Children’s Books: The Old Green Chair Teaches Upcycling

Lots of children’s books teach valuable lessons, and The Old Green Chair shows kids the joy and the value of upcycling.

I’ll tell you the truth: the folks at Balboa Press had me from the start. This is directly from the publicist’s email to me about The Old Green Chair:

“The Old Green Chair” is a richly illustrated children’s book by author Traudi Allen that tells the story of a decrepit chair, thrown aside after years of use that finds renewed life thanks to its positive attitude and a new owner’s clever imagination.

As a new mom, I have a lot of children’s books on my shelf, but none of them speak to my crafty soul the way that this one does.

The chair is the book’s main character, and I love that they give it personality and value. As ethical crafters, isn’t that how we see all of the discarded things that we upcycle? I consider that an important value and one that I’m excited to teach my son through crafting and through children’s books like this one.

Here’s a short excerpt from this crafty children’s book:

…the family didn’t want a chair they couldn’t sit on, and there was no point keeping it in the garage, either. It might as well go out in the street! Now this really was a bad situation. Again the chair thought hard.

Don’t worry, you guys. A crafty neighbor comes along and saves the day with some DIY skills and a fresh coat of paint. The crafty neighbor is the hero of this children’s book!

You can find The Old Green Chair by Traudi Allen on Amazon in print or as an ebook.

Have you run across any good children’s books that teach the value of upcycling or other crafty skills? I’d love to hear your recommendations in the comments!