One Marker.
One Lid.
All of the feelings finally “click”.
Sometimes you’re a marker.
Sometimes you’re a lid.
But no matter who you are,
you have very important gifts.
Kirkus Literary Review for Marker and Lid…
“Campagna’s Marker and Lid characters are dynamic and well developed. The storyline charts the relatable ups and downs of friendships, and the book includes a “Mindful Moments With Marker and Lid” section that highlights learning opportunities present throughout the text; readers are encouraged to consider their special gifts, try deep breathing exercises when they feel frustrated, and use positive self-talk. Campagna’s whimsical illustrations evoke the tenderness and joy of Marker and Lid’s friendship.”
Synopsis
Marker and Lid is a children’s book under 600 words. This delightful story empowers each of us to feel strength and joy in our own special gifts. Together, Marker and Lid journey through highs and lows and finally understand how important it is to be oneself.
The inspiration came from a love for simple storytelling in my classroom, where nearly anything can be made into a story while teaching young children. One day I saw a lonely lid in the corner of my classroom, without a marker to keep safe, and it spun into a story in my mind within a few days. I kept thinking about that lonely lid. And just like that, one lost blue lid, laying alone on the classroom floor brought the story, Marker and Lid to life. What would a beautiful vibrant marker be without its lid? How must that forgotten lid feel?
By connecting us with everyday objects, this story teaches us we each bring our own purpose and joy to this world through our own special gifts.
The Take Away Lesson
Each of us is special in our own way and we are all made for something different. There is no need to compare and feel less than another, because your personal gifts are so valuable to this world. You are enough. Celebrate being different and find the joy in who you are. The more we embrace the power of who we are as individuals, the more we can tap into that beautiful space that we are meant to impact. We can appreciate each other by learning and growing and serving one another if we lean into our differences instead of trying to be the same.
As we grow up, the comparison game is lost within us over and over. We can always find someone more talented, more wise, more fit, more… anything. I think this robs us of what we are made for and what productive thought feels like. I really want to shout out the message that we are all enough, just as we are. We are all special just as we are. Let’s embrace it, practice it, say it, show it, and feel proud, rather than feeling like we aren’t enough. Every person on this earth has something I don’t have, it’s just a fact. The days I feel peace are days when I realize I have something they don’t have, and that is why we all need each other. We are better together.