I care for nature for it gives me so much back
Ecological empathy
| Author | Tatjana Gjurković, Tea Knežević |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Jelena Brezovec |
| Original Title | Čuvam prirodu jer znam koliko mi daje |
| ISBN | 978-953-8008-86-3 |
| Format | softcover |
| Pages | 24 |
| Size | 22x22 cm |
| Age range | Early learning (2 – 6), Beginning readers (5 – 7) |
| Category | Empathy |
|---|---|
| Tag | Empathy series |
WRITTEN BY EXPERTS IN CHILD PSYCHOLOGY
Gregor and his friends often play in a beautiful city park. But their games often include tearing branches, flowers and hunting small helpless animals. Although it’s all part of a game and can be fun, one little bee explained why that kind of behaviour is just not right. She awoke their empathy by reminding them that the nature around us is alive and that our actions affect it greatly. That’s why it’s important for our behaviour to be caring and kind in regard to nature so we can enjoy the beauty of what nature gives us even more.
Empathy is defined as understanding or feeling someone else’s emotional experience. When we talk about empathy, we primarily have in mind how we relate to each other, and how much understanding and compassion we have for other human beings.
However, at the same time, society is becoming increasingly aware that all living things in this world are very much connected – people, animals, and nature are interdependent and the experience of empathy should be expanded if we want good for ourselves, others, and especially future generations.
Experts generally describe that empathy can be partly an innate trait and partly a consequence of upbringing and life experience. They also agree that upbringing focused on empathy should start from the earliest age. Children learn from us, observe us, and react to our direct incentives, so it’s crucial to give empathy a great importance in children’s upbringing.
Education about the importance of caring for the environment is increasingly widespread, but besides learning how to protect nature and our surroundings, it is also essential to develop empathy as a foundation for pleasant feelings and positive behaviours toward all living things around us. This type of empathy is called ecological empathy.
In this picture book, children will meet Gregor, Lucy, Loreen, and Matthew who play together everyday in the city park. Their games included picking flowers, breaking branches, and catching bugs, until a little bee reminded them how important nature is to us, how much it gives us, and how important it is to preserve it.
At the end of the picture book, there is advice for parents and caregivers with guidelines how to respond when a child’s ecological empathy is too intense and overwhelming, as well as how to act when we notice that it is not expressed enough.
Author: Tatjana Gjurković
Tatjana Gjurković has a master’s degree in psychology, she is certified psychotherapist, certified child play therapist (RPT), Certified Transactional Analyst (CTA), Teacher and Supervisor of Transactional Analysis (TSTA). She works individually with children and adults and holds educational programs for specialists in fields of child play therapy and transaction analysis. She is author of a book “Play Therapy with children” and 28 therapeutic picture books. She continuously promotes the importance of mental health in children and adults through Centar Proventus which she co-founded with her colleague Tea Knežević.
Author: Tea Knežević
Tea Knežević has master’s degree in psychology, she is certified psychotherapist, certified child play therapist (RPT) and Certified Transactional Analyst (CTA). She provides play therapy with children, psychotherapy with adults, parent consultations, and conducts numerous training courses for professionals in Centar Proventus which she co-founded with her colleague Tatjana Gjurković. She has written 28 picture books with therapeutic stories for children. In addition, she is the author of several manuals related to psychological resilience, gifted children, and anger management.
Illustrator: Jelena Brezovec
Jelena Brezovec has a master’s degree in social studies. For a long time, drawing was just a hobby, until 2008 when she became a co-founder of the publishing house Evenio and decided to study digital illustration, with the focus on children’s illustration. So far, she has illustrated more than 40 picture books and many other publications. She is the winner of the Grigor Vitez “Bird” Award, a special praise from the children’s jury. She has illustrated the most popular children’s book series in Croatia – Mrljek & Prljek. Her illustrations have been part of many exhibitions throughout Croatia. She lives and works in Varaždin, Croatia.
