Picture Books for All Ages, Social and Emotional Skills

Picture books aren’t just for young children – they are for everyone. Our guest today, author and educator, Margaret Blair Young talks about the universal appeal of picture books and shares the thoughts of late author, Rick Walton on this subject. Young's published works include the novels House Without Walls, Salvador, and Heresies of Nature. She also co-authored a trilogy of historical novels about Black Mormon pioneers titled Standing on the Promises with Darius Gray. She is currently at work on a feature film, Heart of Africa.

Next, Rachel visits with Lynnette Christensen, professor in the BYU School of Education, about critical skills that children need to develop: social and emotional tools that they will use all their lives when interacting with others. Christensen also shares a grab bag of resources to help us teach these skills. Lynnette works with the BYU Positive Behavior Support Initiative and has been actively involved in the implementation and research of this program in the public schools. Also can visit http://www.education.byu.edu/youcandothis, a website for parents that offers tips on teaching positive behavior.

We finish up the show today with two poems - Robert Louis Stevenson’s My Shadow, read by Garret Rushforth, and The Duck and the Kangaroo by Edward Lear (known for his humorous poetry and limericks), read by Reed Wolfley. Garret and Reed are student employees at BYU Radio.