The Power to Choose Series by Ganit and Adir Levy

I often say that books give children the opportunity to practice who they want to be in the world, and today’s recommended series gives them not only numerous opportunities to practice, but also a chance to “live” the effects of their choices! These books are picture book versions of those Choose Your Own Adventure books (which I LOVED as a child), and are also perfect for fostering positive character traits in your children. I’m talking about “The Power to Choose” series by Ganit and Adir Levy, illustrated by Doro Kaiser! And while these do loosely relate to teamwork and cooperation, each book in the series also loosely relates to just about any character trait that you might want to develop in your children. 

Each book in the “Power to Choose” series (the Levys currently have 3 published and one more coming soon) features a child who has the power to choose — the power to choose not only his behaviors, but also how his day turns out. Every few pages brings the reader to a choice the character has to make, with an option we know will turn out well and an option that the character may not want to make. Each choice then has logically expected results (for example, when Danny makes a choice to play cooperatively with his brother, their mom decides to take them to the park because they’re having such good days, but when he instead knocks his brother’s race car set down, the boys have to clean up the mess and miss out on park time). And at the end of each story combination, Danny and Darla reflect on how their choices determined the course of their days, and what they did well, and what they could do differently next time.

In What Should Danny Do?, we meet Danny, a well-meaning school-aged boy doing his best to make good choices throughout the day. Readers determine the course of Danny’s day at home as he navigates interactions with his brother, opportunities to break set rules, spills and accidents, and more.

The adventures continue with What Should Darla Do?, featuring Danny’s cousin, Darla. Darla is a spunky, creative, pink-haired kid who is also an astronaut-in-training. She does need help, however, making choices around her relationship with her sister and her best friend down the street, but that’s what the reader is there for!

The newest release in the series is What Should Danny Do? School Day. We return to help Danny, but this time as he chooses his way through a day at school, figuring out how to act and react in his classroom, the lunchroom, the playground, and more… So many situations and scenarios your school-aged child might encounter herself!

So what’s so great about these books? According to our six-and-a-half-year-old, “Because you get to choose what they do. You have two choices. One of them is bad (like fight her sister off the chair) and one of them is good (say, “I guess it’s not a big deal” and go to a different chair). Kids can learn what better choices to make. When you make good choices, sometimes you get what you want to do.”

And when asked why children would like these books, our four-and-a-half-year-old replied, “Because I like them! The people do fun things and you get to make choices and you can read them again and again and again. Sometimes the story is the same and sometimes it’s different.”

On the What Should Danny Do? website, you can also purchase Power to Choose capes, posters, and stickers! We purchased What Should Danny Do? on our own, and we thank Ganit and Adir for gifting us What Should Darla Do? and What Should Danny Do? School Day, as well as the cape, poster, and stickers. All thoughts and opinions are our own!

The “Power to Choose” series is fun, educational, and addictive in the best way possible, reminding us all that we have the power to determine our futures rather than live them passively. You can bet we’re going to get our hands on the upcoming What Should Danny Do? On Vacation as soon as possible! Stay tuned tomorrow for a giveaway of one of these amazing books for three lucky winners!

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