The Things We’ve Handed Down
Don’t know much about you
Don’t know who you are
We’ve been doing fine without you
But, we could only go so far
Don’t know why you chose us
Were you watching from above
Is there someone there that knows us
Said we’d give you all our love
Will you laugh just like your mother
Will you sigh like your old man
Will some things skip a generation
Like I’ve heard they often can
Are you a poet or a dancer
A devil or a clown
Or a strange new combination of
The things we’ve handed down
I wonder who you’ll look like
Will your hair fall down and curl
Will you be a mama’s boy
Or daddy’s little girl
Will you be a sad reminder
Of what’s been lost along the way
Maybe you can help me find her
In the things you do and say
And these things that we have given you
They are not so easily found
But you can thank us later
For the things we’ve handed down
Marc Cohn
Here are two books that celebrate the everlasting love between parent and child. Two books that show the importance of a strong parent and child relationship for ensuring children grow confident and strong. Two books that share the ways we depend on the natural world around us. Ways in which nature helps us to survive and thrive, physically, mentally and emotionally.
I think that this pair of pairs is perfect for showing us as parents our role in being present for our children, being good role models and the importance of learning alongside our little ones. They are always watching, looking to us for guidance and learning from our choices and actions.
Two beary beautiful and important books
Little One by Jo Weaver and As Strong As The River by Sarah Noble.
Little One tells the story of a mother bear and her cub and their simple journey of discovery through the seasons, nature and life. The gorgeous black and white illustrations are a perfect introduction for young artists to see how depth and shade can be created with charcoal. It would be wonderful to get children to create their own black and white nature pictures inspired by this book.
Little One is a tender portrayal of the love between mother bear and her cub. There is so much for Big Bear to teach and for Little One to discover and learn in the forest.
This is a stunning tale of mother love, the changing seasons and the things that we hand down to our little ones.
As Strong As The River is another Mama bear and her cub. We follow their journey as the mother teaches her young cub the things he needs to know to survive and thrive.
This is a book about the wonders of nature and nurture, and the importance of family. It beautifully illustrates the bond between parent and child.
The words and pictures show the confidence that a strong relationship with a parent can give to a child as they grow up.
As with Little One this is a tender tale of the love between parent and child, our interconnectedness with nature and the things that we hand down to our little ones.
Little Bear is in a hurry to be all grown up. He wants to learn everything as quickly as he can and mama wants him to slow down.
She wants her baby to appreciate and respect the wild and especially the mighty river. Mama bear wants her baby to be strong but she also wants him to be patient. She wants him to understand the power of the river and the ways in which they and other animals depend upon it.
The illustrations by Sarah Noble are breathtakingly beautiful. Full of movement and colour and little details each with their own tale to tell about the ways they are all connected.
“The river makes lots of things strong…
I tell Mama she’s just like the river.
She’s big and strong and beautiful, too.
And so am I
Because these things get passed on, you see.”