Charleston, SC, Jan. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Anyone who works with elementary school kids knows that it’s critical for students to discover and celebrate each other’s talents. Standing Tall follows Afolabi, a basketball prodigy from Malawi with jaw-dropping abilities on the court. His younger brother, Bongani, is a carpenter with incredible artistry skills. In the story, both have an opportunity to make an impact through their gifts.

Author Eric Thomas, as an elementary school teacher for nearly twenty-five years, has a solid understanding of how children perceive talents in themselves and their peers. Standing Tall gives honor to the skills and passions of mid-to-late elementary school students. Notably, Thomas also shows (in a way that children will understand) how these same skills grow over time.

By the end of the book, Afolabi is college-aged, playing for an American university. His skills haven’t quite manifested in the way he has hoped yet—so when a storm decimates his hometown, he can’t afford to help financially. This is a grown-up message: that life is about timing and happenstance as much as it is about preparation and natural giftings. But Thomas conveys it remarkably well for his target age range, setting students up for a healthy perspective on skill development as a marathon rather than a sprint.

At the same time, Bongani’s carpentry has reached a level of professionalism that allows him to shine when the town needs rebuilding. Although the story is fictional, it reads like many biographies written for elementary kids, imparting an encouraging message within its narrative: that everyone’s talents have a place, and everyone has the opportunity to meet needs in their community. The book is an invaluable resource for forward-thinking educators and parents who want their children to understand how skill growth actually evolves over the course of a life.

Standing Tall is available for purchase online at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com. For more information about the author, please visit any of his social media platforms:

Facebook - facebook.com/eric.thomas.359778 

Twitter or "X" - EricThomas@musicert5

About the Author:

Eric Robert Thomas is an elementary school teacher in New Jersey, where he has taught for nearly twenty-five years. He has received a Teacher of the Year award from three different schools, and the Three Doctors Foundation has presented him with their respected Community Cares Award. Outside of his work in education, Eric is involved in the local jazz, rhythm, and arts scene, promoting events, teaching percussion and tap dancing, and leading classes on storytelling. His work as an author aims to teach students respect and admiration for the different abilities, gifts, and personalities of others.

Available for interviews: Author, Eric Thomas

Email: musicert5@gmail.com

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• Standing Tall

Leah Joseph
Palmetto Publishing
publicity@palmettopublishing.com