Can words ever describe a father’s love? Zev Lewinson — a father himself — comes as close as is possible in Of Course I Love You!, a new book by SwordPen Publishers. Boasting a heartwarming narrative and vibrant illustrations, Of Course I Love You! transports readers to a lion’s den, outer space, and the world’s tallest mountain as young Adam’s father explains to his son the depth of his love — and that it cannot be explained.

“Why, if all the water in the world were ink, and all the skies were paper, and all the trees were pens, I still couldn’t describe how much I love you!” Adam’s father tells his son, as readers are treated to a breathtaking spread of a purple ocean of ink lined with fountain pen trees.

For added effect, Of Course I Love You! juxtaposes Adam’s father’s love for his son with some of young Adam’s fears; fueled by love, Adam’s father would save him from a burning building, wrestle alligators and pit bulls, and even brave a stampede of wildebeests. In fact, the story depicts love so imaginatively, so compellingly, that SwordPen recommends it not just for children, but also as an appropriate gift to a sibling, friend, or even spouse.

That’s right! Half of the planet is inhabited by adults (those weird hominids that have J-O-B-S and worry all the time), and the other half are inhabited by little people! And this SwordPen Classic was created for both halves! And each half will come away with their own unique message.

The Hippo That Flew is a wonderful story about a hippo who learns to follow his dreams, despite what people (or hippos), say to discourage him. Nevertheless, Wilbur plows ahead, journeying forwards to achieve his goal. How often does a 400-pound protagonist convey such love and charisma to both young and old alike? Parents will enjoy reading to their children about what hard work and success are all about. Kids are given the understanding that mere physical attributes or handicaps truly have little-to-no effect on the outcome of a goal. It is all determined by your focus and dedication to what you are pursuing!

Theodore Newton Vail, the famous industrialist, summed up this concept with the following quote: “Real difficulties can be overcome; it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable.” By reading The Hippo That Flew to your child, you’re not merely reading him (or her) a great bedtime story – you’re giving them (and yourself!), life lessons that will enable them to journey through life with courage, determination, and self-confidence. Enjoy The Hippo That Flew and watch your children soar!

Just wanted to share this latest review with our readers!

5:48 PM Posted by Desi @ Wee Share

The Hippo That Flew

Written by: Zev Lewinson

Illustrated by: Debi Coules

Released: May 2010

ISBN: 978-0979965340

As a parent, I desire to teach Raileigh to be the best person she can be. I want her to do better and achieve more than I ever dreamed. I want to teach her to never give up.

The Hippo That Flew by Zev Lewinson is truly a tale of persistence. The story is the one of Wilbur, an incredibly determined hippo. Wilbur’s one true desire was to fly. His friends laughed at him and his family said that he was crazy. However, Wilbur would let nothing stop him— not his peers, not his loved ones, not even gravity. Wilbur kept trying. He did fail a few times, but he kept trying. In the end, his persistence payed off and he was able to achieve his dream.

This story is a wonderful example of a reason that I love children’s books- they can teach important lessons on a level that children can understand. The beautiful illustrations compliment the story incredibly well. The combination draws the reader in and keeps children intrigued throughout the entire story.

The story was a bit long in comparison to those I normally read to Raileigh. However, she sat attentively as I read every word. At times, she would chime in with a thought or observation about something I had read or something that she saw.

This is a beautiful tale and one that will be relevant for years to come.

This is a beautiful tale and one that will be relevant for years to come.

Comments

Zev Lewinson said.

(17 Jun 11, looking at version 1)

By the way . Raileigh is a mere three years old. Quite precocious. But then again, we’ve always known that girls are smarter than boys.

Almost sounds silly, doesn’t it? What else should a publishing company be about? But the truth is, that many of today’s companies are only looking at the bottom line. Just look at the websites of some of the largest companies out there. They’ll say it right on their web-page. Publishing has become a numbers game. Just as visual media has long given up on content and merely produces syndicated trash, so too have many in the publishing world turned to famous names and endless marketing to produce garbage. Their CEO’s are running around frantically as they bark orders to meet or maintain “last years percentages.” They are working social media to death. And most book conferences speak much more about “getting noticed” than about the actual content of a “good old fashioned great story!”

When I was a kid story time was my favorite time.  Not only did it encourage my lifelong affinity for books, but it allowed me to bond with my father, who worked late (but just in time to put me to bed) and who I rarely saw during the week, except for when he read to me. He read to me fiction childrens books and sometimes, if I were really tired, I’d fall asleep before the story ended. But those were exceptions rather than the rule. Too often I asked for another and he obliged.

During the day I asked my mother to read me the story, but it wasn’t the same. Her intonations weren’t right and sometimes she skipped a word or two, which I pointed out, to her chagrin. I was a quick little whippersnapper and chances are if you read your child a nightly children story book he is too.

I read so many fiction childrens books that my parents were often unable to buy me all the books I wanted. Alas, being unable to satisfy your child’s insatiable thirst for reading is one of the pitfalls of nightly reading fiction childrens books to your kids.

One of the things I most looked forward to as a child was reading time. Both at home and school, having my favorites told to me was the highlight of my day. It stands to reason that as I got older I became an English major and took writing courses my four years at college.

The influences you have as a child impact you years later. You want your child to achieve his (or her) goals, to be strong, proud, brave, and happy. That’s what reading provides. Buy kids books now and read them along with your child. Let them explore their imaginations and get moral lessons while having such fun. The lessons we give to youth will make an impact on our world later. Great childrens book publishers know that they have a responsibility to provide quality material.

That’s why SwordPen is a fantastic place to find books. Their stories not only relate to children, they teach them and keep them entertained as well. A book is not just a gift, it’s an eternal gift of knowledge. Reading, writing, and reason are all key skills for success later in life.

Books leave an endlessly lasting impression on young folks who are read to. I know that for me in spite of watching a lot of television and playing a fair amount of video games in my youth several of my favorite children’s books still reverberate in my memory. In fact when asked for a list of my favorite books fictional childrens books like Harold and the Purple Crayon, Oh! The Places You’ll Go, and Where The Wild Things Are classics one and all, still rate alongside more adult fair like High Fidelity and A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius.

A good childrens book publisher like the folks at SwordPen know how to sew seeds into the minds of children that allow them to explore their intellect and imagination. Books like Don’t Get Stuck On Being A Duck and My Dog Ate It feel like timeless classics in the vein of the aforementioned favorites. They offer morals and imaginative premises, not to mention characters that are both fantastical and wholly relatable to young readers, or listeners.

In later years of parenting you will be struck by just how much of the reading you do with your children will be remembered. This is why it is so important to buy childrens books.

Children’s books cover all sorts of topics, from learning how to share to how to accept differences. Learning to read can be challenging and, honestly, if your child just isn’t interested in the story they’re going to want to read less.  You can counter that simply by getting them more engaging books.

Buy kids books with a little more depth to them. If your child loves cats then look for stories featuring them as main characters. sometimes it’s just a case of finding a story that’s age appropriate. Some books are great to read to little kids that bigger kids are going to be bored by. The more excited your child is to read fiction childrens books, the more likely they’ll want to learn to read. There’s no reason that you or your child has to suffer through reading time.

Not every child is a book worm and that’s okay. What you can do is to start good reading habits with them while they are young so that they are encouraged to expand their knowledge.

Summer is upon us. Sure, it’s vacation time … day camp, long weekends, outdoor fun …

But allow me to share some great advice. Read with your children. It’s the most fun of all! And they love it! It’s amazing that little ones love reading with their parents. It’s one of any happy child’s fondest memories. As we get older, it once again becomes one of our favorite pastimes. Creative writing skills and reading comprehension are priceless life skills. Encourage your little ones to read. Encourage them to write.

Something as simple as a diary of your summer vacation can serve as a great writing assignment. But don’t tell them! All great writers began their careers as voracious readers. That’s how we acquire most of our “experience.”

So enjoy your summer, but remember this. The body does need to relax, but the brain needs stimulation. It sorts out the day while sleeping. But while it’s awake, it loves to learn!

Enjoy your summer. And enjoy the time spent with your children!