Helping Kids to Get Along - Red & Yellow's Noisy Night

The latest book that we have been reading is Red & Yellow's Noisy Night.

This is a great book for us right now, as it talks about getting along when things are so different.

You see, Red loves to play his strummy really loud and for long periods of time.  While that is going on, take a guess what Yellow wants to do.  He want's to snuggle up with his pillow and sleep!  We all know how it is to want to sleep and relax, but have loud sounds around us preventing that rest from happening..

Here is a Q and A with the author, Josh Selig. 

1.  What inspired Red & Yellow’s characters?

JOSH:  Well, Red is based loosely on a friend of mine in college who was a wonderful dancer.  She was spontaneous and intuitive and free.  Yellow is based on Malcolm Butler.  He is the IT Director at my company, Little Airplane.  Malcolm is very brilliant and he likes everything done in a certain way.

2.  Why did you choose an Olive Tree?

JOSH:  I spent some time working in the Middle East where olive trees are very common and beloved by all.  They provide everything from oil to wood to shade.  And there's no better symbol of peace than an olive branch.

3.  I have to ask, which one do you best identify with – Red or Yellow?

JOSH:   I am more like Yellow but I would like to be more like Red.  I think Red gets to have more fun.

4.  Have you ever played a “strummy”?

JOSH:  As a matter of fact, I played the electric guitar when I was a teenager.  Mostly Ted Nugent and Rolling Stones songs.  I was in a little band and we played in my friend's basement and we used a cardboard box for a base drum because we couldn't afford a real one.

5.  Why do you think Red & Yellow are so popular with kids?

JOSH:  In addition to just being very cute, they show kids that all problems can be resolved with patience, empathy, and a little creativity.  I think that's a message that has great appeal to all ages.  

6.  If there’s one thing everyone—even adults—could learn from Red & Yellow, it 

would be that…

JOSH:  We all need one another.  Any conflict can be resolved peacefully.  It doesn’t matter what the question is, love is always the answer.

7.  What’s your favorite thing about coming to work every day?

JOSH:  Having smart people around me who are good at all the things that I'm not good at.  I'm amazed every day by the talent of our designers, animators and producers.  I am very lucky to work with these folks.   

8.  If you could have one wish, what would it be?

JOSH:  I would like to be able to spend more time in the country.  I've been a city person my whole life and I find myself wishing, for the first time, I had a small house on a hill with a little dog and a family.

We really enjoyed this book.  In today's days where you see bullying all the time, especially on the news, it saddens me.  I feel that if we as parents work together,  we can help to make bullying a thing of the past.  It isn't too early to start talking to little ones.  Think about it... If we talk to them now on how to solve conflict peacefully, maybe it will stick in their heads to bigger things once they are older.  Red and Yellow worked out their issues so that both of them were happy in the end... 

Josh (the author) is the founder of Little Airplane Productions (you might now this name because of 3rd and Bird and Small Potatoes!)  I say this is a must have book to add to your collection!
Really, can we ever have too many books?! 

In this book, they work together to solve the problem.  

What would you think that they should do?

How would you solve the problem?

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.