A Kid’s Guide to Being a Winner

C.D. Shelton attempted to write an inspirational book for children with A Kid’s Guide to Being a Winner. I can’t help but feel that the author missed the mark with this. Certainly, concepts such as respect, thoughtfulness, gratitude, responsibility, and a positive attitude are beneficial to promoting a peaceful society. However, Shelton has focused on these principles as if they are black and white issues.

The books words serve to set up a dichotomy: good versus bad, winner versus loser, right versus wrong. There is no room in the book for assessing a situation and forming an opinion about doing what you feel is the right thing to do. As the book says, responsible people “do what is expected of them.” Constant implications of extrinsic rewards don’t challenge children to do what they think is right, but to follow along with the crowd. The emphasis on always doing the right thing, being good, and never being otherwise is impractical, as everyone, including adults, make mistakes. The book goes on to explain how exactly one should judge other people.

The book is meant to be read to children by an adult to further encourage conversations. It would be most suitable for authoritarian (not authoritative) families.

Disclaimer: A copy of this book was provided by The Cadence Group.