Joy the Jellyfish

Joy the Jellyfish is a cute picture book written by Kristen Collier and illustrated by Kevin Collier.

It's about a transparent jellyfish who is unseen or unnoticed by all the other sea creatures. Joy is lonely and wants a friend more than anything. But what can she do to get one when she's almost invisible?

At last Joy travels far from the Great Barrier Reef and meets someone who not only befriends her, but teaches her how to make other friends by offering her friendship to them. I won't give away the plot by telling you who it is that helps her.

The wise knowledge that you have to be a friend to make a friend will be helpful to young readers and those who hear this book read aloud to them.

Kids are often caught up in attempts to be popular and I hope learning the wise words in the book from Joy's adviser that a true friend sees you from the inside out will help them focus on what really matters as they grow older.

Of course Kevin Colliers illustrations are perfect expressions of the story. I have a feeling the Colliers are good examples of friends as well as being husband and wife.

Old Friends

Remember that song, "Make new friends, but keep the old...?"

Families tend to move a lot, especially now when some loose their homes and must move and many parents get transferred or need to find jobs in other areas. Moving can be difficult for children because, even if they've only lived in the same place for a few years, that's a big part of their lives.

We have an advantage in our time. Unlike people in past centuries who wrote letters that might take months to be delivered, we can keep in touch through the internet and cellphones. But little kids can't use electronic devices very well. Even for older children and adults who can, video conversations like those on Skype are not really the same as face-to-face, real world contact.

It's helpful if sometimes families can travel to places where they used to live or invite people they knew in the past to vacation with them. And parents should encourage kids to keep in touch with old friends at least once in a while even after they make new ones. Although they may not appreciate doing that now, someday they'll realize the value of knowing people who share some of their memories.

Old friends really are the golden ones.