The one kids' book I always come back to

I’ve mentioned this book before, but it’s worth continuing to talk about.

This is an ode to my favorite children’s book, Miss Rumphius. I love this book so much that I give it at every baby shower; it made such a mark on me as a kid that I even wrote my college admissions essay on it. The book is about a young woman who is told by her grandfather that there are three things she must do in her life: 1) travel the world; 2) live by the sea; and 3) leave the world a more beautiful place than when she found it.

So the woman travels the world, meeting new people and seeing new places far and wide. As an older woman, she comes home to live by the sea. She realizes that, as she ages, she must still leave the world more beautiful than she found it. So she sets off across the countryside planting seeds of lupines, which proceed to colorfully dot the landscape for years to come.

Simply put: I love the message. See new things, appreciate the world’s beauty and take care of it. It’s one we obviously need now — and always. So read it to your kids. They’ll take the sweet, ever-important message to heart.

P.S. Check out these books that teach your child empathy and kindness and about the environment.

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FYI!

PSA: As the holidays approach, HuffPost is here to help. In the HuffPost Stuff store, we’ve curated three online holiday collections with gifts for friends and family who want to improve their physical and mental health (Self-Care), live a good life (Life 101), and find better work (Side Hustle). Every purchase supports HuffPost’s hard-hitting and empathetic journalism, so we hope you will take a look!

For when your kid is keeping you awake...

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