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Cordelia
Cordelia can fly - over the ocean and up with the birds, until one day, she hears the whispers: people can't fly; it's impossible. Suddenly Cordelia can't fly anymore... or can she?
32 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2017
2 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Nelson-Schmidt
36 books145 followersI write and illustrate books for children. I love to laugh, I love to have fun. I do not have time for mean people. Life is too short to not do what you love for a living. Or deal with mean people.
I like smiling. It's my favorite.
“Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
--Christopher Robin to Pooh”
I like smiling. It's my favorite.
“Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
--Christopher Robin to Pooh”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
September 24, 2017
Good use of color.
December 28, 2018
This was a really adorable little book. I had a library patron recently recommend this to me. I found this book very sweet and I loved the positive messages that it gave.
Cordelia is a little girl with a big imagination who believes she can fly and she tells others that she flies to all these magnificent places, but they don't believe her or care. Cordelia then becomes upset, because she is called "silly" and is put down for her big imagination.
She then questioned "Is who you are dependent on what other people think?" I think this is an important question for children AND especially adolescents because so often it is easy to worry about what others think of us.
But when Cordelia stops pretending to fly, that's when it changes her into an angry person and she is no longer, happy and excited. Then Cordelia realized that she liked being the way she was.
The overall message here teaches kids to be themselves and be proud of it and that is a very important message in a world where it is so easy to be judged by peers or on social media.
A very sweet story, that I will be buying for my library.
Cordelia is a little girl with a big imagination who believes she can fly and she tells others that she flies to all these magnificent places, but they don't believe her or care. Cordelia then becomes upset, because she is called "silly" and is put down for her big imagination.
She then questioned "Is who you are dependent on what other people think?" I think this is an important question for children AND especially adolescents because so often it is easy to worry about what others think of us.
But when Cordelia stops pretending to fly, that's when it changes her into an angry person and she is no longer, happy and excited. Then Cordelia realized that she liked being the way she was.
The overall message here teaches kids to be themselves and be proud of it and that is a very important message in a world where it is so easy to be judged by peers or on social media.
A very sweet story, that I will be buying for my library.
September 3, 2019
This is such a great book! I got this book for free and gifted it to my niece, who was born in June.
November 26, 2019
Love this book and the message about how you shouldn't let others decide how you live your life.
June 23, 2017
I love kids books that have a great message and this is one at the top of the list! A funny, bright story that teaches kids to follow their dreams despite what others might think or say.
July 27, 2020
This book is about Cordelia, a young girl who believes she can fly. She has a bright imagination, and then one day some kids at school bully her because of it. She lets the peer pressure get to her and changes herself because of it. She gets sad and lonely and then she finally realizes that she shouldn't have let someone else make her feel bad for being her. She shouldn't let others judgement change who she is. When she is herself again, she's so much happier.
I enjoyed two things about this book. 1) It's a great message. My daughter will be starting Kindergarten this year, so she's just getting older and now that she'll be entering elementary school, she will start encountering bullying as she gets older. We will read this book several times a year to reminder her that she should be herself, no matter what others say. 2) The way the illustrations are done in this book. When she changes herself, the pages lose their color. Even my 2 year old notice the color loss in the pages and the sadness on her face. But once she finds herself again, the color comes back. It's a fantastic visual for kids to see the emotional changes this had on the character.
It's not the most fantastic read I've ever encountered, but a nice solid 4 start book to remind kids to be themselves and not let others change them.
I enjoyed two things about this book. 1) It's a great message. My daughter will be starting Kindergarten this year, so she's just getting older and now that she'll be entering elementary school, she will start encountering bullying as she gets older. We will read this book several times a year to reminder her that she should be herself, no matter what others say. 2) The way the illustrations are done in this book. When she changes herself, the pages lose their color. Even my 2 year old notice the color loss in the pages and the sadness on her face. But once she finds herself again, the color comes back. It's a fantastic visual for kids to see the emotional changes this had on the character.
It's not the most fantastic read I've ever encountered, but a nice solid 4 start book to remind kids to be themselves and not let others change them.
March 29, 2023
Young me would not have liked this. It's not that I didn't have dreams and wouldn't appreciate the message... it's that I would have found the metaphor ridiculous. Let Cordelia have plausible dreams. There are lots of things children know that they can do, that adults say they can't, that could serve in place of flying. So, though I can see the value in the book to some (probably adult) readers, I am letting young me rate and not recommend this LFL find.
August 29, 2018
This book is about a little girl that can fly and when those around her don't believe that she can fly or even listen to how she flies, she losses her ability to fly. Once she decided not to let those that don't believe her hurt her, she starts to regain her ability and starts to fly again. This is a great book about self esteem and a reminder to just be you.
July 23, 2020
Wow! This story speaks volumes about triumphing over others thoughts about you. There is one page in particular that reminds me Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent!” Michelle brings such a lovely, lively character to life in Cordelia. May we all soar just like Cordelia and never let our light be snuffed out.
October 8, 2018
This book can be utilized in many ways throughout various grades. The message of being your true self will resonate with students in the second and third grades as well as students in fifth and sixth grades.
picture-book
October 8, 2018This could be a picture book for young children who are afraid of being who they really are. I would use this book during reading or language to teach kindergarten-3rd graders about theme or just being yourself and not caring what others think about you or want you to do.
December 28, 2017
LOVE!! I cried when Michelle read this at the UBAM Convention!
April 30, 2019
Cordelia can fly, until those around her doubt her ability to do so. Believe in yourself is the message here.
Simple and colorful illustrations.
Simple and colorful illustrations.
May 5, 2019
I love this book! I seriously can't recommend it enough. Michelle Nelson-Schmidt has written a beautiful book about being who you are no matter what others say you can and can't do.
May 27, 2019
Love the positive message: Believe in yourself, keep being amazing, and don't worry about what other say. Great for daughters.
September 12, 2019
There is no other character such as Cordelia. Michelle Nelson-Schmidt fills the pages with colorful illustrations and words that inspire and motivate.
April 21, 2020
AR 3.4
July 20, 2020
Cordelia is a must have for any young girl.
July 27, 2020
Empowering, sweet, great message
September 27, 2020
Hands down my favorite children's book. So empowering for all children!
January 1, 2024
I read this to my cat, Cordelia, and she liked it but didn't LOVE it.
June 12, 2024
I bought this for my kids and one of their friends. I adore this book. The message, the brilliant use of color and greyscale!
May 28, 2025
myy autobiography <3
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2025
Cordelia can fly until others make her doubt herself. Can she go back to flying even without their belief? The title is in cursive, but the interior text is in clear sanserif typeface.
January 10, 2017
A little didactic, but actually pretty well done.
February 20, 2017
Cora loves this book and brings it to me many times a day since we purchased it.
February 17, 2017
Love, love, love this. It's about a girl who lets the critisms and negativity of society bring her down, before she remembers that SHE believes she can do it. Definitely a message I want my kids to always remember.
Bob says: 5 Platypires and Pugglepire Approved
Bob says: 5 Platypires and Pugglepire Approved
June 2, 2018
I'm not so certain this book is actually for children. I suspect it's actually a lesson for the parents reading it as well.
It's a beautiful story about a girl who could fly - at least until she lets the words that other people say pull her down from her fancy flights. Will she stay glum on the ground? Or will she let her dreams soars again?
My little girl and I loved reading this along with the cute Cordelia doll that came with the book. We had her soaring through the bedroom!
Sweet and inspiring.
It's a beautiful story about a girl who could fly - at least until she lets the words that other people say pull her down from her fancy flights. Will she stay glum on the ground? Or will she let her dreams soars again?
My little girl and I loved reading this along with the cute Cordelia doll that came with the book. We had her soaring through the bedroom!
Sweet and inspiring.
December 18, 2016
ages 4-8
Cordelia can fly and the more she believes in herself, the higher she can go. But then other people start to tell her she's wrong. She cannot fly. And she believes them and starts walking like everyone else. But her world gets gray and she misses the sky. She decides not to care what others think, and she can fly once more.
http://www.momsradius.com/2016/12/cyb...
Cordelia can fly and the more she believes in herself, the higher she can go. But then other people start to tell her she's wrong. She cannot fly. And she believes them and starts walking like everyone else. But her world gets gray and she misses the sky. She decides not to care what others think, and she can fly once more.
http://www.momsradius.com/2016/12/cyb...
April 29, 2022
2022
Gift from Harper's grandmother
Gift from Harper's grandmother
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews