled Tuesday, everyone!