Equally Treasured - Companion Guide

From authors and speakers Steven and Courtney Cohen.

This Companion Guide is for parents, counselors, and those who read Equally Treasured, regardless of age. It is designed to create a fun environment, develop common language, validate feelings and perspectives of our existing children, help grasp the depth and connections in the illustrations, and give insight and discussion points.

We love Families where there is always room for one more. But that doesn’t mean it's not challenging to accept more children into the mix. Existing children in our homes are often left alone or have added responsibilities while we acclimate new children. While we have no less love for our existing children, that doesn’t mean it won’t feel that way.

Although there are challenges, differences, vulnerabilities, and heartache, as we will see, they are all worth it. Teenage author Shelby Cohen knows this first-hand. She is a sister 6 times over, with one biological brother, one sister by way of adoption, and three sisters and a brother via foster care. She has seen her share of great and challenging circumstances, celebrations and sorrows. She received the Equally Treasured poem late one evening in a quiet prayer time with God and knew it was something important.

Equally Treasured is a children's book with roots that run deep in the love of Jesus and aligns with the heart of Christianity as well as, likely, your family. It values the treasures found in family and honors your heart to always have room for one more.

Join Monty, the Monkey, as we travel through the Land of Fambly and navigate the intricacies and difficulties of welcoming more children into our homes, assuring them all they are Equally Treasured.