The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Learning to listen well can transform a young person’s life. Do you remember anyone actually teaching you how to listen?

Education and interpersonal skills are all about listening and understanding what you heard. Understanding is much more than remembering the words. To truly understand, one needs to feel and comprehend the underlying message and values presented.

Two local professional women, Linda B. Wolff and Joyce Burk Brown, collaborated in writing a new book for young readers, “The Magic in Listening.” It is an early-reader fiction book for ages 4-8 years and was published by Windemere Press. The objective of the book is to help young people understand many of the key elements involved in successful listening. Both women know from experience both personally as parents and grandparents and professionally, how essential really listening is in all relationships.

“The Magic in Listening” takes the reader on a journey with Emma and TJ as they go on a “Treasure Hunt” into a magical forest. They learn how to listen from the most unusual and enchanting characters. On this lively adventure they meet a talking elephant, a smart beaver, a playful dolphin and seal, and a tiny bear cub. Each animal shows the reader different ways to listen. Watching closely, the reader discovers how each animal unlocks a different aspect of listening to find the treasure.

“The Magic in Listening is a wondrous tale of whole body listening for all ages,” said Shannon Pugerude M.Ed. “It is an adventure that leaves you wanting to play and learn more from Gramma’s Magical Forest. As a longtime special educator and educational consultant, I am thrilled to see a children’s book that incorporates the essence of active listening, one of the most important skills for any of us to learn.”

“It includes compassion, humor, diversity, fun artwork, and a loving message of a very needed skill,” said Dale Rausch, retired teacher and grandmother. “It’s filled with all the components that make for an educational yet enjoyable book for young children. My 3-year-old grandson loved the book and asked me questions as we were going through it.”

“The Magic in Listening” is available on Amazon.com and locally at Paulina Springs Books in

Sisters.