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Today I Will: A Year of Quotes, Notes, and Promises to Myself
Reassuring advice for every day of the year
From an esteemed husband-and-wife team comes a book of daily advice and insight. In dated entries meant to be read one per day, the Spinellis open with a brief quote from children’s literature, write a paragraph of lively advice inspired by that quote, and end with a “Today I will . . .” promise. The entries range from the broad (self-esteem, the environment, gratitude, and openmindedness) to the simple and specific (Today I will call a grandparent . . . smile at a new kid . . . take a walk . . . and send a snail-mail letter.).
With wide appeal to fans of both children’s literature and advice books, this cozy page-a-day volume (with black-and-white spot art) offers inspiring quotes, gentle guidance, and 366 “Today I will . . .” promises to thoughtful readers everywhere.
From an esteemed husband-and-wife team comes a book of daily advice and insight. In dated entries meant to be read one per day, the Spinellis open with a brief quote from children’s literature, write a paragraph of lively advice inspired by that quote, and end with a “Today I will . . .” promise. The entries range from the broad (self-esteem, the environment, gratitude, and openmindedness) to the simple and specific (Today I will call a grandparent . . . smile at a new kid . . . take a walk . . . and send a snail-mail letter.).
With wide appeal to fans of both children’s literature and advice books, this cozy page-a-day volume (with black-and-white spot art) offers inspiring quotes, gentle guidance, and 366 “Today I will . . .” promises to thoughtful readers everywhere.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published October 13, 2009
75 people are currently reading
439 people want to read
About the author
Eileen Spinelli
136 books99 followersEileen Spinelli is an award-winning children's book author from southeastern Pennsylvania. She has written over 100 picture books and novels for children. Her husband is Jerry Spinelli, who also writes books for children.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
October 11, 2010
If I had a 10ish year old girl in my life, I would get this for her for Christmas.
Here's an example of a passage from the book that helps explain why: "Would you bite into something without knowing what it is? Swallow something without tasting it? no. You wouldn't eat it until you trusted it. So why are we quicker to judge a person than a vegetable?"
I can totally imagine a pre-pubescent girl reading that, nodding in solemn agreement and copying it on her notebook for further contemplation (or better yet to hopefully be noticed by someone else that will think she's really "deep").
It's like a pre-cursor to the music quotes that will inevitably clutter the cover of high school notebooks.
Here's an example of a passage from the book that helps explain why: "Would you bite into something without knowing what it is? Swallow something without tasting it? no. You wouldn't eat it until you trusted it. So why are we quicker to judge a person than a vegetable?"
I can totally imagine a pre-pubescent girl reading that, nodding in solemn agreement and copying it on her notebook for further contemplation (or better yet to hopefully be noticed by someone else that will think she's really "deep").
It's like a pre-cursor to the music quotes that will inevitably clutter the cover of high school notebooks.
August 28, 2018
LOVE THIS. Perfect gift for young child about third grade.
It's similar to a devotional. A little quote, a little story to go along with and a little reflection each day. Deep stuff. GREAT to start conversation. Recommended for parent and child.
It's similar to a devotional. A little quote, a little story to go along with and a little reflection each day. Deep stuff. GREAT to start conversation. Recommended for parent and child.
December 27, 2018
I started reading this earlier this year and I think it is a great book for all ages--especially young kids. The quotations and the perspective advice of the authors are a great reminder for living life, whether it's from respecting other people, loving your family and doing what makes you happy plus more, this book has a mix of 'em all. They also include advice on how you can apply the every day lesson we often overlook, on the certain day it is listed. I personally loved Jerry Spinelli's Stargirl and him and his wife's tandem is incredibly great. Although my judgment might be clouded by the long stretch of time I spent reading this book ( a year !) then very well, i do not care but it is great.
~*~
"There's a tree in it, but it isn't about trees. It's about this girl, Francie, who's poor and doesn't have any money, but it doesn't stop her from doing what she wants to do.---Francie is the main character in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. She teaches us all that we can be rich in life even if we're not rich in money. The riches of human life-experiences, relationships, the passing parade of days, the simple miracle of waking each morning to the risen sun- it's all there, free for the taking. There's more to life than shopping."
"Keep the good stuff. Especially people."
"Imagine a day...when you don't need wings to soar.---Sometimes life tilts toward imagination. This is good to know, for there's a high bar I'd like to clear. Maybe it has to do with sports or schoolwork or some private personal achievement that only I know about. I'll picture myself clearing the bar until I'm convinced it will happen. Oh...and I'll remember that imagination by itself isn't enough-sooner or later, I'll have to jump."
"There are always tings to miss,' said Maggie. 'No matter where you are.'---Maggie is telling us at least two things: 1. Wherever we are, it's not perfect. 2. Wherever we are, we should appreciate it and get the most out of it, because once we leave it behind, we're going to miss it.--This town. This home. This school. This day. This moment. I may be cruising through them with hardly a thought, but once I move on to another time, another place, I may wish I were back here and now. So, today, my motto: I am this moment."
"They came suddenly- the way [fireflies] always do- first there was the black sky, then there were hundreds of gold and yellow lights sparking up the darkness.---There are a lot of people out there in the darkness. A lot of smiles waiting to happen.--I am a firefly. There is a light within me. Today I will turn it on and brighten a darkness. I am a firefly."
"Ruby waved, but the woman didn't wave back.---Does your behavior toward others depend on how they respond to you? Are you nice to someone only if you expect niceness in return? Is your motto: If you don't smile back, that's the last smile you'll ever get from me? Sure, it's tempting to adjust our behavior to the responses of others, but don't give up too easily on your own best impulses. Remember, you are responsible only for your own behavior, not others.'--As I go through the day, I'll try to notice whether the behavior of others bends my behavior away from the natural me. If so, I'll make more of an effort to be true to myself."
"Mr. Penderwick believed in long walks. One of his favorite sayings was, Take a walk, clear your head.---When was the last time you did that-took a walk? Not to go to a particular place but just for the sake of the walk itself? Try it, and make this interesting discovery: One end of your body (head) can benefit from the action on the other end (feet).--My head is cluttered. Junked up. Bursting at the seams. It could use a good airing out. I'll do my poor overstuffed head a favor: I'll take a walk."
"When you're exploring, the best thing is that you don't know what's coming next. That's the most frightening thing, too. ---Both 'best' and 'frightening'? Does that make sense? When it comes to exploring the unknown-yes. Volunteering to visit a retirement home, joining a club, speaking to an interesting looking student-venturing into the unknown can indeed be frightening. And the discoveries you make can be the best.--Am I content to sit back in the rocking chair of my life? Or am I brave enough to explore the unknown territory of my future, my abilities, my opportunities? Today I'll take at least one step into some unexplored territory of my life."
"We have no choice of what color we're born or who our parents are or whether we're rich or poor. What we do have is some choice over what we make of our lives once we're here.---Your life belongs to you. And unless you believe you'll come back in another life as a king or a turtle or whatever this is the only life you'll ever have-here on earth, anyway. Therefore, how do you account for perhaps the most spectacularly incredible thing we can say about the human race. Many of us waste and fritter away our one and only life! --Today I will recognize my life as the precious, irreplaceable gift that it is. Although I sometimes think my life will last forever, I understand that it will not. Therefore, I will choose not to waste it."
"I don't like being short.---Short. Tall. Dark. Blue eyes. Brown eyes. Freckles. Freckle less. Graceful. Clumsy. We're not clones. We're different. Until someone figures out how to stretch or shrink the human body, we're pretty much stuck with our height and a lot of dimensions. That's why one of life's keys is to create our happiness from what we do have, not from what we don't have. How sad to see a life summed up thus: HERE LIES JOHN DOE HE WANTED TO BE SOMEBODY ELSE--Except for a couple of kids who seem to think they're perfect, I'm like most everybody else: There are a few things about myself I'd like to change. Well, if I can change them, fine.If I can't, that's OK, too. I'm not going to waste my life mooning over somebody I'm not."
"If enough people think of a thing and work hard enough at it, I guess it's pretty nearly bound to happen.---Wonderful stories are told of people who do great things all by themselves. But sometimes it takes a bunch. Sometimes the best way-the only way- to get a good thing done is to join a crowd."
"Wheeeeeee!---Are you living a story written by someone else? Are you the author of your own life? Or does your life have a hundred other authors, telling you what to say, what to wear, what to believe, what to think?--My words, my thoughts, my actions-do they really come from me? Or am I following a script written by my peers? Every time I express an opinion or a judgment today, I'll stop and ask myself if it really comes from me. I want to live my own story, not someone else's"
"Do not ever be afraid to start over.---The most interesting word in the quote above is afraid. Think about it. Why should the simple act of starting over be something to be afraid of? Is it because starting over is an admission that we've failed to succeed the first time around? Does starting over force us to face the fact that-gulp?-we're imperfect?--Sometime today, or tomorrow, I'm going to screw up. I'll do something poorly or at least not as well as I could. When that happens, I won't be afraid to try again. Because I know that starting over is no disgrace. Failure, you don't scare me."
"With the nearest neighbors about a mile away, Alec and his brothers and sisters learned to amuse themselves. ---It seems to be a lost art these days-amusing ourselves especially if there's no computer screen handy. Would you believe that kids in the 'old days' had a great time making fans out of a Popsicle sticks? And spinning yo yos? And reading?--If I find myself alone today with the dreaded Nothing to Do, I'll experiment. I won't turn on the TV or computer or phone a friend. Instead, I'll find my own creative way to banish boredom. Maybe I'll even become a pioneer-the first person in history to replace Nothing to Do with a brand new never been done before Something to Do."
"Every step Pal took seemed to rattle my bones.---It hurts. But she sticks with it because the joy and satisfaction of becoming a rider outweigh the butt-bumping beginning.--Many times I want to do something, only to find out it's not as easy as it looks. When I was little and that happened, I often used to give up right then and there. But now I've been around long enough to see a pattern: Almost everything worth trying works that way. If I give up on everything that's hard, heck, I might as well just stay in bed the rest of my life. Bumpy beginnings-bring 'em on!"
"Nine times out of ten, talking is a way of avoiding doing things.---Stop telling your parents, your friends, the whole world what you're going to do. Just do it.-- Do I talk too much and too little? DO I tell everyone what great grades I'm going to get and what great things I'm going to accomplish-and then go play a video game or take a nap? Today I'll make a point of replacing words with action."
"Did you know that Pele grew up so poor that he had to make his own soccer ball out of a soccer ball out of a sock stuffed with newspaper?---And maybe if Pele had been rich, and maybe if his parents had bought him a brand new ball every year and up to the minute shoes and a cool headband and wristbands, and maybe if they had driven him to and from practice every day-if Pele had all that instead of nothing-maybe he would not have been motivated to become the greatest soccer player of all time."
"I did not mind that Daddy did not call me beautiful, because it took nothing to be beautiful.---It takes nothing to be beautiful. You can't earn it. You can't achieve it. You can't buy it. It's simply an unearned gift. An accident. So why do we make more of a fuss over a beautiful kid than the kid who who works his or her butt of to get the highest grade in math?--Whom do I give credit to? People who achieve? People who work hard? People who are nice? Or people who just look good?"
"If you cannot dance, you will say, 'The drumming is poor.'-Ashanti---'I woulda won the race, but the others had started too soon.' 'I woulda got an A, but the teachers stink.' 'I could read that book in ten minutes-I just don't feel like it.' Reasons, reasons. We love to give reasons for our shortcomings. Like, if all those reasons would just disappear, we would suddenly be revealed as the Most Magnificent and Perfect Creature in the History of the Universe. Too bad we spend so much time making excuses for what we can't do instead of spending that priceless time tracking down and perfecting what we can do.--I already have an idea what I'm good at and what I'm not good at. Today I'll try to find a new thing that I'm good at. As for the not good stuff-no excuses. Because nobody's perfect, not even me."
"We can't take any credit for our talents. it's how we use them that counts.---Somewhere inside me is a talent that so far seems hidden from everyone, including me. Today I'm going to start tracking down that talent, and when I find it, I'll put it to good use."
"I know who I am.---These words are spoken by Min, a foundling with no mother, no birth certificate, no baby pictures. And so she creates her own identity, day by day, through the loving actions of a well lived life.--Do I know who I am? Truly? Sure, I know my name and where I was born and how old I am and my favourite color and my favorite flavor of ice cream. But do I really know the answer to the question Who am I? Today I'll take a blank sheet of paper and in fifty words or less try to answer the question-honestly. Then, if I care to, I'll answer it once a year from now on."
"Papa always said you make your own luck. ---Sure, there are exceptions. Why should one lucky bloke win the lottery over ten million equally deserving blokes? But pay attention to the good things that happen to people around you, and if you bring in the honesty and lock out the jealousy, you may notice a curious thing: Good luck has a way of falling on those who work hardest.--This is great news! It means I'm not totally at the mercy of capricious forces. It means that, with my own efforts, I can increase the chances that I'll get lucky."
"Hold fast to your dream, Sarah. Wrap it.---Why do we wrap things? Usually to pretect them. The more fragile they are, the more important the wrapping. Your dream is prey to many perils. It may shatter under the blows of criticism, evaporate with competition's heat, sink to the bottomless depths of others' indifference. Tend to your dream. Protect it as you would a fallen nestling. Until the day when it-and you- will fly.--Is my dream in danger? Today I will wrap it in determination and confidence. My dream will survive."
"The moral of panda fable is this: Sometimes what you already have is the best thing. ---Why does the value seem to depend on distance? We barely pay attention to something right in front of our nose, while something half as worthy we covet because it's a thousand miles away. The closer things are, the less we see them. It doesn't make sense, does it? Curious to know what best things you may be overlooking?--Do I spend too much time wishing I had better this, better that? maybe I already have the best but I just don't know it. Today, I'll make a list I'll call My Ten Least Things: ten components of life-things, people,places- that I notice the least and that I can least do without. "
"Tis a good life.---If you look for the good things in life, you will find them. If you believe that, in spite of its problems and bad times, life is basically good-it will be. -- I understand that some things are beyond my control. I also understand that my view of life depends on choices I make. I hereby choose to view the cookie as half remaining rather than half gone. When life challenges me, I shall turn to my resources: the healing love of friends when I am hurt, the promise of new opportunity when I am rejected, my own common sense when I am afraid, confidence in myself when I am alone. I hereby choose to believe that life is good."
~*~
"There's a tree in it, but it isn't about trees. It's about this girl, Francie, who's poor and doesn't have any money, but it doesn't stop her from doing what she wants to do.---Francie is the main character in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. She teaches us all that we can be rich in life even if we're not rich in money. The riches of human life-experiences, relationships, the passing parade of days, the simple miracle of waking each morning to the risen sun- it's all there, free for the taking. There's more to life than shopping."
"Keep the good stuff. Especially people."
"Imagine a day...when you don't need wings to soar.---Sometimes life tilts toward imagination. This is good to know, for there's a high bar I'd like to clear. Maybe it has to do with sports or schoolwork or some private personal achievement that only I know about. I'll picture myself clearing the bar until I'm convinced it will happen. Oh...and I'll remember that imagination by itself isn't enough-sooner or later, I'll have to jump."
"There are always tings to miss,' said Maggie. 'No matter where you are.'---Maggie is telling us at least two things: 1. Wherever we are, it's not perfect. 2. Wherever we are, we should appreciate it and get the most out of it, because once we leave it behind, we're going to miss it.--This town. This home. This school. This day. This moment. I may be cruising through them with hardly a thought, but once I move on to another time, another place, I may wish I were back here and now. So, today, my motto: I am this moment."
"They came suddenly- the way [fireflies] always do- first there was the black sky, then there were hundreds of gold and yellow lights sparking up the darkness.---There are a lot of people out there in the darkness. A lot of smiles waiting to happen.--I am a firefly. There is a light within me. Today I will turn it on and brighten a darkness. I am a firefly."
"Ruby waved, but the woman didn't wave back.---Does your behavior toward others depend on how they respond to you? Are you nice to someone only if you expect niceness in return? Is your motto: If you don't smile back, that's the last smile you'll ever get from me? Sure, it's tempting to adjust our behavior to the responses of others, but don't give up too easily on your own best impulses. Remember, you are responsible only for your own behavior, not others.'--As I go through the day, I'll try to notice whether the behavior of others bends my behavior away from the natural me. If so, I'll make more of an effort to be true to myself."
"Mr. Penderwick believed in long walks. One of his favorite sayings was, Take a walk, clear your head.---When was the last time you did that-took a walk? Not to go to a particular place but just for the sake of the walk itself? Try it, and make this interesting discovery: One end of your body (head) can benefit from the action on the other end (feet).--My head is cluttered. Junked up. Bursting at the seams. It could use a good airing out. I'll do my poor overstuffed head a favor: I'll take a walk."
"When you're exploring, the best thing is that you don't know what's coming next. That's the most frightening thing, too. ---Both 'best' and 'frightening'? Does that make sense? When it comes to exploring the unknown-yes. Volunteering to visit a retirement home, joining a club, speaking to an interesting looking student-venturing into the unknown can indeed be frightening. And the discoveries you make can be the best.--Am I content to sit back in the rocking chair of my life? Or am I brave enough to explore the unknown territory of my future, my abilities, my opportunities? Today I'll take at least one step into some unexplored territory of my life."
"We have no choice of what color we're born or who our parents are or whether we're rich or poor. What we do have is some choice over what we make of our lives once we're here.---Your life belongs to you. And unless you believe you'll come back in another life as a king or a turtle or whatever this is the only life you'll ever have-here on earth, anyway. Therefore, how do you account for perhaps the most spectacularly incredible thing we can say about the human race. Many of us waste and fritter away our one and only life! --Today I will recognize my life as the precious, irreplaceable gift that it is. Although I sometimes think my life will last forever, I understand that it will not. Therefore, I will choose not to waste it."
"I don't like being short.---Short. Tall. Dark. Blue eyes. Brown eyes. Freckles. Freckle less. Graceful. Clumsy. We're not clones. We're different. Until someone figures out how to stretch or shrink the human body, we're pretty much stuck with our height and a lot of dimensions. That's why one of life's keys is to create our happiness from what we do have, not from what we don't have. How sad to see a life summed up thus: HERE LIES JOHN DOE HE WANTED TO BE SOMEBODY ELSE--Except for a couple of kids who seem to think they're perfect, I'm like most everybody else: There are a few things about myself I'd like to change. Well, if I can change them, fine.If I can't, that's OK, too. I'm not going to waste my life mooning over somebody I'm not."
"If enough people think of a thing and work hard enough at it, I guess it's pretty nearly bound to happen.---Wonderful stories are told of people who do great things all by themselves. But sometimes it takes a bunch. Sometimes the best way-the only way- to get a good thing done is to join a crowd."
"Wheeeeeee!---Are you living a story written by someone else? Are you the author of your own life? Or does your life have a hundred other authors, telling you what to say, what to wear, what to believe, what to think?--My words, my thoughts, my actions-do they really come from me? Or am I following a script written by my peers? Every time I express an opinion or a judgment today, I'll stop and ask myself if it really comes from me. I want to live my own story, not someone else's"
"Do not ever be afraid to start over.---The most interesting word in the quote above is afraid. Think about it. Why should the simple act of starting over be something to be afraid of? Is it because starting over is an admission that we've failed to succeed the first time around? Does starting over force us to face the fact that-gulp?-we're imperfect?--Sometime today, or tomorrow, I'm going to screw up. I'll do something poorly or at least not as well as I could. When that happens, I won't be afraid to try again. Because I know that starting over is no disgrace. Failure, you don't scare me."
"With the nearest neighbors about a mile away, Alec and his brothers and sisters learned to amuse themselves. ---It seems to be a lost art these days-amusing ourselves especially if there's no computer screen handy. Would you believe that kids in the 'old days' had a great time making fans out of a Popsicle sticks? And spinning yo yos? And reading?--If I find myself alone today with the dreaded Nothing to Do, I'll experiment. I won't turn on the TV or computer or phone a friend. Instead, I'll find my own creative way to banish boredom. Maybe I'll even become a pioneer-the first person in history to replace Nothing to Do with a brand new never been done before Something to Do."
"Every step Pal took seemed to rattle my bones.---It hurts. But she sticks with it because the joy and satisfaction of becoming a rider outweigh the butt-bumping beginning.--Many times I want to do something, only to find out it's not as easy as it looks. When I was little and that happened, I often used to give up right then and there. But now I've been around long enough to see a pattern: Almost everything worth trying works that way. If I give up on everything that's hard, heck, I might as well just stay in bed the rest of my life. Bumpy beginnings-bring 'em on!"
"Nine times out of ten, talking is a way of avoiding doing things.---Stop telling your parents, your friends, the whole world what you're going to do. Just do it.-- Do I talk too much and too little? DO I tell everyone what great grades I'm going to get and what great things I'm going to accomplish-and then go play a video game or take a nap? Today I'll make a point of replacing words with action."
"Did you know that Pele grew up so poor that he had to make his own soccer ball out of a soccer ball out of a sock stuffed with newspaper?---And maybe if Pele had been rich, and maybe if his parents had bought him a brand new ball every year and up to the minute shoes and a cool headband and wristbands, and maybe if they had driven him to and from practice every day-if Pele had all that instead of nothing-maybe he would not have been motivated to become the greatest soccer player of all time."
"I did not mind that Daddy did not call me beautiful, because it took nothing to be beautiful.---It takes nothing to be beautiful. You can't earn it. You can't achieve it. You can't buy it. It's simply an unearned gift. An accident. So why do we make more of a fuss over a beautiful kid than the kid who who works his or her butt of to get the highest grade in math?--Whom do I give credit to? People who achieve? People who work hard? People who are nice? Or people who just look good?"
"If you cannot dance, you will say, 'The drumming is poor.'-Ashanti---'I woulda won the race, but the others had started too soon.' 'I woulda got an A, but the teachers stink.' 'I could read that book in ten minutes-I just don't feel like it.' Reasons, reasons. We love to give reasons for our shortcomings. Like, if all those reasons would just disappear, we would suddenly be revealed as the Most Magnificent and Perfect Creature in the History of the Universe. Too bad we spend so much time making excuses for what we can't do instead of spending that priceless time tracking down and perfecting what we can do.--I already have an idea what I'm good at and what I'm not good at. Today I'll try to find a new thing that I'm good at. As for the not good stuff-no excuses. Because nobody's perfect, not even me."
"We can't take any credit for our talents. it's how we use them that counts.---Somewhere inside me is a talent that so far seems hidden from everyone, including me. Today I'm going to start tracking down that talent, and when I find it, I'll put it to good use."
"I know who I am.---These words are spoken by Min, a foundling with no mother, no birth certificate, no baby pictures. And so she creates her own identity, day by day, through the loving actions of a well lived life.--Do I know who I am? Truly? Sure, I know my name and where I was born and how old I am and my favourite color and my favorite flavor of ice cream. But do I really know the answer to the question Who am I? Today I'll take a blank sheet of paper and in fifty words or less try to answer the question-honestly. Then, if I care to, I'll answer it once a year from now on."
"Papa always said you make your own luck. ---Sure, there are exceptions. Why should one lucky bloke win the lottery over ten million equally deserving blokes? But pay attention to the good things that happen to people around you, and if you bring in the honesty and lock out the jealousy, you may notice a curious thing: Good luck has a way of falling on those who work hardest.--This is great news! It means I'm not totally at the mercy of capricious forces. It means that, with my own efforts, I can increase the chances that I'll get lucky."
"Hold fast to your dream, Sarah. Wrap it.---Why do we wrap things? Usually to pretect them. The more fragile they are, the more important the wrapping. Your dream is prey to many perils. It may shatter under the blows of criticism, evaporate with competition's heat, sink to the bottomless depths of others' indifference. Tend to your dream. Protect it as you would a fallen nestling. Until the day when it-and you- will fly.--Is my dream in danger? Today I will wrap it in determination and confidence. My dream will survive."
"The moral of panda fable is this: Sometimes what you already have is the best thing. ---Why does the value seem to depend on distance? We barely pay attention to something right in front of our nose, while something half as worthy we covet because it's a thousand miles away. The closer things are, the less we see them. It doesn't make sense, does it? Curious to know what best things you may be overlooking?--Do I spend too much time wishing I had better this, better that? maybe I already have the best but I just don't know it. Today, I'll make a list I'll call My Ten Least Things: ten components of life-things, people,places- that I notice the least and that I can least do without. "
"Tis a good life.---If you look for the good things in life, you will find them. If you believe that, in spite of its problems and bad times, life is basically good-it will be. -- I understand that some things are beyond my control. I also understand that my view of life depends on choices I make. I hereby choose to view the cookie as half remaining rather than half gone. When life challenges me, I shall turn to my resources: the healing love of friends when I am hurt, the promise of new opportunity when I am rejected, my own common sense when I am afraid, confidence in myself when I am alone. I hereby choose to believe that life is good."
February 1, 2010
I want this book for me, and I want Jerry and Eileen to adopt me. Every day there's a quote from a children's book and an encouraging thought: Today I will.... "enrich my life: I will shut my mouth. I will make no noise. I will pursue silence. I will.. listen."
July 15, 2020
I love this book for so many reasons -
*There are great book quotes from other authors and their books that I am encouraged to read.
*There are fun little illustrations that bring a little life to every day's read.
*There are thought provoking prompts and things to think about every day.
*On some days, there are special birthdays to celebrate.
And many, many more things that make this book a quick, simple read to add to your everyday routine.
*There are great book quotes from other authors and their books that I am encouraged to read.
*There are fun little illustrations that bring a little life to every day's read.
*There are thought provoking prompts and things to think about every day.
*On some days, there are special birthdays to celebrate.
And many, many more things that make this book a quick, simple read to add to your everyday routine.
August 21, 2014
Review also posted at BB Reads
Daily inspirational books take many forms. You’ve seen the page-a-day calendar offerings at bookstores during the holiday season. You’ve seen all manner of religious devotionals specialized for people from all ages and walks of life. Even my yoga teacher reads daily from Meditations from the Mat. But this book, geared for children, is just a little different.
A secular, personal development book written for children by two of juvenile fiction’s biggest names, Eileen and Jerry Spinelli, this book seems to be geared towards the 8-12 set, but it definitely has the flexibility to provide for younger kids, especially if a family project is made of it. As a homeschooling mom, I could see incorporating this into our lessons, and it would take no more than 10 or 15 added minutes to one’s day, which is a small price to pay for character building and family time.
Each daily entry begins with a quote. Today (August 21) it is “Every painting is a magic window that your own imagination can open and climb through.” It is from a book called A Quiet Place by Douglas Wood. After an appropriate quote, there is a short, 3-5 sentence blurb on the quote and it’s meaning. All of this is followed by a one or two line goal statement for the day: something to keep in mind, or a small project to do (one of the days was to go owling, another was to visit a library or bookstore). I see this book as a springboard for family discussion, not something to just tuck into a birthday present and tell the child, “well, here you go!”, because some of the blurbs are just simply too brief for the heaviness and complexity of the topic (internet safety, cigarette smoking, etc.)
I like about 90% of the entries. Some of them I feel bordered a bit on preachiness of personal habits. One entry is a diatribe about how TV is void of intelligence and time spent watching TV is time wasted. I’m not a big fan of inducing guilt over a specific item and am firmly rooted in the “everything in moderation” camp. So while I could have a discussion with an older, 10-14 year old about why the author feels that way, I’d be hesitant to turn an 8 year old loose with this if you don’t want to hear their self-righteous opinions on TV while you’re just trying to catch up on your backlog of Whose Line is it Anyways.
Daily inspirational books take many forms. You’ve seen the page-a-day calendar offerings at bookstores during the holiday season. You’ve seen all manner of religious devotionals specialized for people from all ages and walks of life. Even my yoga teacher reads daily from Meditations from the Mat. But this book, geared for children, is just a little different.
A secular, personal development book written for children by two of juvenile fiction’s biggest names, Eileen and Jerry Spinelli, this book seems to be geared towards the 8-12 set, but it definitely has the flexibility to provide for younger kids, especially if a family project is made of it. As a homeschooling mom, I could see incorporating this into our lessons, and it would take no more than 10 or 15 added minutes to one’s day, which is a small price to pay for character building and family time.
Each daily entry begins with a quote. Today (August 21) it is “Every painting is a magic window that your own imagination can open and climb through.” It is from a book called A Quiet Place by Douglas Wood. After an appropriate quote, there is a short, 3-5 sentence blurb on the quote and it’s meaning. All of this is followed by a one or two line goal statement for the day: something to keep in mind, or a small project to do (one of the days was to go owling, another was to visit a library or bookstore). I see this book as a springboard for family discussion, not something to just tuck into a birthday present and tell the child, “well, here you go!”, because some of the blurbs are just simply too brief for the heaviness and complexity of the topic (internet safety, cigarette smoking, etc.)
I like about 90% of the entries. Some of them I feel bordered a bit on preachiness of personal habits. One entry is a diatribe about how TV is void of intelligence and time spent watching TV is time wasted. I’m not a big fan of inducing guilt over a specific item and am firmly rooted in the “everything in moderation” camp. So while I could have a discussion with an older, 10-14 year old about why the author feels that way, I’d be hesitant to turn an 8 year old loose with this if you don’t want to hear their self-righteous opinions on TV while you’re just trying to catch up on your backlog of Whose Line is it Anyways.
January 4, 2011
Jerry and Eileen Spinelli working together to create a book! What has more potential to be wonderful than that? A blending of the offbeat wit and warm, sweet wisdom of two of the best authors of books for young readers among writers of this generation was certain to produce some memorable moments.
At its best, Today I Will allows the remarkable wisdom of its creators to flow like sweet honey; or, like a healing salve for the wounds that the outside world inflicts over time. It's a book filled with words that do good, that soothe hurt and banish the phantoms of fear that might otherwise threaten to capture our hearts.
The format is a good one, with the two Spinellis taking one quote from the pantheon of children's literature every day and mining the truths from it, to help us get the full meaning out of what the author originally intended. I think that some of the quotes might be read into a bit more than they necessarily should be, but the general idea is a good one.
Ultimately, Today I Will was different from what I had anticipated when I first heard of its release, but the writing abilities of its co-authors make it a book worth reading. Watch out for a handful of powerful sayings sprinkled throughout the days of the book's year that will really reach out from the page and grab you, making you clearly realize why you decided to read the book in the first place.
At its best, Today I Will allows the remarkable wisdom of its creators to flow like sweet honey; or, like a healing salve for the wounds that the outside world inflicts over time. It's a book filled with words that do good, that soothe hurt and banish the phantoms of fear that might otherwise threaten to capture our hearts.
The format is a good one, with the two Spinellis taking one quote from the pantheon of children's literature every day and mining the truths from it, to help us get the full meaning out of what the author originally intended. I think that some of the quotes might be read into a bit more than they necessarily should be, but the general idea is a good one.
Ultimately, Today I Will was different from what I had anticipated when I first heard of its release, but the writing abilities of its co-authors make it a book worth reading. Watch out for a handful of powerful sayings sprinkled throughout the days of the book's year that will really reach out from the page and grab you, making you clearly realize why you decided to read the book in the first place.
July 30, 2013
The Spinellis know what kids like, and the pieces in this book are no exception. They pulled quotes from juvenile and middle school books, like:
"The zoo is kid stuff," Miguel tells his sister.
"I am a kid!" Juanita states. "And you're a kid, too."
and used them as jumping-off points for helpful and wise (but never preachy) advice:
Of all the mistakes that kids make, this may be the most common: they don't enjoy being a kid. Starting with every birthday, we join a new club -- the 11-Year-Old Club, the 12-Year-Old Club. etc. We belong for 365 days and then we're out. We could live to 1000, but we'll never belong to that particular club again. If we're smart, we'll enjoy where and when we are and not keep itching forward to the next year.
and daily affirmations and goals:
I'll be happy with the club I'm in today and not gripe about what I'm not yet allowed to do.
Recommended for middle-school and high-school readers.
"The zoo is kid stuff," Miguel tells his sister.
"I am a kid!" Juanita states. "And you're a kid, too."
and used them as jumping-off points for helpful and wise (but never preachy) advice:
Of all the mistakes that kids make, this may be the most common: they don't enjoy being a kid. Starting with every birthday, we join a new club -- the 11-Year-Old Club, the 12-Year-Old Club. etc. We belong for 365 days and then we're out. We could live to 1000, but we'll never belong to that particular club again. If we're smart, we'll enjoy where and when we are and not keep itching forward to the next year.
and daily affirmations and goals:
I'll be happy with the club I'm in today and not gripe about what I'm not yet allowed to do.
Recommended for middle-school and high-school readers.
July 30, 2013
The Spinellis know what kids like, and the pieces in this book are no exception. They pulled quotes from juvenile and middle school books, like:
"The zoo is kid stuff," Miguel tells his sister.
"I am a kid!" Juanita states. "And you're a kid, too."
and used them as jumping-off points for helpful and wise (but never preachy) advice:
Of all the mistakes that kids make, this may be the most common: they don't enjoy being a kid. Starting with every birthday, we join a new club -- the 11-Year-Old Club, the 12-Year-Old Club. etc. We belong for 365 days and then we're out. We could live to 1000, but we'll never belong to that particular club again. If we're smart, we'll enjoy where and when we are and not keep itching forward to the next year.
and daily affirmations and goals:
I'll be happy with the club I'm in today and not gripe about what I'm not yet allowed to do.
Recommended for middle-school and high-school readers.
"The zoo is kid stuff," Miguel tells his sister.
"I am a kid!" Juanita states. "And you're a kid, too."
and used them as jumping-off points for helpful and wise (but never preachy) advice:
Of all the mistakes that kids make, this may be the most common: they don't enjoy being a kid. Starting with every birthday, we join a new club -- the 11-Year-Old Club, the 12-Year-Old Club. etc. We belong for 365 days and then we're out. We could live to 1000, but we'll never belong to that particular club again. If we're smart, we'll enjoy where and when we are and not keep itching forward to the next year.
and daily affirmations and goals:
I'll be happy with the club I'm in today and not gripe about what I'm not yet allowed to do.
Recommended for middle-school and high-school readers.
May 9, 2010
Reviewed by Melanie Foust for TeensReadToo.com
In TODAY I WILL, each day has a page dedicated to it, full of all kinds of things like being a good friend, following your dreams, the importance of taking responsibility for your own actions, and so much more. Each entry starts off with a quote from a book. Then comes a few sentences expounding upon the quote, showing how it could possibly apply to the reader's life.
Each page also has an illustration of some sort. The illustrations were great!
I think this book is perfect for older children and younger teens. Each day's page is short, quick, and to the point, making it easy to read, and only takes up a few minutes each day.
It is an ideal book for anyone looking for a way to start every day right. TODAY I WILL would make a great gift.
In TODAY I WILL, each day has a page dedicated to it, full of all kinds of things like being a good friend, following your dreams, the importance of taking responsibility for your own actions, and so much more. Each entry starts off with a quote from a book. Then comes a few sentences expounding upon the quote, showing how it could possibly apply to the reader's life.
Each page also has an illustration of some sort. The illustrations were great!
I think this book is perfect for older children and younger teens. Each day's page is short, quick, and to the point, making it easy to read, and only takes up a few minutes each day.
It is an ideal book for anyone looking for a way to start every day right. TODAY I WILL would make a great gift.
January 23, 2011
I got this for my niece. But I thought I should probably read through it before giving it to her as my brother is protective. It is a book of daily devotions with quotes from children's literature that are then explained in context with today's pop culture. Each day ends with a positive action statement. Since Kelsey is a big reader and heading into preteen years, I think she will really enjoy this and could start reading at whatever date I finally get it to her.
December 20, 2011
I thought this was a wonderful book, it was full of inspirational quotes that try to improve your life and give you better thinking. I would reccommend this ages of 8+. This is the kind of book that makes you feel more positive page by page. I think it would be best if you read one page each day, and focused on that goal for that day, and so on. So you might want to read another book while you are reading this one.
September 2, 2011
An inspirational entry for each day that incorporates a quote from a children's book. I enjoyed the literary connections, although found it a stretch to try to relate to some of the struggles that young kids face. Maybe I thought it would be more nostalgic... no, Jerry and Eileen speak directly to their audience of children. And I hope at least some take their advice!
August 6, 2011
Inspirational quotes from children's literature on many subjects become daily advice to the reader. Both of the renowned, married children's authors, Eileen and Jerry Spinelli, expand each quote from their point of view and then challenge the reader to action.
October 25, 2011
looking for inspirational quotes from children's books to decorate the library walls, I stumbled upon this book, a quote a day with explanations, advice and challenges for kids to try. perfect for pre-teens, wish my nieces were younger.
January 21, 2015
Great gift book! Happy and inspirational...all inspired by children's literature.
Read
December 25, 2009Good things to keep in mind, but I'm just not a daily affirmations kind of girl...
December 31, 2012
This excellent collection highlights snippets of children's literature with advice mixed in, yet the two masterful authors manage to keep it from being didactic.
Read
May 12, 2013it is a book that has meaning for each day. i just read may 12 becaused thats today and the book is right. i didn/t realize it
February 12, 2015
I liked it at lot! <3
October 3, 2014
Amazing! I think this actually changed my life!
October 21, 2021
I loved it
April 5, 2010
Great book for the YA reader.
March 5, 2012
I can see many of my girl readers turning to Today I Will over and over again.
May 21, 2014
amazing
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