The Circles In Life

Today I'm thinking about the circle of life and

about the difference that a little bit of time can make.

Just last week, we were watching this ravenous creature voraciously eating her way through our milkweed flowers and leaves before turning herself inside out into the cocoon to protect her during her transformation. 

After discovering that gorgeous chrysalis a few days later, 

we woke up this morning to this magnificent Monarch.

Within hours, she had flown away to a nearby tree,

ready to share her beauty with the world.

Ah, the circle of life; soon she'll be back to lay her eggs on that very milkweed plant. I'm in awe of the workings of nature and I'm so grateful when I get to see it up close, encircled in my beautiful backyard.

It reminds of me of today's featured picture book by Brad Montague.

It's been out for a few years, but I just now got my copy;

I took it with me to the skilled-nursing facility where my

mother-in-law is rehabbing her broken hip and I read

it to her for her 90th birthday this week.

She LOVED it ... and so do I.

One of my favorite pages, perhaps because I'm a World Languages teacher, would be the perfect spotlight for this year's Start With Hello celebration.

Read a Kirkus review {here}.

Watch a read-aloud {here}.

Listen to what the author has to say {here}.

So why do Ruby and I like this book? The simplicity of its BIG message.

Life starts with just you in your circle.

But then others want in, so you draw a bigger circle.

As you meet more people, they want in, too.

So you draw an even bigger circle.

And so on. And so on.

Rinse and repeat.

Made me think of the 80's Faberge commercial.

And about Covey's circle of control.

Download this freebie from Wholehearted School Counselor.

It's so important to teach kids about this crucial circle in life, to accept and own what we can change and loosen our grip on what we cannot change. It's also key to discuss things we can influence.

No, I can't control that Ruby is in rehab, but

I can influence her recovery by going by to visit,

strum my ukulele, and read stories to her.

Tune in to a song about the circle of control {here}.

Finally, I'm thinking about opening and closing circles in the classroom; 

how often do you circle up to connect?

So many nuances as we dance through the circles of life;

do you have a copy of this treasure? If so, what's your favorite page?

Happy August, dear reader. As a back-to-school gift, I recorded

my new book, Birdie & Mipps, so you could hear how it sounded

in my head as I scripted it onto paper before publication.

Click {here} to tune in today.

If you liked it and would be willing to review it on Amazon

or at Barnes and Noble, we would be ever so grateful.