Get ready to inspire empathy and kindness in your kids with this enchanting children's book! #preschool #spreadlove"

The 411: 

I read The Love Tank by Andrea Mendoza-Vasconez to my preschool class on Monday. They asked for it every day this week. Even my Assistant ask if we were reading the book again and has quoted it to our class "Is your love tank empty today?"  

The award winning book talks about how we all need love to grow and how easy it to help others refill their tank which also helps fill your tank.  My class learned  how just like the heroes they look up to (current class it is Paw Patrol, Batman and Spiderman) they too have a super power that allows them to be aware of when their tank is getting low and how to fill it up even if they are alone. 

Even as an adult I loved the reminder that even if someone else is grumpy which might make me grumpy;  could mean that my own love tank is low. 

The characters and art by Rite Nilson are adorable with sweet visuals to go along with our reading. The class loved noticing when the characters little pink heart love tanks were emptying. 

Definitely a great book to teach empathy, awareness and self love.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Behavioral Scientist Shares ‘Antidote to Fear’ in Heartwarming Children’s Book

 

SAN DIEGO, California — When Andrea Mendoza-Vasconez’s 3-year-old daughter found her crying in response to news of a school shooting, the behavioral scientist struggled to find the words to answer her question: “What’s wrong?” Mendoza-Vasconez’s children’s book, The Love Tank, is her answer — and she hopes it will help other parents explain challenging concepts, too.

 

“Love is the antidote to fear. Love is the antidote to so many different things, so I think the best that we can do is teach our children to spread love,” Mendoza-Vasconez said.

 

The book, written for children ages 4-8, guides children in imagining a superpower container inside their bodies that fills up with love. The story explains in gentle terms what can happen when someone's love tank is full or empty and how children can fill their love tanks and help others to fill theirs too.

 

Mendoza-Vasconez recalls telling her daughter, “While there are no intrinsically ‘good’ or ‘bad’ people in this world, sometimes people do bad things and hurt others because they don't have enough love in their own lives — their love tank is empty.” She further explained, “I always hug you, kiss you and tell you I love you because I want your love tank to be full so you can treat others with kindness and compassion.”

 

One of the goals of the book is to help parents explain why someone might harm others in a way that their children can understand. Additionally, the book helps children connect with important values such as empathy, compassion, gratitude and authenticity in a simpler manner.

 

The Love Tank, which has won many awards, including the prestigious 2024 Nautilus Award for Small Press Children’s Picture Books (silver), is the first in a series of three books, all dealing with socioemotional learning concepts. The other books in the series include The Gratitude Goggles, which guides children as they imagine a special pair of goggles that can appear by simply feeling gratitude; and The Puzzle Piece, which encourages children to imagine that the world is a gigantic puzzle, in which they are unique pieces.

 

Since The Love Tank was published, Mendoza-Vasconez has heard from many parents who have used it to help their children who have been bullied understand why. She hopes the book will continue to help children express love by brainstorming how they can fill others’ love tanks.

 

About the Author

Andrea Mendoza-Vasconez, Ph.D., is an award-winning children's book author, a mother, a behavioral scientist, a teacher, an advocate and a storyteller. She was born and raised in Ecuador and moved to the United States at 18 to attend Connecticut College. After working as a television producer and middle school teacher, she returned to school to earn a master's degree in public health from Claremont Graduate University and a doctoral degree in public health (Health Behavior) from UC San Diego and San Diego State University. She completed her postdoctoral training at Stanford University and served as an assistant professor at the Brown University School of Public Health.

 

When Mendoza-Vasconez became a mother, her love for writing led her to explore storytelling as a way to explain difficult and important topics to her daughter. She uses imagery to communicate concepts such as empathy, compassion, gratitude and authenticity. Eventually, she started writing these stories down and publishing them as picture books to share these messages with other children around the world.

 

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9SC9C66

 

The Love Tank

Publisher: Wholesome Children Books LLC

ISBN-13: 979-8988022909

Paperback: ‎31 pages

Available from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble

 

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PRAISE FOR THE LOVE TANK:

 

"Creatively encourages preschoolers to regulate their emotions and practice kindness. The narrator's warmth and optimism are reflected in Nilson's colorful, flowing illustrations that use a motif of swirling flowers to reinforce the cyclical impacts of people performing acts of kindness for each other." 

·        Kirkus Reviews

“At the heart of The Love Tank lies the concept of extending kindness to fill the love tanks of others. This notion is more than a metaphor; it is an empowering call to action. The book gracefully reinforces the power young minds possess to effect positive change through their interactions. This concept is poised to cultivate a generation that understands its potential for fostering empathy and compassion… Educators and parents alike will find this book a treasure trove to share with young minds, nurturing the growth of love, kindness, empathy, and compassion — the very building blocks of humanity itself.”

·        Literary Titan