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Patriot and Friends: Fair and Square

Michelle A. Peacock Buy Now

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Product Details:
Reading Level: Ages 4 and up
Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
Publication Date: February 20, 2012
ISBN-13: 978-0983718604
Author: Michelle A. Peacock, PhD
Illustrator: Christy Beckwith
 
Book Description:
Join Patriot and his friends in this entertaining and thought-provoking story as they learn a valuable lesson about the destructive nature of envy. Wily Fox convinces Muddle, the gullible pig, that it is not fair that Patriot has such beauty. Muddle asks Patriot for feather after feather. The other friends follow in Muddle’s footsteps, demanding Patriot “share” his feathers with them, too. Before long, the friends quarrel in their quest for fair-and-square sharing, forgetting about the unique interests they once enjoyed. The animals are no longer friends and no longer happy.

Will Patriot get his plumage back? Will the friends stop quarreling? Will they learn to admire and appreciate each other's gifts and talents? Beautifully illustrated with watercolor and acrylic paints, Patriot and Friends: Fair and Square is a picture book written primarily for children between the ages of 4 and 8. Embedded in one of the illustrations is a reference to an analogous Bible verse—can you find it?

Our Commitment to Making a Difference:
Novanglus Publishing will donate 10% of profits from the sale of our debut children's book, Patriot and Friends: Fair and Square, to Freedom Alliance, through February 20, 2013. For more information about the charity, please visit our About section.

 

Praise: 

"Fair and Square is a wonderful children's book that belongs in every home. Its lesson is as old as time, but one that must continually be taught—to children and adults alike. To be envious and jealous of what others have is destructive. Instead, we should concentrate on the fact that God has blessed each of us with unique and differing talents. Throughout our history, Americans have used and blended our talents to make our communities strong and our nation the greatest force for good in the world."

—Tom Kilgannon, President, Freedom Alliance

A Lesson Every Child Should Learn — By Leah Barkoukis, 4/10/12, Townhall.com

The recently published Patriot and Friends: Fair and Square by Michelle A. Peacock delivers a bold conservative message in a book for little patriots. The overarching narrative is written for children, but the message resonates with all ages. For the child, Fair and Square helps them understand the true meaning of fairness, the distinction between sharing and taking, and the destructive nature of envy. For the adult reading the book, however, the message tackles some of the most politically relevant issues today: class warfare and socialist agendas. Even though both levels of understanding are achieved, it is done in a way that children can easily comprehend: using animals, simple prose and brilliant illustrations by Christy Beckwith.

The story is endearing, featuring an appropriately-named main character, Patriot - a peacock with beautiful feathers. The other animals all have their own interests and get along swimmingly in the beginning. Then one day Wily Fox introduces the idea to Muddle the pig that it’s not fair that Patriot is so beautiful and has far more feathers than he needs. Soon, all the animals want what is not theirs - Patriot’s feathers. The generous Patriot is quickly left with only one feather and is pictured perched sadly on a fence. There is even a relevant reference to a Bible passage tucked away in the illustration beneath him.

Fortunately for Patriot and the other animals, there is a happy ending and the moral of the story is clear. In the animals’ pursuit of “fair-and-square sharing,” there are valuable lessons to be learned about fairness, the difference between sharing and taking, and the destructive nature of envy. The story also instills the idea that rather than being jealous of others, we must each recognize our own unique and valuable talents that when combined, make a society great and America truly exceptional.

With a PhD in clinical psychology, Peacock herself has an interesting story to tell. In an interview with Fox News’ Gretchen Carlson, she says her motivation to write this book came from concerns she had about the socialist message regarding sharing found in a popular children’s book. Peacock decided to tell the other side of that story in Fair and Square. The book couldn’t be a better debut for the author in children’s literature and is certainly a must have for every patriotic family’s bookshelf.

Author:

Michelle A. Peacock, PhD, author of Patriot and Friends: Fair and Square, was originally trained as a clinical pyschologist. She has published professionally in scholarly journals and books. CONTINUE READING

Illustrator:

Christy Beckwith is the talented illustrator of Patriot and Friends: Fair and Square. Her work has been published in children's magazines, books and greeting cards, as well as licensed rubber stamps and embroidery designs. She currently lives in Michigan with her husband, son and dog named Moose.