Tali and the Toucan - by Mira Z Amiras (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Follow Tali in this heartening tale where children are encouraged to face their fears and embrace bravery with wide-spread wings.

"This book is a reminder that if we pay attention, we can find something or someone to teach us how we can step out of the fear and into power." --Dr. Rayna Savrosa, L.Ac, DACM Moonshadow Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine, San Francisco, CA

Tali longs to play like the other kids as they tumble and swing at the park, the gymnastics studio, and the aikido dojo, but her fears hold her back. In her dreams, she can soar, but when she wakes up in the morning, she's still scared. Until one night, a surprise guest flies into her dreams and teaches her how to make them a reality.

Filled with beautiful, evocative illustrations and honest prose, Tali and the Toucan is for any child (or parent) whose worries keep them from living their dreams--whether that's trying a new sport, making a new friend, or climbing to the top of the jungle gym.

Review Quotes

". . . a stunningly illustrated tale of nighttime inspiration and transformation that will do young readers the great service of filling them with hope and tuning them into their dreams."-- Lael Gold, Ph.D., founder of Productive Slumber

"As we mature, we don't appreciate the trepidation kids go through when trying something for the first time. This book personifies the thrill and uncertainty that comes with embarking on new experiences."--Mike Wietecha, American Sumo wrestler, teacher and graphic novelist, Zhengzhou Normal University

"Tali's story perfectly captures the fears of young children who feel that their world will shatter if they try something they think they can't do. This beautifully illustrated gem of a book shows its readers that their dreams hold the keys to budding confidence, helping them repair their inner world and live in joy."--Natalie Reid, author of The Spiritual Alchemist

"Through poetic words and lively illustrations, Tali and the Toucan introduces children to the power of dreams, animal spirit helpers, and puns to heal and transform daily life. It also quietly carries a deeply important message from Jewish mysticism, Tikkun Olam."--Tina Asherae Fields, Ph.D., Professor Emerita of Ecopsychology, Naropa University

"Tali and the Toucan is a heartfelt tale about a girl who discovers how powerful her dreams are in overcoming her fears and anxieties. Wonderful story for children looking to recognize their true potential."--Karin Blais, FNP-C, Denver, CO

"This beautifully illustrated story is more than a children's book. It is a story about being human, and the human relationship to the universal emotion of fear. [...] This book is a reminder that if we pay attention, we can find something or someone to teach us how we can step out of the fear and into power."--Dr. Rayna Savrosa, L.Ac, DACM Moonshadow Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine, San Francisco, CA

"This wonderful new book portrays, both through remarkedly sensitive text and spectacular illustrations, fears secretly harbored by so many children. While I think it would be of particular value to kids who are anxious, shy or reluctant in any other way, the book has a potential to create empathy that could benefit even those who are not so besieged."--Geri Alpert, Ph.D. Clinical Psychology, Harvard University

About the Author

Mira Z. Amiras is an anthropologist, author, and award-winning filmmaker. She was raised on her mother's accounts of the Inquisition and Holocaust, her father's tales of the creation and beauty of the universe, and her grandparents' foods, folklore and music of ancient Sefarad. Mira has lived, studied, and traveled throughout the Middle East and North Africa, camped out 7,000 miles through Africa, and traveled overland from Istanbul to the Nepalese border. She received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley and is Professor Emerita of Comparative Religion and Middle East Studies at San Jose State University. Mira is past president of the Society for the Anthropology of Consciousness, and was a member of the Executive Board of the American Anthropological Association. She lives in San Francisco with her family--witnessing the birth of new tales as we speak.