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My Purple Toes Review by Melissa Cummings
By Blair HahnMy Purple Toes LLC
PO Box 826
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29465
843-727-6611
http://www.mypurpletoes.com/
This silly children's book with life-lessons about individualism, joviality, and enjoying life was inspired by one dad's trip to a nail salon with his teenage daughter. Blair Hahn turned this fun outing with his daughter into not only a great bonding experience, but also into a clever board book for your child's entertainment. It is amusing to see how a fun-loving father enjoys the seasons, enjoys various activities with his family, and enjoys his family members' reactions after he surprises everyone (including himself) with a pedicure resulting in purple painted toenails.
A cheerful green frog with its own toes painted purple is "hidden" in every scene, which inspires interaction with your child. Searching for the frog, counting the toes on every page, and giggling at the silly tale with its bright illustrations will engage children from ages 1 to 6. Simple phrases and questions, whimsical artwork, and an implied emphasis on family relations are some of the things I enjoyed about this book. The durability of the board book and its comfortable size are practical considerations as well. My son was intrigued by the bright illustrations and eagerly counts all of the toes, which makes me overlook the fact that I personally found the book a little on the ridiculous side.
Perhaps the most inspiring part of this book is that a portion of every sale supports Soles4Souls, which is a non-profit organization that provides shoes for children in need in the US and around the world. This is a great way to teach your children about helping others who are in need, opening doors for discussion about other ways to support needy children and families either in your own neighborhood or on the other side of the globe. While $10.99 seems somewhat of a steep price for a small board book, knowing that my purchase helps support needy children makes it seem worthwhile.
This book could even inspire discussions about loving people despite differences. Some of the life lessons included in this story are a little hidden and could be construed differently by different readers--which, perhaps, is one of its benefits, as you can tailor the message to what your particular child needs to learn.
