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    The Children's Book Review

    Kobi Yamada Discusses Noticing

    Bianca SchulzeBy Bianca Schulze7 Mins Read Ages 4-8 Best Kids Stories Gift Books Giveaways
    Kobi Yamada Discusses Noticing
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    An interview with Kobi Yamada in partnership with Compendium, Inc.
    The Children’s Book Review

    Kobi Yamada is the creator of many inspiring books, including the New York Times best-selling What Do You Do With… series and Because I Had a Teacher. He is also the president of Compendium, a company of amazing people doing amazing things. Kobi feels grateful to share his life with his loving family in the Pacific Northwest, where he can look out and catch a glimpse of the marvelous every day. The latter leads us to his latest picture book collaboration with illustrator Elise Hurst, Noticing.

    In this interview, we discuss Noticing, imagination, compassion, and the beauty of paying attention to our surroundings.

    Be sure to scroll down to the giveaway for your chance to win a copy of Noticing!

    Noticing follows a young girl and an accomplished painter as they learn to observe the beauty and magic in each day. What would you like readers to know about this mesmerizing book?

    Noticing: Book Cover

    Kobi Yamada: Noticing is a book about awareness and perspective. It is a book that encourages you to pay attention, to be curious, and to observe the world around and within you. It is my hope that it inspires readers to look closely and to discover all the miraculous and sometimes hidden aspects that are available to all of us.

    What was your specific inspiration for Noticing? At what moment did you know you had to create this book? Was it something you noticed?

    It has always fascinated me how two people can look at the same thing and see it so differently. Our imagination, our compassion, and our experiences shape how we see ourselves and the world around us. My goal was to create a book that would encourage readers to take the time to observe, to pay attention to the world around them, and perhaps to see things with fresh eyes and a new perspective.

    The jacket flap text challenges readers with a what-if question: What if you looked for the good inside yourself, and others—what would you see? What kind of answers do you think young readers might give after reading Noticing?

    So much is formed by not only what we see but how we choose to look at something or someone. And we all are shaped by our outlooks, attitudes, biases, and experiences. It is my hope that readers will choose to engage with more openness and curiosity. What we focus on increases, and when we look for the good, we are also part of creating it.

    Noticing Interior Possibility

    The protagonist is a curious young girl, and it is an elderly, wise painter who helps her to take in the wonders of the world and encourages her to use her imagination to think bigger. Will you talk to us about this dynamic and why you chose an artist as the enlightened messenger of embracing what’s possible?

    Much like our previous book, Trying, which I created with illustrator, Elise Hurst, this book also has a relationship between a young person and a mentor. I thought it was appropriate that our mentor was an artist who not only creates through purposeful observation and the details that she sees but also expresses and shares wonderful possibilities that can be imagined and brought into the world.

    Noticing Interior Painter

    Where or from whom did you learn the importance of noticing?

    Over the years, I’ve come to discover that we not only see what’s in front of us, but often we look back at the things we may have missed in life. I know I am guilty of this. I can be so busy or focused or distracted with something that amazing things pass me by. The more we can encourage each other to pause, to take in the beauty of the world and the people around us, the more we can connect with the fullness of our lives.

    Would it be fair to say you are an optimist? Do you think having a keen sense of noticing requires a dose of optimism? Or do you think noticing and mindset are separate entities?

    I think it is fair to say I am an optimist. I think developing a healthy mindset, attitude and orientation are all helpful life skills. And I believe they are key ingredients in developing the life skill of noticing. It is my opinion that these life skills are intertwined and build on each other to enable us to live and experience our lives in a way that is inspiring and fulfilling.

    Noticing encourages readers of all ages to slow down and look at the world with their hearts—to use their imagination to expand their vision. What do you do in your daily routine to make sure you take the time to slow down?

    One of my daily routines that I find to be most helpful to slow down is to sit quietly, close my eyes, regulate my breathing, and focus on what I am grateful for. When I am able, I also to try to get out in nature. I find being in nature is incredibly energizing and restorative and a pathway to creativity.

    Noticing Interior Closed Eyes

    Elise Hurst’s artwork is absolutely stunning, as always! Will you share your thoughts on the art style, color choices, and how it lends to the art of noticing?

    I knew I wanted to work with Elise on this book. She is a genius and incredible at creating worlds where we can discover and imagine. For Noticing, I asked her to create her illustrations in a way where many imaginative elements are subtly hidden. Not only is this central to the story, but it is a wonderful way for readers to discover and notice something new each time they read the book.

    Since Noticing is a companion to the beloved children’s book Trying, should we expect to see more books like it?

    Yes, Noticing is a sibling book to our first book together, Trying. It is my hope that I will get to collaborate with Elise on future books to enhance not only life skills like perseverance or observation but also the importance of mentorship and being there for someone else.

    Is there anything else you feel we should know about Noticing, yourself, or your writing?

    It is always my hope with any book that I write that it will be a catalyst for conversation, especially between people of different ages and life experiences. Those conversations can lead to greater understanding and connection if we look for new ways to grow and are willing to expand our unique perspectives.

    For more information, visit www.live-inspired.com.

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    About the Book

    Noticing by Kobi Yamada: Book Cover

    Noticing

    Written by Kobi Yamada

    Illustrated by Elise Hurst

    5+ | 48 Pages

    Publisher: Compendium | ISBN-13: 9781970147896

    Publisher’s Book Summary: This is a story about noticing the little things, the grand big things, the imaginary, and sometimes, hidden things. It is about embracing what’s possible. And that the incredible is everywhere and in everything—waiting to be known, discovered, and recognized.

    Noticing Interior Discover

    This beautiful tale by New York Times best-selling author Kobi Yamada and illustrator Elise Hurst encourages readers of all ages to slow down and look at the world with their hearts–to use their imagination to expand their vision. A companion to the beloved children’s book Trying, Noticing follows a young girl and an accomplished painter as they learn to observe the beauty and magic in each day. It’s a story that will encourage you to pay attention, make new discoveries, and explore the unknown. And it’s also an invitation to look within, to your own hopes and dreams, and perhaps to discover even more.

    Buy the Book
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    Comepndium

    Book Giveaway

    Noticing: Book Giveaway

    This interview—Kobi Yamada Discusses Noticing—was conducted between Kobi Yamada and Bianca Schulze. For similar books and articles, follow along with our content tagged with Kobi Yamada, and Picture Book.

    What to Read Next:

    1. M.H. Clark Discusses Her New Picture Book ‘Eat the Cake’
    2. Elise Hurst Discusses The Storyteller’s Handbook: 52 Illustrations to Inspire Your Own Tales and Adventures
    3. Books with Bundles: Holiday Gift Giving
    4. Dear Girl, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Paris Rosenthal | Book Review

    *Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links that share some commission. Rest assured that these will not affect the cost of any products and services promoted here. Our team always provides their authentic opinion in all content published on this site.

    Being Present Elise Hurst Gift Books Inspirational Books Kobi Yamada Picture Book Positive Thinking
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    Bianca Schulze
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    Bianca Schulze is the founder of The Children’s Book Review. She is a reader, reviewer, mother and children’s book lover. She also has a decade’s worth of experience working with children in the great outdoors. Combined with her love of books and experience as a children’s specialist bookseller, the goal is to share her passion for children’s literature to grow readers. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, she now lives with her husband and three children near Boulder, Colorado.

    80 Comments

    1. Donna L on February 6, 2023 5:36 am

      A good lesson for everyone.

      Reply
    2. gloria patterson on February 6, 2023 1:52 pm

      an interesting book that zay would learnf from

      Reply
    3. Donna L on February 7, 2023 5:23 am

      Seems like this book teaches a good life lesson.

      Reply
    4. GLORIA PATTERSON on February 7, 2023 1:23 pm

      lesson learned are neve forgotten

      Reply
    5. Daniel Scott on February 7, 2023 7:53 pm

      The unlikely friendship that grows between the artist and the child is special.

      Reply
    6. Donna L on February 8, 2023 4:51 am

      A cool, interesting book.

      Reply
    7. GLORIA PATTERSON on February 8, 2023 3:33 pm

      . Our imagination, our compassion, and our experiences shape and zay learns this more all the time

      Reply
    8. Daniel Scott on February 8, 2023 9:15 pm

      I like this gentle story of friendship with wonderful illustrations.

      Reply
    9. Donna L on February 9, 2023 5:11 am

      This is a good story with a positive message!

      Reply
    10. Anna Braley on February 9, 2023 8:54 am

      Sounds amazing

      Reply
    11. Buddy Garrett on February 9, 2023 11:40 am

      I would love to win it for out granddaughter.

      Reply
    12. GLORIA PATTERSON on February 9, 2023 3:34 pm

      sounds like good lessons for all

      Reply
    13. Daniel Scott on February 9, 2023 8:23 pm

      I want to checkout the illustrations in this book and then work with the kids on our own drawings.

      Reply
    14. Donna L on February 10, 2023 4:57 am

      Thank you for the opportunity to win this book for my grandson.

      Reply
    15. Peggy Clayton on February 10, 2023 10:04 am

      The illustrations are so amazing I am a former teacher and this would of been amazing to have in my classroom now I have 6 grandkids that live in Ca and my 2 grandgirls love for their dad to read to them and show them the pictures they would love this as much as myself. I would read and review on a few sites!

      Reply
    16. GLORIA PATTERSON on February 10, 2023 12:40 pm

      a interesting book zay would learn from

      Reply
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