The Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marilynne Robinson shared that the most valuable advice she ever received came from an English teacher, Ms. Soderling, who told her: “You will have to live with your mind every day of your life, so make sure you have a mind you want to live with.” The Words That Shape Us explores how the words we share with children—words that shape their brains on a cellular level, influence their emotional experiences, and unlock new patterns of thinking—can help those children develop kinder, more joyful minds: minds that point them towards self-trust and self-compassion; minds that notice small moments of beauty; minds that are good company to live with.