Chicken Soup for the Child's Soul: Character-Building Stories to Read with Kids Ages 5-8

by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Patty Hansen

Overview

Through this collection of heartfelt true stories about family ties, helping neighbors, and lasting friendships, children will see how other kids their age have learned valuable lessons from the choices they've made—and most of all, they will realize that they are not alone.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781623611156
Publisher:	Backlist, LLC - a unit of Chicken Soup of the Soul Publishing LLC
Publication date:	10/02/2012
Edition description:	Original
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	294,605
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Jack Canfield is co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul® series, which includes forty New York Times bestsellers, and coauthor of The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. He is a leader in the field of personal transformation and peak performance and is currently CEO of the Canfield Training Group and Founder and Chairman of the Board of The Foundation for Self-Esteem. An internationally renowned corporate trainer and keynote speaker, he lives in Santa Barbara, California.

Mark Victor Hansen is a co-founder of Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Hometown:

Santa Barbara, California

Date of Birth:

August 19, 1944

Place of Birth:

Fort Worth, Texas

Education:

B.A. in History, Harvard University, 1966; M.A.T. Program, University of Chicago, 1968; M.Ed., U. of Massachusetts, 1973

Website:

http://www.jackcanfield.com

Read an Excerpt

The Twenty-Dollar Bill

When my mom and dad said that we could adopt a couple of kittens, I jumped at the chance to have some soft, cuddly animals around the house. So off we went to the Humane Society where there were a lot of animals up for adoption.

The first thing I noticed was that there was not a lot of room for the animals and not a lot of supplies to care for them. Even though they didn't have much, the people who worked there cared about the animals more than anything, and they did their best for them. Still, it seemed they had just barely enough food and medicine to keep the animals healthy.

When we started looking around, I saw a lot of animals and fell in love with each of them. But my family and I finally settled on adopting two kittens we named Sox and Sierra. We went up to the front desk to sign the papers for them, and that's when I noticed a box on the counter. The Humane Society ws hoping to get enough donations to buy more supplies for the animals and also build a new building to help even more abandoned animals.

We finished up and took our new kittens home, where they were sure to get a lot of love. Later that day my mom and I went shopping, and as we were walking through the parking lot at the store, I noticed a green piece of paper three spaces away from our car. It was kind of wet, but it looked like it could be a dollar bill, so I walked over and picked it up. It wasn't a dollar bill—it was a twenty-dollar bill!

When I got home, I dried it off and thought about what to do with it. I considered spending it on a toy and a lot of other things. Right then, Sox climbed up into my lap, and Iknew what I was going to do with the money.

I asked my mom to take me back to the Humane Society so that I could put the money in the donation box. The lady at the counter smiled and thanked me, and I felt really good about what I did.

If the Humane Society does raise enough money to build a new building, I will know that I helped many more animals that will come to live there one day—hopefully, only until someone comes along and lovingly adopts them like we did with Sox and Sierra.

—Mallory McGinty, 10

©2007. Mallory McGinty. All rights reserved. Reprinted from Chicken Soup for the Child's Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Patty Hansen, and Irene Dunlap. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. Publisher: Health Communications, Inc., 3201 SW 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442.

Table of Contents

Introduction xi

1 Thinking of Others

My Lady Sirena Van Schaik 2

The Right Thing to Do Stephanie Ray Brown 6

Friends of the Heart Ariana Morgan Bridges as told to Robin Smith Bridges 9

The Key to Bethany's Heart Karen Cogan 14

Bossy Lara Lara Anderson 17

A Special Lunch Christopher Geren 20

The Twenty-Dollar Bill Mallory McGinty 25

Sometimes, Babies Get in the Way Ruth B. Spiro 27

2 Being a Team Player

For the Love of Animals Emylee Cuthbertson 32

Second Act John P. Buentello 35

Music Is Contagious Mary Lou DeCaprio 40

Standing Up Christine Mix 45

Someone to Count On Richard Brookton 49

The Gravel Pit Renee Hixson 53

Adam Gets to Play Talia Haven 57

Swimming on a Goat Lana Krumwiede 60

The Gift Givers Club Kendal Kornacki Alison Kornacki 64

3 Being Responsible

Who Let the Dogs Out? Arlene Y. Burke 68

My Very Own Dog Kathleen Bracher 72

Who's to Blame? Michelle Rossi 76

Following the Rules Joseph Sottile 79

The Hill Sherm Perkins 82

A Little Birdie… a Big Responsibility Dania Denise Mallette 88

Munchy Lloret Pelayo 92

4 Making Good Choices

Starting Over Jamuna Rangachari 96

Friends Forever Darian Smith 99

Max and the Purple BMX Mongoose Bike Max Sampsell Joi Sampsell 103

Being True to Myself Terri Meehan 108

Is Sixteen Enough? Christine M. Smith 111

Disney Magic Bryan Martinez 114

Courage on the Court Sandy Green 117

Grandpa's Pig Cookie Curci 120

5 Making and Accepting Changes

Still Loved Karissa Porter 126

Letting Go Becca Sherman 130

Granny's Hands Victoria Williams 133

It Isn't How It Used to Be Virginia L. Kroll 137

Two Good Teachers Ann Ingalls 139

Pink Jelly Glasses Jacqueline J. Michels 144

Harry Kristie Jones 148

6 Learning to Forgive

The Treasure Charlotte Uteg 154

Keep Out Esme Sky Mills 157

The Tiny Bear Lara Anderson 160

Mike's Trucks Ronnie Reese 163

Trouble in Neverland Carly Hunoitz 167

All Because of Kelly Amy Cornell 170

Forgiving My Dad Sarah McIver 174

7 Sharing and Giving

Making Friends with a Puppet Lana Krumwiede 179

The Joy of Giving Ranie Burghardt 182

To Give Love Mimi Frid 188

Fifty-Six Grandparents Machille Legoullon 192

Esperanza Angela Abbott 197

A Healing Haircut Angela Rooker 200

Christmas for Opal and Sean Tiffany O'Neill 204

8 Looking on the Bright Side

The Best Toys Ever Karen Lynn Williams 210

The Best Present Mary Laufer 216

Throwing Stones Katherine Battersby 221

Wishing on a Lucky Star Melanie Joy Pastor 226

A Move to a New Life Andrew Sang 230

Grandma's Wisdom Rahul de Livera 234

Friends Are Like Flowers Michelle Marie 239

Who Is Jack Canfield? 241

Who Is Mark Victor Hansen? 242

Who Is Patty Hansen? 243

Who Is Irene Dunlap? 244

Contributors 245

Permissions 256