A Flicker of Hope
HOPE is our children's window for a better tomorrow. In terms of resilience and well-being, hope is a critically important predictor of success. This creative story from the best-selling author of My Mouth is a Volcano!, and Bubble Gum Brain, reminds children that dark clouds can be temporary and asking for help is always okay. We all have times when we need to borrow a little hope from someone else.
When your clouds get too dark,
and too heavy to push away,
Reach out and ask, "Can I borrow some light?"
"I'm having a really bad day."
It's always okay to admit to yourself,
"I just can't do it today.
Everyone needs somebody sometimes,
to help them find their way."
Sometimes the dark clouds overhead seem too heavy and you feel like giving up. Little candle knows all about this. Bad grades, blasted on social media, worried about making the team, and wondering who her real friends are so many hard things to deal with! All she can see is darkness. But her story begins to change when someone notices she needs a boost of hope. As little candle is reminded she has purpose and her own unique gifts, and that she isn't the only one with dark clouds, her dim light begins to shine brighter.
This hopeful story emphasizes for children (and adults) the many different ways to ask for help, and their ability to be a hope builder for others, too.
Reviews (92)
An important message, perhaps not relayed as powerfully as it could be
The message of this book, to motivate, inspire, and reassure kids who are depressed, is a good one. The words are helpful. The use of candles to show how one person can share their flame and their hope with another is appropriate. Were I a counselor, I would use every tool possible to support kids who are down, and as a librarian, this is definitely a useful addition to the collection. But, I also think the illustrations could be much better. I understand wanting to show the difference between the feelings of a person who is down and depressed, and the use of simpler pictures and dark clouds to show a mood. And I very much liked the few pages where the color and pictures blaze up and make a strong, good contrast. But, most of the pages use pictures that are less than inspiring, the pages are too crowded with small candles and blurbs, and they don’t seem to be quite strong enough to move the story along. In a children’s book, particularly ages 5-8, the illustrations are vital, and most of the ones in this book are disappointing.
Amazing story of hope and perseverance
As an elementary school counselor, I am constantly updating my library with books that I can use with my students. Many, many, many of the books are by Julia Cook! So, when I heard she was coming out with a book on HOPE, I had to have it. I purchased this book, well before its release date, with the hopes that it would be amazing and it has not disappointed. There are so many negative messages in the world today. It is so difficult for not only children, but everyone, to persevere and find hope in a situation. Julia Cook uses a very appropriate candle methaphor and DRIVES home that you cannot lose hope, ever! It discusses very serious subject matter in a non threatening and age appropriate manner that will help kids learn without causing them to worry or be afraid. This is a great read and something I would highly recommend!
A perfect story to address hope and resiliency
I own and love so many of Julia Cooke’s books. The first time I picked up this book and read it, I knew it would be one my students would connect to, because to be honest, I started tearing up as I read it. We (adults and kids), have those times in life when the dark cloud above us makes it difficult to recognize the good and positive outlook for the future, but this book reminds us to do so, and to reach out for help when we need it. I loved reading this to my elementary students, and reflecting on their “gifts”, as well as others who have helped to brighten their flame when they needed it. I see A Flicker of hope as a book I will continually go back to reading.
Good message for 1 on 1
First, this is a good book. The author did a good job of tackling a lot of tough subjects in 1 book. I took away 1 star because of the wordiness. Between the pics and the story, kids get it. Keep it simple. For these types of books kids don't want the story to go on forever. The 2nd star is taken away because there are so many possible triggers, such as death and suicide, in this book (I get it, that's the actual point of the book). But this is just a warning that you need to know your audience that this book is being read to. This is not a good choice for a read-aloud to a class of kids. It's great for a sit-down with a child that you know their background and you have time to discuss the book. A summary of my review is it's a good book for specific kids and not a good book for a group of kids.
Another Great book by Julia Cook
I used the book, Flicker of Hope, to design a cross-curricular lesson between guidance and Language Arts. This worked out really well as it lead to thought provoking activities for our students. One student said, ““I like this book because it tells people they don’t have to hide their feelings and that it’s ok to ask for help. Overall it has an amazing message and it is a very good book. I think it will help people relate to the characters and figure out that it’s ok to feel sad sometimes and that you just need to keep asking people to help you and give you hope. I really think that this will help get more hope givers because that’s what the world really needs right now. I absolutely love this book!” The issues addressed in the book are real issues our students face daily. The book provides them an avenue to explore and realize that they are not alone and it is ok to ask for help.
This is a GREAT, easy to get but profound book for ALL of us :)
The weirdest way I found this book. Hubs and I were trapped in a library bathroom. This book was the closest one to the potty lol. I picked it up read it and was hit by its profound truth. And the feels. So I’m reading it aloud in a whisper to my hubs in the kids section and OF COURSE the tears come bc this book is the real deal. I’m crying .... in the damn library! Lol Anyone who needs sadness or depression explained to a younger generation -this would be a great tool there. Buy this book, I did and it’s on our living room end table now—It’s a very needed message esp for our kids today, really, this book is for ALL of us who need reminders to both let our lights shine AND to ask for help when they are dimming ... superb!!!!
Great for children!! Especially in a therapy setting :)
This book is amazing for children who cannot self-regulate when having an intense emotion and say they want to die. Or have thoughts of death. As a counselor the concept of their light, and letting someone help you, and then in turn helping others is relatable and makes it easy to facilitate conversations. The only part I did not like was someone the sayings, or things that happen, are not related to the age that would be reading this book, such as talking about you on social media, I believe. Someone old enough to be involved in Instagram, for example, would not be reading this book. There are parts I skip Bc I Don’t want to elicit sadness.
Love Julia Cook -don't love this book. Needs to be simplified for young readers
I think the subject and intent of the book is something that is needed but way too abstract for young readers. It was too wordy and long the child I read it too was board and kind of got the concept but was tired of reading it. It hurts my heart to say this because I'm a huge Julia Cook fan I own at least a dozen of her books but this book needs Improvement. Simplify the message
Talk of suicide.. “hope” but not what you’d expect
This book was not what I expected. I loved the premise and the illustrations, but this book takes it a bit further than I think a children’s book should in regards to talk of suicide and what happens when things get “too dark” and you don’t feel you can go on. While it’s valuable to talk about, I bought this book not knowing that was some of the content. I’m a social worker who was hoping to use this book with young kids who have lost a parent or sibling, thinking this was a book about finding hope in dark times.. but am deciding not to share this book with that audience because of the content.
GREAT BOOK BUT MIND THE COVER
This is TERRIFIC book for helping kids (and adults) talk about depression. However, the cover that came on my book did not have a loop in the L in the word Flicker. This made the word flicker look like a swear word. Before I brought it into my therapy office I just added a loop with sharpie and then it was kid appropriate.
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