‘You’re awesome’: Author says kindness begins with one ‘Droplet’
MONROE — Erika Brodie believes one drop of kindness can turn into a wave of positive change.
The Monroe author penned and illustrated a 24-page book, “Droplet,” which she recently shared with Heather Kane’s second graders at Sterling Elementary School.
“One drop at a time and one word of kindness to one child or parent can be such a ripple that we start,” Brodie said in an email. “The book’s main goal is to help children recognize that we are all different and that one drop can make a wave of positive change.”
The main character, Droplet, a water drop, is questioning what kind of drop of water he’d like to become in the world.
“We are all mostly water, as humans we often forget that reality,” Brodie said. “The character is meant to go through many questions to help get back in tune with himself. He wants to go against the current but is pressured into trying to become like everyone else."
Brodie said the story also helps children and their parents understand they are made of mostly water and that all of our environment effects them including vibration, frequency, radio waves and sounds.
“In my first classroom reading, all of the kids raised their hand and said they could relate to him,” she said. “But when they responded they all had a different answer to which part which means I made all feel included and reached the children.
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“The children really gravitated towards how I meant for Droplet to be embraced. Droplet is everyone. The character helped some of the most shy in class to have a voice and help some others be more understood.”
After sharing her story, Brodie said Kane’s students embraced the chance to hold hands with her as she demonstrated the ripple effect.
Brodie yelled to the student on her right, “You’re awesome!”
That child then turned to her classmate and continued the same enthusiasm until it returned to Brodie completing the ripple effect.
“Erika came and read her book during reading month and the kids really, really liked the book,” Heather Kane said. “They would raise their hand and participate. It was nice to see even the shy kids participating.”
Brodie said the story is meant to help all children realize their own personal adventure in life and how they can be helpful and thankful for their flow.
“Parents can find the materials she uses and how to make their own interactive project with their kids on the back of the book.” Brodie said. “There’s never been a better time than now to truly reconnect with our children in a way that sees their own reflection and then how they want to envision the world.”
The author said children need to know they are seen and heard.
“This will give parents an opportunity to see what their kids see and how they view themselves,” she said. “Maybe it will open discussions on their imaginative side, their sad side. Maybe it will present a hero and parents can truly find this segway may lead into deeper discussion.”
Brodie worked independently on the book.
“From start to finish, so I can go read where I’d like and print all I need and sell to whom I would like to,” she said. “The next story I’ve already started and it will follow up with the theme of water, but a different way of helping the kids understand life. It will also be funny and help kids grasp that we are what we eat and what we choose to put in our body is information for the physical body that gets us around.”
Contact Brodie at 734-497-1417 for more information about her book.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: ‘You’re awesome’: Author says kindness begins with one ‘Droplet’
