WONDER is a beautiful thing. My son recently told me about a magical place in his school. “It has logs, some vines, a tarp covering, and space to run between!” he gushed. It didn’t sound like much, I thought. It could be anywhere. But then I looked at him and in his eyes, I saw something magical – Wonder.

Immediately, I remembered something. A distant memory from my past. A time when my school friends and I played “Fairies” in a space filled with trees, dirt, and pebbles – my own magical place. I told my son I knew what he was talking about and couldn’t wait to share something with him.

As we outgrow childhoods, It is easy to become jaded and forget things, places, sounds, smells that held wonder for us. But it is important to hold on to these. Wonder is important for our soul. So the next time you are with a child, bend down and see the world from his/her eyes and you might find yourself float away to a magical place of WONDER.

Here is a Instagram reel I recently created that captures the essence of this

And here are some WONDER full books that I have come across

• Pando: A Living Wonder of Trees – written by Kate Allen Fox, illustrated by Turine Viet-tu Tran. Ever seen a whole forest that is one entity? That’s Pando. Enjoy Kate’s lyrical language and Turine’s gorgeous illustrations as they whisk you away into the magical land of Pando.
• Lali’s Feather – written by Farhana Zia, illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman. What can you do with a feather? Ask Lali as she holds the key to wonder and joy in a stray feather she has found. And once you feel the joy you won’t want her to part with it just like in the story!
• Poetree – written by Shauna LaVoy Reynolds, illustrated by Shahrzad Maydani. What will you do if you receive a poem from a tree? Enjoy this lyrical sweet story.
• The Paper Kingdom – written by Helena Ku Rhee, illustrated by Pascal Campion. What if you have to do a job filled with drudgery. You can still unleash magic with the power of imagination. Like turning a task of cleaning an office after hours into ruling a paper kingdom. Helena’s heartfelt story with Pascal’s beautiful pictures will spark something inside you too.
• Outside In – written by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Cindy Derby. Nature opens so many paths to wonder and joy. This book is an ode to finding the joy of exploring outdoors and remembering the magical place that we already are in.

What books have you read or what conversations have you had with children (or adults) about this magical feeling of Wonder? Do write to me and let me know!