Book Details:
Book Title: Sam Says: You Are Born to Shine by Sam Hirschmann
Category: Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7), 38 pages
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Publisher: Mascot
Release date: February 2024
Content Rating: G. Suitable for everyone.
Shine bright and don’t ever dim your light. These are the words Sam’s mom tells her every night.
When Sam begins at a new school, her classmates make fun of her colorful clothes and vivacious dance moves. Not letting her inner light dim, Sam shows them that the joy you exude when you’re unapologetically yourself is contagious!
In Sam Says: You Are Born to Shine, readers learn the power of expressing their true selves.
This children's book has a message that we all need to hear: each of us is born to shine and we can do it in many different ways. Nine-year-old Sam does it by wearing clothes with lots of colors, dancing whenever she feels like it, and "marching to the beat of her own drum". When Sam feels just a little anxious about starting third grade in a new school, she's given some wonderful advice from her mother. "You don't have to live from your heart, and don't let anyone tear you apart. Don't ever dim your light, as you should always shine bright." Wouldn't it be nice if all children had a mother like Sam's mother?
Author Sam Hirshman shares a fun, sweet, and heartwarming story. The rhyming text and colorful illustrations are immediate attention grabbers, and the encouraging message seals the deal! Sam isn't afraid to be different and she doesn't allow peer pressure to prevent her from shining in her own light!
I will gladly share Sam Says: You Are Born to Shine with my "just-turned-ten" granddaughter because it is a wonderful way to teach acceptance and individuality. This would be a perfect book for families to read together and also a great addition to a school library.
I received a copy of this book from the author and iRead Book Tours. There was no obligation for a positive review.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Sam, how can we turn fear into excitement when approaching new situations? What are some ways to make changes (such as Sam starting a new school in Sam Says)?
I will answer this with a short story from when I first really learned how to turn the fear of a change into excitement and courage. When I was a freshman in college, I got an opportunity to intern in New York City for the summer. It was a great opportunity, but I really didn’t want to do it because it was extremely out of my comfort zone. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, and I even stayed in LA for college, so the thought of going to New York City where I knew NOBODY seemed daunting and extremely scary.
While I was resisting this opportunity, my dad sat me down and drew a circle on a piece of paper. He said with the single circle drawn, “This is you right now, in a circle of comfort. Life is not about staying in one circle. It’s about creating a mural of circles of life experiences. So, whenever you have an opportunity in life to create a new circle, do it!”
This image of drawing circles in life helped me immensely with seeing life changes as exciting instead of scary. Whenever an opportunity arose where I was going to have to enter a new situation or meet new people, I could always see it as a new circle I was getting to draw on my mural of life circles! I believe Sam in the book saw starting at a new school as an opportunity to meet new classmates, make new friends, and have new people to dance in life with!
Sam Hirschmann is the creator and writer of Sam Says: You Are Born to Shine, and is a true dancer of life. After playing Division I volleyball and working on the trading floor in New York City, she decided to take an acting class, which Sam thanks for sparking her journey into seeing life in color.
She left finance to study acting at the William Esper Studio, which took her down the path of finding her true self and how to authentically let her light shine in every situation. While pursuing acting, Sam began teaching Breathwork classes and sharing her insight on social media in hopes of inspiring others to find their joy within and to let their inner light shine.
connect with author: website ~ instagram ~ goodreads
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