The stories, poems and etc. included in Illumine for children, are intended to reinforce the concepts of imagination and possibility.  As adults learning to open our minds to new frontiers of thought in order to reach our highest potential, we should understand well the difficulties involved in trying to overcome the barriers of our own minds.  This is why I personally feel it is important to stress certain open concepts with children.
    If people could retain the ability to keep their thought flexible right from the start, just imagine the possibility of potential they might reach.

    It is beneficial to encourage active thought participation on the part of the child.  For example in the story Riley's Hunch, questions brought up to ponder the forces at work around us which we may not be able to see.  What urged Riley so adamantly to go to Mrs. Harris's?
    I am a firm believer in teaching our children, we are all connected.  This theme of connection runs through all of the stories I write for them.  Learning to see how people are not separate from each other will greatly enhance the overall interactions future generations may have.  Learning that our thoughts do more than just roll around in our heads will also work to bring about positive changes in humanity.
    Try to look for the underlying message in the stories and poems.  Even the poem, Little Sparrow can be seen as a guiding voice to a wonderful experience.  Sometimes we can get a little too comfortable in our own "emotional" bed.  Often we become too wrapped up in self-pity, despair or emptiness to venture out to see the light of new possibility waiting for us.
    Remember, there are no right or wrong conclusions to anything,but most of all, allow children to experience the liberation of using their imagination, because this is the foundation to all of creation.