Kobi Yamada, What you Do Matters (Box Set)
The What You Do Matters box set comes with three books:
What Do You Do With an Idea
What Do You Do With a Problem
What Do You Do With a Chance
Written by Kobi Yamada and illustrated by Mae Besom this collection features the whole series of best sellers which promote everyone’s innate creativity, perseverance and bravery.
What Do You Do With an Idea?
The first book of the collection that spawned the idea egg – which is also available as a separate plushy – sets the tone for the collection with beautiful artwork accompanied by simple and encouraging messages.
With the idea anthropromorphized the boy struggles with others judgement as well as his own acceptance. The gradual process of reconciliation with his own idea before coming to own and accept it as a point of pride offers numerous lessons for everyone. None of these small stories have an exceptional amount of text but the simplicity and beauty that accompany such meaningful messages make them powerful. No one can ever truly understand your idea more than yourself and this story depicts the confidence and happiness that comes with pursuing your own ideas and dreams.
What Do You Do With a Problem?
With the same beautiful artwork as What Do You Do With an Idea? this story is put as the second of the trilogy. The same simple but motivating messages adorn the pages and give useful advice for when problems emerge in your life. No one gets to choose their problems and this story not only reminds the reader of this but that ultimately these can lead to opportunities.
The other key message is that allowing a problem to fester can lead to it just growing and simply increasing anxiety and worry. It takes bravery and confidence but once you face up to the problems they have often been built up to be far worse in your mind.
What Do You Do With a Chance?
As the conclusion of the trilogy, What Do You Do With a Chance? offers a final inspiring message of self belief and confidence. Do not be embarrassed about trying to take chances, it is through chances that life changing moments occur. This final story offers a wrap up of all the messages from the other two stories and reminds us that others judgement only serves to limit the opportunities we allow ourselves to take.
Being scared of big chances is certainly part of being human but as all these stories teach, the actual rewards far outweigh the psychological fear that informs inaction. When an idea is seen as part of identity and therefore something to be proud of, when a problem is seen as a starting point for opportunity, and when a chance is something to grasp rather than fear being embarrassed of missing then everyone can ultimately see a much happier and positive future.
These simple but beautiful stories offer pertinent encouraging messages. It does not take long to read through the stories but enjoying the artwork and style is part of the pleasure. Buying the set as a gift or for personal enjoyment would both be good purchases!
The Weekly Book Report 