Baxter’s Corner, a locally founded and owned business that uses creativity and storytelling to affect positive behavioral choices for children from birth to eight years old, wraps up 2018 with an exciting array of activities that have brought the five year old company into the spotlight and put more values-based books into the hands of children.
Baxter’s Corner books introduce characters, who are part of the Baxter’s Corner community, and highlight specific behavioral themes such as respect, anti-bullying, compassion, determination and overcoming obstacles. The books focus on good choices to make in difficult or confusing situations and use the endearing animal characters to make the point. The goal is to provide both young readers, and the caregivers who may be readingto the child, strong examples of how to best approach some of the struggles that children face in today’s world.
Baxter’s Corner 2018 activities and accomplishments include:
Each of Baxter’s Corner’s titles earned the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award®, including Ally Alone, Gerome Sticks His Neck Out, Ellema Sneezes and Sideways Fred. In addition to the Mom’s Choice Award®, Oakley in Knots received the 2018 Creative Child Award and What a Tree It Will Be! was honored with the 2018 International Book Excellence Award.
The Kentucky Humanities Council selected Baxter’s Corner to be part of the 2018 Kentucky Book Festival, held at the Kentucky Horse Park in November. Gerome Sticks His Neck Out was featured at the 37th Annual Book Fair, the central event of the Festival.
Baxter’s Corner partnered with Family Scholar House to provide a six week Family Storytime Camp, a social literacy program that brings parents together with their children for a Baxter’s Corner book reading and a facilitated discussion with parents to help encourage positive follow up with their kids.
In addition, Ally Alone has been used as part of the Bridge to Success Family Day at Roederer Correctional Complex in Buckner, Kentucky and Gerome Sticks His Neck Out has been distributed to graduates of the SOAR program, a leadership curriculum and support system for African American men on a constructive path to high-level employment.
A newsletter called “Around The Corner” was developed and distributed to allow parents and their children the opportunity to get to know each of the eight characters, Ally the alligator, Ellema the elephant, Fred the frog, Gerome the giraffe, Oakley the octopus, Olivia the orangutan, Tajo the tarantula, and last but by far not least, Mr. Marvin McBoom, their teacher and advisor when needed.
Giveaways of books and other related items will continue through social media into 2019 to help followers get to know the value of each character.
The books are designed for discussion and each features an important “GoBeyond” section, which provides additional ideas, questions and activities that specifically support the theme of the book, including a “Stop and Think” section to help reinforce the point of the story, make connections to real life situations, and motivate the child to be his or her best self.
The books’ author (Chief Pencil) Linda Villwock Baker and illustrator (Chief Crayon) Mary Ellen Stottmann are both committed to the company’s mission to “use creative storytelling to affect better behavior choices through open discussion between children and adults about values and ethical topics that challenge today’s society” and have reached out to community partners to develop programming toward that end.
“As a business, social and artistic venture, we are most proud of growing our community through relationships and partnerships that help us spread our message about helping young children learn to make better behavioral
choices as they grow up,” Baker said. “Our hope is to leave a legacy for generations to come by changing children’s lives… one story at a time.”
Baxter’s Corner Collection I retails for $95.00, a package discount on the total price of $111.78 if the books are purchased individually. For more information and to see the full line of Baxter’s Corner books, wall art and puppets, go to www.baxterscorner.com.