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The Bridge of the Golden Wood: A Parable on How to Earn a Living (Careers for Kids Book 4) by [Karl Beckstrand, Yaniv Cahoua]

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Karl Beckstrand

The Bridge of the Golden Wood: A Parable on How to Earn a Living (Careers for Kids Book 4) Kindle Edition

by Karl Beckstrand (Author), Yaniv Cahoua (Illustrator) Format: Kindle Edition

168 ratings

Book 4 of 5: Careers for Kids

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“Masterful…immensely appealing…readable…realistic but soft Asian-style illustrations,” – Crystie Cook, poet. A child with a knack for solving problems helps some hungry fish and is rewarded. Selected by the State of Vermont for primary school career/economics curriculum.

Career/job ideas
Money management/saving tips
Small business inspiration
Asian characters
Dyslexic-friendly font

“What are you looking at?” asked the boy. “Trouble and treasure,” said the old woman. The story captivates young children; older ones want to apply the things they learn (for ages 4 and up, preschool – 12th grade). This illustrated folk tale on the value of work bridges the gap between what kids learn in school about business and finance—and what they should know (how to observe and serve others). Look inside!

“5 stars. A clever storyteller.… Colorfully illustrated…ideas [on] how to build one’s own treasure.… A very educational resource,” - Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite. The perfect length picture book for kids (not too long for adults): 26 full-color pages. Teach a child to fish: this kids’ book shows how to spot opportunities to help others, earn one’s keep, and save money (financial literacy). End notes have ideas for businesses, money-making activities, plus online resources on career choices, managing money, finding customers, and moving up in an organization.

Get this children’s business book with summer job ideas and money saving tips. 530 read-aloud words by award-winning author-illustrator and former Silicon Valley recruiter Karl Beckstrand (see all of Beckstrand’s 60+ multicultural books). Careers for Kids series - #4 (stand-alone—previous title not required. Others in the series: Bright Star, Night Star: An Astronomy Story; Ma MacDonald Flees the Farm; Great Cape o’ Colors: Capa de colores [English-Spanish]). Art by Yaniv Cahoua and Karl Beckstrand.

Entrepreneur’s textbook (8.5"x 8.5" fish fable/graduation gift with Chinese boy and red panda). For free career/ecology lesson plans, see PremioBooks. Premio Publishing & Gozo Books (worldwide rights © July 2017), libraries, and all major distributors. LCCN: 2016949820, JUV009090, JUV006000, JUV012060, JUV039220, JUV030020, JUV063000, BUS025000, BUS012000, BUS060000, BUS019000, BUS048000, eISBN: 978-1370287222, paper ISBN: 978-1536889864, hard cover ISBN: 978-0985398811

Reading age

4 - 8 years, from customers
Print length

34 pages
Language

English
Grade level

Preschool - 12
Publication date

January 25, 2017
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A great way to introduce the value of serving others and how thoseefforts lead to a return on the investment. I especially enjoyed thesuggested activities after the story. Whether you want to help childrenlearn the importance of inspired service, become entrepreneurs, or justvalue work, 'The Bridge' is a fun illustrated children's book you willwant to read to the children in your life." - Spencer Harden, mediastrategist
"Encourages kids how to think for themselves...while also thinking of others.... The illustrations throughout the book areabsolutely lovely and bring to life the story of the boy in a peacefully enchanting way. The story is fast-paced and would do well for childrenwith short attention spans but is also fulfilling enough for childrenwho are a bit older. The extra activities and money-making ideas at theend of the book are also nice touches to get kids motivated to be likethe boy in the story, and help them use their imaginations." - RayleighGray, book blogger
"Masterful" - Crystie Cook, poet
"Beautifulillustrations! I love the idea of using this children's book to teachthe value of service along with the rewards for hard work!" - TheresaSneed, author
"[Beckstrand] has done an awesome job makingentrepreneurship easily understandable for young minds. Hope thisinspires many young readers with valuable ideas." - Scott Wilhite,filmmaker
"Designed to help children learn about the value ofwork...and how, by working, you will receive a treasure in return.... an especially good concept for children to learn. There are someadditional online resources and ideas for work that might help bringthem a bit of treasure. I think children with like this parable oflearning how to do service for others. I enjoyed the writing and thecolorful and attractive pictures in the book.... Enjoy." - SonjaNishimoto
"Oh, this book is delightful!... amazing...will hold theinterest of all ages--even my 12-year-old and a 16-year-old. My12-year-old was so excited that there was a red panda throughout. Theillustrations were as engaging as the story itself. After reading thebook both boys started talking about what they could do to earn money.Wow! ...an instant fan!" - Amy Lofgreen, 480 Insider

From the Inside Flap

"Hello," said the boy, curious to know who she was--and why she stared so intently at the dead wood.
"Hello," said the old woman, not taking her eyes from the branches.
"What are you looking at?" asked the boy.
"Trouble and treasure," she said.

About the Author

International Publisher/Presenter Karl Beckstrand is the award-winning and bestselling author of 18 multicultural titles and more than 50 e-books (reviews by Kirkus, The Horn Book blog, School Library Journal, ForeWord Reviews). Beckstrand earned a B.A. in journalism from BYU, an M.A. in international relations from APU, and a certificate from Film A. Academy. Once a technical recruiter in Silicon Valley, Beckstrand's early work was produced by two publishers (the first died the day they were to print his book!). Since 2004 he has guided Premio Publishing & Gozo Books. An engaging speaker and workshop facilitator, Beckstrand has experience in high tech, public policy, film, and broadcasting. He teaches media at a state college-including TV/radio scripts and Web content-and contrasts traditional publishing with digital book publishing. His Y.A. fiction, short stories, kids' e-book mysteries, nonfiction/biographies, Spanish & bilingual books (with ESL/ELL pronunciation guides), and wordless books feature characters of color and usually end with a twist. He has lived abroad, been a Spanish/English interpreter, and speaks on diversity. He enjoys volleyball and kayaking (usually not at the same time). Beckstrand has presented for SUECON (education conference), Taiwan's Global Leadership for Youth, California's Capital Book Festival, Utah Educational Library Media Association, Called to Learn conference, Salt Lake City Book Festival, PCI Webinars, Utah Humanities Council, Profnet, Murray City Writer's Workshop, Utah Housing Coalition, LUW, Midvale City Reading Program, Utah Office of Education, professional groups, and schools. His racially diverse work has appeared in: Amazon, Baker & Taylor, Barnes & Noble, Border's Books, Brodart, Costco, Deseret Book, The Children's Miracle Network, The Congressional Record of the U.S. House of Representatives, Papercrafts Magazine, LDS Film Festival, EBSCO, Follett, iBooks, Kobo, SCRIBD, various broadcasts, and PremioBooks.com. Find: Karl Beckstrand on FB, Twitter, KarlBeckstrand.com, and https: //karlbeckstrandblog.wordpress.com/ AUTHOR AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW, SPEAKING, & CONSULTATION: info@KarlBeckstrand.com

International Publisher/Presenter Karl Beckstrand is the award-winning and bestselling author of 25 multicultural titles and more than 50 e-books (reviews by Kirkus, The Horn Book blog, School Library Journal, ForeWord Reviews). Beckstrand earned a B.A. in journalism from BYU, an M.A. in international relations from APU, and a certificate from Film A. Academy. Once a technical recruiter in Silicon Valley, Beckstrand's early work was produced by two publishers (the first died the day they were to print his book!). Since 2004 he has guided Premio Publishing & Gozo Books. An engaging speaker and workshop facilitator, Beckstrand has experience in high tech, public policy, film, and broadcasting. He teaches media at a state college-including TV/radio scripts and Web content-and contrasts traditional publishing with digital book publishing. His Y.A. fiction, short stories, kids' e-book mysteries, nonfiction/biographies, Spanish & bilingual books (with ESL/ELL pronunciation guides), and wordless books feature characters of color and usually end with a twist. He has lived abroad, been a Spanish/English interpreter, and speaks on diversity. He enjoys volleyball and kayaking (usually not at the same time). Beckstrand has presented for SUECON (education conference), Taiwan's Global Leadership for Youth, California's Capital Book Festival, Utah Educational Library Media Association, Called to Learn conference, Salt Lake City Book Festival, PCI Webinars, Utah Humanities Council, Profnet, Murray City Writer's Workshop, Utah Housing Coalition, LUW, Midvale City Reading Program, Utah Office of Education, professional groups, and schools. His racially diverse work has appeared in: Amazon, Baker & Taylor, Barnes & Noble, Border's Books, Brodart, Costco, Deseret Book, The Children's Miracle Network, The Congressional Record of the U.S. House of Representatives, Papercrafts Magazine, LDS Film Festival, EBSCO, Follett, iBooks, Kobo, SCRIBD, various broadcasts, and PremioBooks.com. Find: Karl Beckstrand on FB, Twitter, KarlBeckstrand.com, and https: //karlbeckstrandblog.wordpress.com/ AUTHOR AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW, SPEAKING, & CONSULTATION: info@KarlBeckstrand.com --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01N0XCPQK
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Premio Publishing & Gozo Books (January 25, 2017)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 25, 2017
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3027 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 34 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #1,893,592 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #143 in Children's Asian Folk Tales
- #174 in Children's Money Books
- #179 in Children's Explore Asia Books

Customer Reviews:
168 ratings

About the author

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Karl Beckstrand

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Media instructor Karl Beckstrand is the bestselling and award-winning author/illustrator of 25 multicultural/multilingual books and more than 60 ebook titles. His survival thriller, To Swallow the Earth, won a 2016 International Book Award, and his multicultural kids’ books have been lauded by Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus, The Horn Book, and School Library Journal. Raised in Silicon Valley, he has lived abroad and worked with people from all continents (except Antarctica). His work reflects cultural diversity—not only in protagonists, but in collaborators (his illustrators hail from Latin America, Europe, and Asia). Beckstrand has a B.A. in journalism from BYU, an M.A. in international relations from APUS, and a broadcast/film certificate from Film A. Academy. He teaches media at a state college and, since 2004, has run Premio Publishing. Beckstrand has presented to Taiwan’s Global Leadership for Youth, city and state governments, festivals, and schools. His Y.A. stories, ebook mysteries, nonfiction, Spanish/bilingual, wordless, career, and STEM books feature ethnically diverse characters—and usually end with a twist. His work has appeared via: Amazon, Apple/iBooks, Baker & Taylor, Barnes & Noble, Costco, Deseret Book, Follett, Ingram, Papercrafts Magazine, Target.com, The U.S. Congressional Record, Walmart.com, FB, Twitter, and https://PremioBooks.com

Customer reviews

5 star		62%
4 star		19%
3 star		11%
2 star		5%
1 star		4%

How customer reviews and ratings work

Top reviews from the United States

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Karisa

★★★★★ = I loved this book and would reread it in the future

Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2017

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Rating:
★★★★★ = I loved this book and would reread it to my children in the future.

Genre:
Childrens books

Plot:
A young boy learns a valuable lesson from an old woman he meets during his adventures

Pros:
1.) Well illustrated
2.) A good read for kids of all ages
3.) The length of the book is good for children with short attention spans.
4.) Children can learn from this book, not just look at pictures.

Cons:
1.) It is short. This is a good thing for fidgety children, not so much a good thing for older ones.

Quotes:
"Trouble and Treasure"

My thoughts:
I read this book to my children ages 3, 5, and 9. The three-year-old particularly loved the photos and proceeded to ask a million different questions about them which I loved. Any book that gets the conversation going is a good book in my eyes! My nine-year-old enjoyed the book as well. He did end up reading the book on his own later that day which was surprising to me because he doesn't tend to read much on his own. Personally, I like that the book kept my kids interested. The bit at the very end with ideas for kids on how to be frugal was awesome too. All in all a great read. I would love to read more books by this author to my children. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Barbara MojicaTop Contributor: Children's Books

TROUBLE OR TREASURE

Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2017

Verified Purchase

This short picture book is an interesting tale about a young boy who is given a choice by an old woman. The reader is introduced to a young Asian boy who likes to make things and always carries tools with him. One day he is walking along a stream near his home when he comes across an old woman sitting on its banks. She appears to be staring at a pile of branches piled against the rocks in the stream. She informs the boy that these objects are both “trouble and treasure.” They are trouble for the fish that cannot swim past them, but she will offer him a treasure if the boy will help her. Immediately the clever boy comes up with an ingenious solution to solve the problem. Then the old woman disappears, but her promise is delivered in an unexpected way.

Beautiful watercolor illustrations enhance the uplifting message and serene mood of the book. Beckstrand includes interesting ideas and activities to enhance the book's value. My main criticism of the book lies in the layout of the text, which is so small that it is difficult to read. I would recommend the story, especially as a read-aloud for elementary grade children, though the message is certainly pertinent to any age group.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Lilly's Book World

Good deeds never remain unrewarded

Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2018

Verified Purchase

Ok, I’m starting to love these children books and I don’t even have my own yet. This is my second book by Karl Beckstrand and I have not been let down yet. However, I believe “The Bridge of the Golden Wood” is not suitable for young ages, as 3-5 year olds may not fully understand the concept of money and where it comes from.

With this in mind, we have yet another great and wise story about a boy who, after freeing the fish from the river, uses the branches to build a bridge and help an old lady pass through it. With these lovely gestures, comes income for the poor boy. So every kind gesture is returned in one form or another. I believe this book encourages children to help where possible, while explaining a little the concept of making money.

Although there are some holes in the plot, I believe every page has reached its purpose. The illustrations are sometimes fuzzy, but when the focus is on a particular object or being, they are quite nice. From my kindle version, I would have wanted a bit brighter colors, but that did not make the experience any lesser.

All in all, I liked this book and, after two titles by Karl Beckstrand, I like his approach on providing useful lessons for children.

Helpful

Amazon Customer

Outstanding Tool for Teaching Children about Business Ownership!

Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2017

Verified Purchase

Very much enjoyed this book. An excellent work by the authors to engage children in noble endeavor of entrepreneurship. The narrative and illustrations do a wonderful job in guiding children to understand the core concepts of business ownership. For example . . .
Service--the young man in the story is requested by an elderly woman to help her. He agrees and his willingness to assist her leads him to a discover a need for the community that he can provide. Thus, by his kind service, he uncovers a "treasure" for himself and his neighbors.

Additionally, young children can also learn the importance and value of Integrity from this book. After the elderly woman asks for his help, she disappears, leaving the young man with a choice. Does he keep his word and help or does he simply forget his promise and be on his way? He elects to help, to do as he promised, and from such the blessings of kindness and service are made manifest.

Overall, a great book for young people to teach them the benefits of business ownership, how to provide a service or product that meets the needs of the community, and the value of doing so.
The authors also provide many ideas for businesses for young people that will spur them to consider each one or discover their own passion.

I highly recommend this book!

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

the all powerful qaz

Kids need this info

Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2018

Verified Purchase

as we dumb down our educational system each new generation is becoming dependant on others, this book not only illustrates how a kid can earn money but also subtly points out Yes We CAN.

The missing star is due to missing substance in the story. The picture book story is mystical thus suggesting the subject is fantasy. Then the "suggestions" section is just text which may turn away the audience expecting a picture book.

Final section, which appears to be half the book (according to the kindle reader % read meter), looks to be a "what a prolific author, come hire him" section. I

But a smart kid Wil get ideas that may help him\her earn and start an occupation

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Bookworm

just like in this story

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 6, 2017

Verified Purchase

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review, thank you to the author for this!

The answer is in the title, it really is a parable but a important one in my opinion. This tells the story of a boy who loves making things (no name is given) and then one day he meets a old woman on the riverbank who tells about him about the treasure if he helps, as soon as he starts to help and his back is turned the woman mysteriously vanishes. It then goes on to say how that becomes a source of income for him to feed his family, the 'real treasure' was not some jewellery but given in payment for his hard earning. This just goes to show hard work pays off and one day each of us will get the treasure we deserve and want so much :)

It has been a while since I read a children's book but I always find it so inspiring with powerful messages to be learned, just like in this story. I really love the innocence and purity of it all!

MariaAgnesQuinn

I enjoy reading and this book was fantastic

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 12, 2017

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Sandra

Good Plot, but poorly illustrated and told!

Reviewed in Canada on November 13, 2020

Verified Purchase

This book had a great idea, but the way it is written and all the text at the end would be rather boring for most children. It felt more like research for 'how to earn money as a child' than a story for teaching children.

The Geek

the story itself is worthwhile

Reviewed in Canada on July 19, 2017

Verified Purchase

the story itself is well-illustrated and generally well-told. the lesson is good.

i find the explanation of the parable out of place (the lesson seems pretty clear to me), and while some of the suggestions are good it's very prescriptive and the whole section just sucks all the joy out of reading the book with a child.

Amazon Customer

MY REVIEW ON THE BRIDGE OF GOLDEN WOOD

Reviewed in India on August 5, 2019

Verified Purchase

I liked the boy who would make things out of the waste material. I didn’t like the concept of the story.l will
recommend it to my friend Jinal.
This review is written by my nephew who is 9 years old

See all reviews