4 out of 4 stars
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Conflict is a natural occurrence of life. It cannot be avoided because each of us has unique qualities and holds different sets of values. There are two common responses we have towards conflict: we either avoid it or we attack the person who hurt us. By not talking about it, we enable its roots to grow deeper in our hearts, making a rather shallow issue become our source of bitterness towards another person. On the other hand, when we attack the person, we create an even bigger tension in our relationship. The book, The Barnyard Buddies STOP for Peace by Julie Penshorn, tackles the issue of conflict and how it can be resolved in a manner that would help everyone involved in the dispute come out of it better, not bitter.
The author used animal characters in the story. At the beginning, you will see a picture of a goat, a pig, a donkey and a dark horse enjoying their sunbathing while a brown horse was all alone under a shed. Suddenly, the rain poured down, and the four started complaining because King, the brown horse, got the best spot. They tried their best to keep warm and dry by huddling together because they cannot get under the shed where King was. They murmured among themselves, stomping and whining and thought of bad things towards the brown horse. Then came the peacemaker, Mrs. McCloud, the owl. She let them settle down and asked them what the problem was. Upon learning of the issue, she helped them process the conflict by using the STOP process. STOP is an acronym that stands for: S - Stop and Breath; T - tell how you feel; O - open your mind; and P- Plan a deal.
The book is simple, but it has a very useful message. It teaches how to resolve conflicts in a manner that will enable everyone to learn something about the one they conflict with and about themselves. After the story, there is a part that will help guide parents and educators in using the book. It has a step-by-step process and guide questions that will instruct the readers how to effectively use the STOP process. This part is an added value that made me appreciate the book even more.
Parents and educators will find this book useful in teaching kids the value of sensitivity and how to resolve conflicts. I think this can already be taught to kids from seven years old and above, but it can also be used by adults because many of us just haven’t learned how to deal with conflicts effectively yet.
I can say that buying this book is a very good investment because it has a lasting value. I liked the story, the tone, and even the illustrations. I think it is professionally edited because I did not see any spelling or grammar errors. I cannot think of anything that I did not like about it. The author did a great job in this book, it deserves a 4 out of 4 stars rating!
The Barnyard Buddies STOP for Peace
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