Dear Bookworms,
Robby Novak is your average 11 year old boy, well, except for the fact that he has skyrocketed to internet fame thanks to his extremely popular YouTube videos. Robby Novak, you see, is Kid President.
If you’ve never seen a Kid President video, do yourself a favor and go look up “A Pep Talk from Kid President to You.” It is the best known of Kid President’s videos and for good reason. It is fun, it is encouraging and it is exceptionally inspirational.
Those qualities, in fact, seem to be the mission of Kid President and this book is an extension of the same. Written by the creator of the Kid President videos, Robby’s friend and brother-in-law Brad Montague, the Guide to Being Awesome is a delightful look at the background and message behind the “tiny President of the United States.” Stemming from frustrations during the last presidential race about the poor ways we adults manage and address the political sphere, Brad writes that he formed the idea for a Kid President video by observing the joy within his little brother-in-law and wondering, “Would anyone hear a happy, small voice over the louder, older ones?”
Many, including myself, would say that this happy, small voice is well worth hearing.
What I had not already known about Robby was that this laughing, dancing, bundle of energy with the infectious smile was born with the condition known as “brittle bone disease” and is no stranger to pain and surgeries. Brad writes that by this time, Robby has had over 70 broken bones and numerous surgeries. Yet, he continues to smile and be silly, resiliently bringing his brand of joy to the world via Kid President.
The Kid President’s Guide to Being Awesome presents 100 inspiring and practical ideas on how to make the world more awesome, interspersed with lots of delightful pictures, recreations of comical dialogue between Brad and Robby, and many of KP’s interviews with people (ranging from celebrities to average kids) who are doing things to make a positive impact on the world. Here are a few of my favorite bits of advice from KP:
- Relax: Don’t sweat the small stuff. Life is short and deodorant is expensive.
- As human beings, we are capable of lots of bad stuff, but also cupcakes.
- Laugh! Help end global sadness.
- If you want to be a world changer, be a day maker for the people right next to you.
- Read. Then read some more.
- Be like cheese (or bacon) and make everything you touch better.
Perhaps the most poignant piece of advice, however, actually comes from the interview with Bob Goff, a humanitarian and honorary U.S. consul to Uganda who tells KP that “most of us are either a reflection of or a reaction to the people who have been the closest to us … Everyone is trying to figure out if they are a victim. Forget about being a victim. Just be a beautiful reaction to everything.” Robby has reason to consider himself a victim, but instead he chooses to laugh, dance, and make the world more awesome.
Yes, this happy, small voice is well worth hearing indeed.
Keep reading!
Live, Love, Learn
Elise and The Write Teachers