Stories can have a powerful impact on children’s lives. Quality stories can transport us into the author’s world to experience the story as if we were a character ourselves. Because of this, children can learn valuable lifelong lessons, encourage their character growth, and help them make better decisions.
One such impactful book is “What Should Darla Do?” by Ganit and Adir Levy. This husband-and-wife author team has created a series of children’s choose-your-own-adventure books that show the power of our choices.
What Is the Book About?
The colorful, engaging book follows the main character Darla, an elementary-aged girl, during her day at home with her mom, siblings, and friends. Follow Darla as she makes choices about being kind to her siblings, being honest, sharing toys, and much more.
Darla wants to be an astronaut when she grows up, but her parents say her most important superpower is the Power to Choose (or P2C). Each choice changes the outcome of her day: if she makes bad choices, she is met with consequences, but good choices are rewarded!
How Is the Book Written?
The book is written in a choose-your-own-adventure style, which allows your child to make Darla’s choices for her. You will read a few pages of the story that lead up to the next choice Darla has to make. You’ll read the prompt that gives your child Darla’s two choices. Then turn to the page number correlating to your child’s answer and resume the story.
The book has eight different endings, so your child can explore how different choices bring about different results throughout Darla’s day.
How Does the Book Help My Child?
Your child lives vicariously through Darla, seeing how each choice changes the course of Darla’s day. When Darla makes poor choices repeatedly, she gets more and more consequences. But when Darla makes good choices, she is happy and enjoying life.
This book illustrates how it’s never too late to make good choices. If Darla starts her day by arguing with her sister, her day doesn’t have to stay bad! She can choose to make better choices, altering the outcome of her day. The stories show how mistakes can be overcome.
“What Should Darla Do?” also emphasizes girl power, the power of positive thinking, and rehearsing personal affirmations, which can help grow your child’s confidence.
How Can I Use the Book in Parenting?
“What Should Darla Do?” can be an excellent tool for teaching children the power of their choices, helping them see how their poor choices can get them in trouble, and offering hope for overcoming mistakes with good choices. Darla lives these choices for them, so they don’t have to!
Use the book to illustrate your child’s own choices. The prompt “What should Darla do?”, easily transfers to their own lives–just replace “Darla” with your child’s name! When your child has a decision to make, ask “What should [child’s name] do?” and give them two choices.
For instance, if your child is about to throw a fit when you tell them to clean up their toys, you can say “It’s time to clean up. What should Carly do, throw a fit and get a time out, or clean up so we can go to the park?” Your child can recall Darla’s story and how good choices bring about rewards while bad choices only lead to consequences. This can help your child make good choices easily.
Is There More?
Yes!! Ganit and Adir Levy offer several other books:
- What Should Danny Do? The original book follows Danny through a day at home with his parents and younger brother.
- What Should Danny Do? On Vacation! Make decisions for Danny as he goes on vacation with his best friend to an all-inclusive resort.
- What Should Danny Do? School Day: Follow Danny through his elementary school as he makes decisions about schoolwork, friends, bullies, sharing, and more!
- Super Girl Mindset: What Should Darla Do? Coloring Book: If your child loves the series, they’ll love to color in this book which reinforces their power to choose.
Where Can I Find the Book?
If you want to try the books out first, you can find these books at your local library. But because these books are excellent at every new development phase, you’ll want to have a copy on hand to use when the need arises. You can buy your own copy through many online retailers. The Levy’s website gives discounts on the books and also offers fun additional products, like P2C capes, Danny and Darla plushes, educator’s packs, and more!