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Bethany (Beth) Cooke currently lives in Nashville TN, and has also called Indiana, Wisconsin, California, Florida and Virginia "home." Beth has been married for 37 years to her high school sweetheart (Dennis), and together, they raised two daughters who fell in love with entertainment. Jenn is an actress and Ashley is a touring country singer.
After years of Beth focusing her energy raising and supporting the dreams of her girls, she now finds herself writing children's books, playing with her golden doodles, enjoying time with family & friends, and going to Ashley Cooke concerts.
Reviewed by Jennifer Senick for Readers' Favorite
The Eyelash Wish by Bethany Cooke is a gentle and heartwarming picture book that reimagines the classic first-day-of-school story through a unique and “magical” lens. It follows Denny, a young boy who is feeling nervous about his first day of school, a natural feeling for most children attending school for the first time. Rather than focusing solely on fear, the story takes an unexpected turn when Denny is greeted by his teacher, and a spontaneous classroom game unfolds. In the end, Denny gets his “wish”, and he realizes there’s nothing to worry about at school. With soft, expressive illustrations and gentle language, the book captures the often-unspoken anxiety children feel when they separate from their caregivers on the first day of school.
Most first-day-of-school stories typically begin with the child being scared or full of worry (which Denny is). They are often encouraged to start by finding an activity they enjoy, which they usually do reluctantly, leading to the child warming up to the classroom. However, The Eyelash Wish is not an ordinary first-day-of-school story. As an educator, I was impressed that author Bethany Cooke thought of a different plot—one that focuses on a fun way for students to connect, which was a spur-of-the-moment idea from the classroom teacher. Sinem Kilic R.’s illustrations are the perfect complement to the text, capturing the emotional warmth and innocence of the main character. This book would be a valuable addition to both classrooms and home libraries. It is a great book for starting classroom or home discussions, and even ends with a thought-provoking question! I highly recommend it.
