Cassandra's Angel

{"hero_section": {"headline": "Who You Are Matters Most", "subheadline": "Help your child see past criticism to their true, bright self."}, "the_vision": {"quote": "You are even more than you think that you see.", "context": "It teaches that perceived flaws are often just misunderstood expressions of a unique inner world, encouraging self-acceptance over conformity."}, "therapeutic_guide": {"title": "For Navigating External Criticism and Self-Worth", "core_utility": "Fosters intrinsic self-worth by distinguishing between external labels ('stories') and inherent identity ('who you are').", "conversation_starters": ["What is one thing someone said about you today that felt like a 'story' you didn't like?", "Cassandra's tree grew huge! What is one wonderful, big thing inside of you that people might not see right away?", "The Angel said the mean things were really the speakers' sadness. How can we be kind to people even when they say something unkind?"]}, "visual_style_guide": {"mood_board": "Whimsical, Transformative, Heartfelt", "color_palette": ["#FFD700", "#4682B4", "#8B4513"], "art_direction": "A blend of cozy domestic scenes (the mess, the classroom) contrasted with moments of immense, vibrant magical realism (the growing tree, the Angel)."}, "social_share": {"instagram": "When the world tries to put you in a box, remember: You are even more than you think you see. \u2728 Cassandra's journey reminds us that our true light can't be dimmed by old stories. #WhoYouAre", "hashtags": ["#SelfWorthJourney", "#InnerLight", "#ChildrensBookMagic", "#RejectionToResilience", "#CodexSquarespaceEngine"]}, "reviews_and_awards": {"reader_praise": ["About the author Follow authors for new release and deal updates, plus improved recommendations. See updates from all followed authors in Your Books. Gina Otto Follow Gina Otto Gina Otto, the award-winning author of Cassandra's Angel, international speaker, producer, social entrepreneur, and children's advocate, is currently pioneering a movement to inspire individuals around the globe with her Change My World Now Initiative. Gina is the Founder and CEO of ChangeMyWorldNow.com, the first safe, socially conscious, values-aligned, content driven social network that empowers children to change the world. For twelve years, Gina worked in film, television, and fashion with talented visionaries at Lucasfilm, NBC, CBS, and Viacom. She became disheartened by the damage that mainstream media was having on the hearts, minds and self-perception of American girls. In an effort to quickly and powerfully reach tween and teen-aged girls with an alternative and truly inspirational message, Gina authored a modern-day fairy tale, Cassandra's Angel. Written to instill the ideas of self-reliance, self-worth, tolerance and self-acceptance early in life, Cassandra's Angel is about the stories that we are given from the people in our lives about who they think we are...and then dropping those stories so that we can become who we came here to be. For fifteen years, Gina has toured the country and the world speaking to girls and women, using Cassandra's Angel as a vehicle to help ignite the possibility and promise of a brighter future without limitations. At the request of mothers everywhere, Gina has expanded the platform to include boys. Gina hopes that the story of Cassandra's Angel will help both children and adults recognize that each person has a gift and that life is about finding that gift and bringing it forth. She reminds children, living even in the most desolate circumstances, that they have a bright light within them and when they find that bright light they shine for the world. By approaching this message through a variety of interactive experiences, Gina aims to provide children an opportunity to break free of the pressures that exist in today's society, inspiring a movement of young leaders making an important and lasting impact in the world. Customers find this book great for both adults and children, with beautiful illustrations and a moving story about a young character. Moreover, they appreciate its empowering message, with one customer highlighting its importance for both children and adults, while another notes its value in developing positive self-image. Generated from the text of customer reviews Select to learn more Book for all ages(12) Visual quality(9) Story quality(7) Message(4) Self esteem(4) Top reviews from the United States Katie", "Compelling Message With Delightful Illustrations \"All of the people who tell stories to you, they each have the truth deep inside of them, too. They have just forgotten it over the years, so now what you hear is their sadness and fears. It isn't their fault, all those stories they tell. They believed the stories they were given as well. Those old kinds of stories create guilt and fear, but today, Cassandra, those old stories stop here.\" -From the book Each one of us lives a personal mythology that is created from the stories we have been told as children. These \"stories\" are the beliefs, attitudes, assumptions, and labels that were bestowed upon us by parents, teachers, and peers. Eventually replacing \"you\" with \"I\", we began to believe what others told us about our looks, intelligence, and behavior. Unfortunately, negative and demeaning stories impacted our life and delivered crushing blows to our fragile sense of self-whether we realized it or not. Written by Gina Otto, Cassandra's Angel is a powerful tale that shows how stories of shame, fear, rejection, and indifference affect a little girl named Cassandra. Through an encounter with an angel that has accompanied her since before birth, Cassandra realizes that she doesn't have to accept the stories she has been told by her scolding mother, uptight teacher, rejecting peers, or the dismissive mayor. Rather, she could choose to believe that she was a bright light in the world-and that no one could change that story! The angel tells her: \"All of those things people have said to you, they are stories, Cassandra-not one of them true. You are never just what they believe you to be. You are even more than you think that you see.\" Cassandra's Angel is a compelling book that encourages personal empowerment, self esteem, and the honoring of children. Coupled with the wisdom of author Gina Otto, the vibrant, whimsical, color-saturated images painted by artist Trudy Joost expresses a wide range of emotional experience-including the power of realizing that we can always choose a different story to believe. Note: This book was a finalist in the Coalition of Visionary Resources, Best Children's Book 2002 and won first place in the Colorado Independent Publishers EVVY Award in the same year. lasaks", "Outstanding Cassandra's Angel is the touching and inspiring story of a child who truly wants to please - as most children do - but is constantly being given the message that she just can't do anything right. Cassandra is truly everything that a little girl should be: delightful, beautiful, inquisitive, creative, intelligent, and imaginative. However, Cassandra doesn't know that. She thinks of herself as a child who just can't do anything right, because the adults in her life (who are suppose to know these things) keep sending her that message by the way they speak to her. When her room needed to be picked up, her mother said that Cassandra was a messy girl. Cassandra stored that message in her mind...she was a messy girl. When her art teacher told her to paint a picture of a house and a tree with seven red flowers and one yellow bee, she started by painting a magnificent tree that took all the room - none was left for the bee. Her little painting took on a life of its own and colorful images began to flow onto the canvas, as she became lost in her own imagination. Instead of admiring the beauty, talent, and self- statement of Cassandra's painting, her teacher scolded her and said she was incorrigible. Cassandra stored that message in her mind...she was incorrigible. As this story unfolds Cassandra finds comfort, and learns a special secret about herself, from an unexpected source - her very own Angel! A truly beautiful one too! One who comes complete with everything a little girl thinks of when she thinks of angels: lovely soft wings, a golden crown, and a brilliant wondrous light. And what was the secret? It was the truth - the truth of what Cassandra really was. This beautifully illustrated book, and the lessons found within its pages, will affect change and inspire parents and children everywhere. Perhaps the next time you speak to your child, you will speak as if the very Angels were listening. Reviewed by Ruth Wilson R. Goldman"], "editorial_reviews": ["Review\nCASSANDRA'S ANGEL is a beautiful book that will be cherished by children and adults for years. --Erika Sorocco\n\nThis beautifully illustrated book, and the lessons found within its pages, will affect change and inspire parents and children everywhere. --R. Wilson\n\nThis book captivates young minds, it has each of my 4 grandchildren ages 2-6. --R. Goldman."]}, "author_bio": "Gina Otto has worked in film production, advertising, and the fashion industry for the past fifteen years. In 1995, she began speaking with teenagers about the importance of self perception and how it is affected by popular culture.\nGina travels throughout the U. helping children, parents and teachers to examine how communication patterns impact our lives and society as a whole.", "product_specs": {}, "general_audience_layer": {"narrative": "When she listens to the people around her, Cassandra feels that she cannot do anything right, but then a meeting with her Angel gives her a new perspective on herself and others. Cassandra's Angel is about the stories that we are given from the people in our lives about who they think we are...and then dropping those stories so that we can become who we came here to be."}}

When she listens to the people around her, Cassandra feels that she cannot do anything right, but then a meeting with her Angel gives her a new perspective on herself and others. Cassandra's Angel is about the stories that we are given from the people in our lives about who they think we are...and then dropping those stories so that we can become who we came here to be.