By Homer Hartage

The Memory Box & Charlotte’s Big Surprise in your hands, you’re probably holding something else, too—questions. Sometimes the questions belong to a child (“Why did Grandpa forget my name?”). Sometimes they belong to an adult (“What do I say without making this scary?”). And sometimes the question is simply this: How do I use this book in a way that truly helps—not just once, but repeatedly? If you’re holding—that’s the reason I created this Curriculum & Educator Resource Center.

My wife, Rose, and I owned and operated a child care center for fourteen years, serving early learners and their families. We learned something early that has stayed with me: children rarely need one perfect conversation. They need steady language, gentle routines, and a safe place to return to the same big idea as they grow.

As a professional guardian, I also walk alongside families when these changes become part of daily life. I’ve seen how much a gentle, steady approach matters: children do better when they’re given simple words, repeated reassurance, and a safe way to stay connected.

My earlier trade books—Family & Professional Guardianship, which helps families and professionals understand guardianship roles and responsibilities with clarity and compassion, and Parentification: Caregivers in Crises, which gives language to the overlooked reality of children carrying adult responsibilities—reflect this same focus on guiding others through complexity. The Memory Box & Charlotte’s Big Surprise is also a trade book, simply created in a teaching format so it can be used repeatedly with children at home, in classrooms, and in counseling settings, rather than as a one‑time story.

Many children’s books are meaningful, but they’re designed for a single moment. That’s fine—beautiful, even. But when a child is living through change, one read rarely answers everything. Questions come back. Feelings change shape.

The Memory Box is meant to function as a picture book with curriculum‑based memory activities. In plain terms: the story opens the door gently, and the activity helps children step through that door in a way that feels safe.

Before we get into steps, one guiding idea that works in homes, classrooms, and counseling settings:

So the goal isn’t to “teach” memory change the way we teach multiplication. The goal is to create a gentle container: calm voice, short sessions, and permission for mixed feelings.

When adults feel nervous, we sometimes read quickly. Children notice that. When we slow down, children relax.

Try reading as if you’re telling a story to a child you love—because you are.

Pause once or twice when Charlotte’s feelings are clear. Instead of asking many questions, choose one gentle prompt: “What do you think Charlotte is feeling right now?”

Then—this is important—accept whatever comes. A child might answer. A child might shrug. A child might stay quiet. Quiet is not failure. Quiet is processing.

Here’s the line to use—at home, in class, or in a counseling office:

And now comes the most important part—the question that makes the activity child‑centered:

Then pause. Silence is thinking.

Teachers are busy. Class time is precious. And sensitive topics require care. That’s why the best classroom approach is a week‑long rhythm with short sessions, not one long lesson.

A teacher might read the story early in the week and return to it in small ways. Students can create one Memory Box item one day, then another item the next. Sharing can be optional or private.

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