We cannot ignore the importance and value of the palm tree in Liberia and West Africa. It is the Tree of Life. The village people always wonder to see the small green palm blade growing in the forest after the torrential rain and tropical sunshine in Liberia. They are puzzled to see Mother Palm so tall and strong. We are going to visit Mother Palm and her children in her palm tree home high above the ground. We are all looking forward to meet mother Palm. We know Lonely Rusty Palm Nut the Wise 1 who knows the source of created energy. All of us are particularly excited to meet Lonely Rusty Palm Nut the wise one who knows the source of energy and life.

This book is especially for you my young friends. It is about Buddy Busy Bee and Goofy Driver Ant who lives in a beautiful place in Liberia, West Africa known as Ant-Bee Kingdom. The grass is plush and green with unimaginable array of tropical flower. Clean clear spring water and underground water pouches gushing up and rolling down the hills blending with mountain water falling sprinkling fields and watering trees plants. The richness of flower blossom and the young energetic buds fresh with vigor ready to expand and flourish into blooming sweet spelling flower. In Ant - Bee kingdom. It is required that a bee and ant must work as a team. It is difficult to find a bee that is willing to work with a Goofy Driver ant. Buddy Busy Bee realizing the situation is moved by the wise advice of Mother Queen Bee. “We are all Gods creatures.” Busy Bee volunteered to work with Goofy Driver Ant.

There are many books written to entertain and provide fun for children. Books have been written on science fiction, animals, adventures and so forth. This book has been written not only to provide a sense of fun and excitement, but also to show children the value of character education. I wanted to show children how these human values such as telling the truth, being kind and polite and considerate, being peaceful and loving, speaking with respect, are an important part of their daily lives. Children need to feel loved and appreciated and this duty, as parents and teachers, to impart and reinforce these values in them, is perhaps the most important function we may carry out for them. Society is now asking questions about where we may have gone wrong as we look at the impact of violence within our youths. There are answers in our homes and communities and when we begin programs that include character education and human values at very early ages, the results will be overwhelmingly positive. Children are our future. Through the process of self inquiry, we need to examine what we are doing or need to do to provide them with a good start. It is the only way we will all have a good future.

Let your light shine

The jewels that adorn our character, not those that adorn our hands, neck, feet, eyebrows and bellybuttons, are our true jewels. “The true jewels that make us really shine are hidden in our behaviour. “We shine when these jewels such as truth, good conduct, kindness, compassion, doing the right thing, helping others and speaking with respect are worn as part of our character. “Like lamps that glow brightly in the night, illuminating the way for all, so too, these jewels light up not only your own lives but also the lives of those around you,” says author, Brij Goberdhan. His book, Jewels for Children, may seem like simple stories about the adventures of siblings, Lily, Mike and Angel. But, wrapped around them are priceless lessons on the importance of character conduct and educating children on it from an early age. In his introduction to the book, Goberdhan writes, “Character education is a vital part of our children’s development. It also contributes to the happiness and positive outlook our children need as they prepare for life. “Values are qualities we possess that affect and improve our character, such as being truthful and kind. “Such values are the threads that make up our moral clothing, which we wear as our character.” Always tell the truth Always tell the truth. This is the precious jewel in the story of Mrs Gilbarker in which Mike, playing snowfight with his sisters, breaks Mrs Gilbarker’s window. Two other children are innocently blamed but Mike eventually confesses. Mike felt good because he had done the right thing and it made his parents proud. Hard workers always succeed. This is another important lesson that Goberdhan believes children should learn. In A Visitor From Trinidad, Natasha wins an essay writing contest and and the prize was a trip to Canada. She tells Angel’s class that it took over a month to prepare the final essay. “I had lost a lot of time and had to wake up very late almost every night. “I had to sacrifice some of the things I enjoyed, including watching movies and playing video games." “I even told my friends I couldn’t come out to play for almost two weeks. “All this time they were having fun outside, playing cricket, soccer and spending time at the beach. “There were times when I felt hopeless but my parents encouraged me to work harder, telling me the sacrifice will benefit me in the long run even if I didn’t win the contest,” Natasha said. Always be helpful The jewel in The Big Hockey Game is to be always helpful, whenever you can. Lilly was about to play a big hockey game when Nick came to her asking for help. Lilly might miss her bus if she stopped to help Nick but she realised that he really needed help. She helped him and missed the bus but the vice-principal drove her to the game. She was further rewarded when Nick’s parents gave her tickets to her favourite hockey game. Be kind, be compassionate. In this story, Goberdhan tells about the community work Mike’s class did. A local newspaper decided to write an article on it and Mike told the reporter about the special home for children they visited. He said his classmates collected foodstuff, toys and books and took them and took them to the home. In The Troublemakers, Angel defends a child from bullies and earns a friend. The lesson here? Be a friend, not bully. Speak softly and lovingly and with respect and kindness makes the world a better place are other precious jewels Goberdhan tries to instill in children in his book. “Today, our young ones are growing up in a world where values such as honesty, compassion and kindness need to be reintroduced. “Not only will this book bring enjoyment in the reading but it will provide valuable lessons in the lives of our young ones,” Goberdhan said. More info: Goberdhan, a resident of Brampton, Canada invested some Can $4,000 of his own money towards his book. The author, however, said the message was more important than the cost.

There are many books written to entertain and provide fun for children. Books have been written on science fiction, animals, adventures and so forth. This book has been written not only to provide a sense of fun and excitement, but also to show children the value of character education. I wanted to show children how these human values such as telling the truth, being kind and polite and considerate, being peaceful and loving, speaking with respect, are an important part of their daily lives. Children need to feel loved and appreciated and this duty, as parents and teachers, to impart and reinforce these values in them, is perhaps the most important function we may carry out for them. Society is now asking questions about where we may have gone wrong as we look at the impact of violence within our youths. There are answers in our homes and communities and when we begin programs that include character education and human values at very early ages, the results will be overwhelmingly positive. Children are our future. Through the process of self inquiry, we need to examine what we are doing or need to do to provide them with a good start. It is the only way we will all have a good future.

Let your light shine

The jewels that adorn our character, not those that adorn our hands, neck, feet, eyebrows and bellybuttons, are our true jewels. “The true jewels that make us really shine are hidden in our behaviour. “We shine when these jewels such as truth, good conduct, kindness, compassion, doing the right thing, helping others and speaking with respect are worn as part of our character. “Like lamps that glow brightly in the night, illuminating the way for all, so too, these jewels light up not only your own lives but also the lives of those around you,” says author, Brij Goberdhan. His book, Jewels for Children, may seem like simple stories about the adventures of siblings, Lily, Mike and Angel. But, wrapped around them are priceless lessons on the importance of character conduct and educating children on it from an early age. In his introduction to the book, Goberdhan writes, “Character education is a vital part of our children’s development. It also contributes to the happiness and positive outlook our children need as they prepare for life. “Values are qualities we possess that affect and improve our character, such as being truthful and kind. “Such values are the threads that make up our moral clothing, which we wear as our character.” Always tell the truth Always tell the truth. This is the precious jewel in the story of Mrs Gilbarker in which Mike, playing snowfight with his sisters, breaks Mrs Gilbarker’s window. Two other children are innocently blamed but Mike eventually confesses. Mike felt good because he had done the right thing and it made his parents proud. Hard workers always succeed. This is another important lesson that Goberdhan believes children should learn. In A Visitor From Trinidad, Natasha wins an essay writing contest and and the prize was a trip to Canada. She tells Angel’s class that it took over a month to prepare the final essay. “I had lost a lot of time and had to wake up very late almost every night. “I had to sacrifice some of the things I enjoyed, including watching movies and playing video games." “I even told my friends I couldn’t come out to play for almost two weeks. “All this time they were having fun outside, playing cricket, soccer and spending time at the beach. “There were times when I felt hopeless but my parents encouraged me to work harder, telling me the sacrifice will benefit me in the long run even if I didn’t win the contest,” Natasha said. Always be helpful The jewel in The Big Hockey Game is to be always helpful, whenever you can. Lilly was about to play a big hockey game when Nick came to her asking for help. Lilly might miss her bus if she stopped to help Nick but she realised that he really needed help. She helped him and missed the bus but the vice-principal drove her to the game. She was further rewarded when Nick’s parents gave her tickets to her favourite hockey game. Be kind, be compassionate. In this story, Goberdhan tells about the community work Mike’s class did. A local newspaper decided to write an article on it and Mike told the reporter about the special home for children they visited. He said his classmates collected foodstuff, toys and books and took them and took them to the home. In The Troublemakers, Angel defends a child from bullies and earns a friend. The lesson here? Be a friend, not bully. Speak softly and lovingly and with respect and kindness makes the world a better place are other precious jewels Goberdhan tries to instill in children in his book. “Today, our young ones are growing up in a world where values such as honesty, compassion and kindness need to be reintroduced. “Not only will this book bring enjoyment in the reading but it will provide valuable lessons in the lives of our young ones,” Goberdhan said. More info: Goberdhan, a resident of Brampton, Canada invested some Can $4,000 of his own money towards his book. The author, however, said the message was more important than the cost.