Tharp encouraged his young listeners to embrace the power of positivity.
Author/illustrator Jason Tharp visited Hawthorne Elementary School on April 29. He lives in Powell, Ohio. Scholastic, Simon and Schuster, and MacMillan have published his work. In addition to writing, he travels the country speaking to students and adults about positivity, being yourself, kindness, and the “power of the unicorn.”
Tharp feels it is extremely important to provide children competencies that can serve them while growing up in a social media world. He espouses skills rooted in kindness, inclusion, empathy, and self-empowerment. “It’s my job as a storyteller to encourage kids to embrace their inner ‘weirdness’ and be brave in who and what they want to be,” he explains. “It’s equally important to be honest with youngsters and let them know it’s not easy; that pain and bad days are completely normal; that they aren’t alone; and that the ‘weird’ ones are the ones who change the world. That’s why I always say, ‘Be the unicorn!’”
The Hawthorne PTO paid for Tharp’s visit.