CONSCIOUS KID’S CORNER with Grandma Boom
The Olive Tree Mahalia Jackson
By Elsa Marston
Walking with Kings and Queens
By Nina Nolan
A
quiet sadness permeates this poignant little tale of two children, a
girl and a boy from different backgrounds who are neighbors in Lebanon. The girl’s family was forced
to leave their home during the troubles that have
torn this ancient land. The scars of this event make
the girl possessive of the olives from the tree that
has been in her family for generations, and was a
symbol for her of home. The catastrophe of a storm
destroying the tree brings out the natural compassion of the children, and ends the story on a hopeful note. The book offers a wonderful opportunity
for parents to introduce youngsters in a gentle way
to the realities of a complex world, one that they
need to be prepared to steward some day - hopefully with compassion.
Elsa Marston’s text is graced by the sensitive illustrations of Claire Ewart. The book is part of a beautifully realized series of multicultural children’s
books from Wisdom Tales Publishers, all of which
are warmly recommended to parents and teachers.
Reviewed by Janai Mestrovich
22 | NEW CONSCIOUSNESS REVIEW
T
his beautifully illustrated biography of
Mahalia Jackson traces her life from
her difficult childhood to becoming the
Queen of Gospel music. Its complex
concepts are expressed in simple ways
for children to grasp and be stimulated by at their
level. Ideals like perseverance, knowing one’s purpose, being trustworthy and determined are but a
few of the higher consciousness values painted by
the words throughout this inspiring story. Mahalia
can be remembered easily by children as a role
model for home grown self-confidence. She faced
life challenges with courage instead of being victimized by them, keeping her spirit intact throughout
her life and fulfilling her purpose of bringing musical inspiration to the world. Teachers w