The Creative Connection

Children’s literacy advocate John Schu and Caldecott Honor recipient Lauren Castillo celebrate the power of finding the perfect book.This is a word on a page. This is a page in a book. This is a book on a shelf ... waiting. With a seahorse kite in their hand, a child heads out with Dad to the library. On the way they stop at a park, joining lots of people, some of whom are flying kites, too. At the library, a person toting a big pile of books hands over a story on a favourite subject: the seahorse. All around, there are readers poring over books, each with their own questions, ideas to explore, hopes for the future ... and imaginations ready to spark. With a warm, lyrical text and expressive illustrations, John Schu and Lauren Castillo invite us to imagine the myriad of ways that books can foster connection and understanding – and how they can empower children to transform the world.

Chen Hansheng was not only a pioneer of modern Chinese social science, remembered for the villagestudies he organized by teams of researchers in the 1930s. He was also a political operative whosecareer as an underground and aboveground Communist activist spanned the twentieth century andthe globe. This book draws on unique interviews, beginning in 1979, with Chen himself, his family andassociates, along with an exhaustive examination of documents, writings, and archives, to build arounded portrait of Chen, the man, and his world.‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐“Stephen MacKinnon’s lifetime study of eminent social scientist and Communist Chen Hanshengmakes for an absorbing, thrilling, and illuminating read. This product of decades of researching Chen,and of years of discussions with him, MacKinnon shows us how one enterprising and creative scholarbecame dedicated to the cause, worked for it, and then ended his life sad and angry about whatbecame of the Chinese Communist Party in power.”—Hans van de Ven,

Sharing a delicious meal helps a family connect in this loving tribute to Chinatown grocery stores and spending days-off together. On a rainy Saturday, a young girl feels as gray as a pigeon. Since moving from China to Brooklyn, Mom, Dad, and Grandma have been too busy working. But a trip to Mom's favorite Chinatown market, where there are "vegetables in a hundred greens" and "silver fish on crunchy white ice," might just be what the girl needs to feel connected again. After a long day of shopping, they cook up a savory meal of mushroom and bok choy, thin slices of bitter melon, fragrant ponds of broth, and seafood--almost like being back in China. A final dream spread shows the family walking hand-in-hand in rainbow colors, an affirmation of love and support even on rainy, gray days. Inspired by Qing Zhuang's experience as a first generation Chinese American, Rainbow Shopping explores how sharing a meal together can be a source of comfort and connection to loved ones, near and far. Qi

What do you see when you look at a tree? Leaves and twigs and branches?Or do you see a real, living thing, That moves, and breathes and dances?Immerse yourself in this gentle picture book that encourages us to explore our connection with nature. In association with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, this wonderful picture book explores themes of empathy, mindfulness and personal growth through the eyes of a child. Beautifully written and illustrated by the award-winning artist Emma Carlisle, What Do You See When You Look At a Tree? urges readers to reconnect with nature by asking questions that encourage critical thinking and reflection on their own development, as well as helping to establish a deeper appreciation for the environment and their place within it.Stunning watercolour and hand-finished artwork draws parallels to the bestselling The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse, and evokes the classic nostalgia of E. H. Shephard's much-loved Winnie-the-Pooh.Mindfulness tips and informa

The #1 New York Times bestseller."A gorgeous and inspiring work of art on creation, creativity, the work of the artist. It will gladden the hearts of writers and artists everywhere, and get them working again with a new sense of meaning and direction. A stunning accomplishment.” —Anne LamottFrom the legendary music producer, a master at helping people connect with the wellsprings of their creativity, comes a beautifully crafted book many years in the making that offers that same deep wisdom to all of us.“I set out to write a book about what to do to make a great work of art. Instead, it revealed itself to be a book on how to be.” —Rick RubinMany famed music producers are known for a particular sound that has its day. Rick Rubin is known for something else: creating a space where artists of all different genres and traditions can home in on who they really are and what they really offer. He has made a practice of helping people transcend their self-imposed expectations in order to recon

你有多久沒走進大自然了？我們與大自然越來越疏遠，讓我們付出什麼代價？如何在生活中獲得足夠的大自然，讓自己更健康、更幸福、更有創意？從韓國森林步道到芬蘭小島，再到加州桉樹林，從日本森林浴到蘇格蘭生態療法，跨越歐亞美三大洲，探索大自然對於大腦的正面影響背後的科學。為自己尋一方自然，與自然一起共好。《華爾街日報》盛讚：「本書是對戶外活動無數健康益處的現代研究，也是一趟生動探索。」★《衛報》「2017年最佳假日讀物」★◆從韓國森林步道到芬蘭小島，再到加州桉樹林，從日本森林浴到蘇格蘭生態療法，再到新加坡「花園城市」計畫，作者橫跨歐亞美三大洲，探索大自然對於大腦的正面影響背後的科學。◆本書以全新角度投入研究，查訪生物學家、心理學家、神經科學家的最新實證研究，跟隨護管員和樹療師體驗森林療癒計畫，提出令人信服的論據，發掘出大自然在改善健康、促進思考創新，以及加強人際關係等方面的力量。◆現代生活大幅轉向室內，遠離戶外，我們比過去任何時候都更加需要大自然及其帶給我們的益處，本書為城市規畫者、健康從業者、教育工作者、科學家，以及關心自己健康福祉的人，提供許多有用知識。◆《紐約時報》、《衛報》、《華爾街日報》、《舊金山紀事報》、BBC等各大媒體絕讚好評推薦。「我們認為大自然是奢侈品，而非必需品，我們沒有認識到它在個人和政治上提升了我們多少。歸根結柢，這就是這本書的願望：找到我們由大自然啟動的神經元背後的最佳科學，然後與各位讀者分享。如果沒有這些知識，我們可能永遠不會完全尊重我們與自然景觀的深層大腦聯繫。」──本書作者 佛羅倫絲．威廉斯大自然不僅美麗，還對我們有益。我們卻以前所未見的速度失去與大自然的聯繫。就算你很宅，看了本書，都會想親近大自然。隨著社會都市化和數位科技蔓延，我們的生活普遍與戶外脫節，遠離綠色植物。然而研究證明大自然能幫我們紓解壓力和憂鬱、幫助睡眠、促進免疫系統、對抗疾病，會讓我們更健康，更有創造力，更富同情心，更容易與他人建立關係。大自然已獲證明有益身心健康和文明社會。本書作者從世外桃源的科羅拉多州移居美國首府華盛頓，對生活中自然環境體驗不足有了切身感受，於是花了兩年時間以全新角度投入研究，橫跨歐亞美三大洲，查訪生物學家、心理學家、神經科學家的最新實證研究，跟隨護管員和樹療師體驗森林療癒計畫，探索大自然對於大腦的正面影響背後的科學。從韓國森林步道到芬蘭小島，再到加州桉樹林，