An Introduction by Jonathan Collins, author of The Adventures of Mali & Keela

The Adventures of Mali & Keela is a children’s storybook with an educational emphasis. It is a collection of thirteen adventure stories written specifically to help children understand virtues. Over the course of the book all fifty-two virtues identified by The Virtues Project are explored.

At the end of each story a double-page discussion section facilitates discussion between the adult reader and the child. As well as clear, age appropriate, definitions of the virtues identified in each story, there are prompt questions such as “Did you recognise when Mali showed determination?” or “The wind was both exciting and scary. Keela needed to gather all her courage. Tell me about a time when you have displayed courage?” This interactivity provides a more profound understanding of the virtues, as the virtue is put into context within the childs own experience, creating a rich environment for learning.

Some virtues can be difficult for children to grasp in literal terms (compassion, humility, integrity etc). These stories provide examples relevant to comprehension level of the child, using a ‘demonstrate rather than define’ approach to ensure the virtues are more deeply understood.

While the outcome is a book that is both educational and inspirational, from the child’s point of view The Adventures of Mali & Keela is simply a collection of exciting, engaging stories that gets the imagination soaring.