The Twelve Gifts of Birth [Hardcover]

Charlene A Costanzo (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Featherfew (1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891836129
• ISBN-13: 978-1891836121
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (76 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,476,732 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Charlene Gorda Costanzo is an award-winning author, workshop facilitator, wife, mother of two adult daughters, and grandmother of twins. She holds a B.A. in Philosophy from St. Bonaventure University and an M.A. in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica.

Originally from New Jersey, she has resided in New York, Texas, Arizona, and Florida. During a one-year book tour to launch The Twelve Gifts of Birth, Charlene and her husband enjoyed living in an RV in 48 of the 50 states.
The Twelve Gifts series of fables began in 1987 when Charlene wrote The Twelve Gifts of Birth as a life message for her own, then teenage daughters. Twelve years later she published the book and discussed its message in schools, shelters, prisons, churches, and hospitals throughout the United States.

The Twelve Gifts for Healing was written while Charlene was in treatment for advanced non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2001. "Cancer led me to examine my convictions and look at these life gifts more deeply. Truly, they helped me heal," she says.

The Twelve Gifts in Marriage comes from the ups and downs, ebbs and flows, and hurts and healings that are a part of every long-term marriage.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Graduation Present!!, August 15, 2002

By 

Lynn R Charlton (Stoneboro, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Twelve Gifts of Birth (Hardcover)

My son James graduated this June. Although I had given this book many times as a baby present, I decided to try something different. I used it as an inspirational graduation gift for James!

I looked back through 18 years worth of pictures and matched pictures of James with the twelve gifts. His sister, brother, and father helped as we searched for just the right photos.

For example, on the cover page where it says, "Royal dignity was yours from the day you were born" Psalms 110:3, I glued a baby picture and a graduation picture.

On "The first gift is Strength" I glued him in awesome shots from his three sports...basketball, football, and javelin.

On "The fifth gift is Hope" I glued a shot of him from the bottom of the stairs as he attempted to crawl up those stairs clad only in a diaper~~along with another shot of him in a triumphant basketball moment.

For "the ninth gift is Reverence" I chose a photo of him feeding ducks by a tree-lined lake and another of a tiny James standing on some rocks by the ocean's edge.

One of my favorites is the "Faith" page where I put a picture of him kneeling with me and holding Kermit the Frog as he says his prayers.

I cut the pictures using templates for scrapbooking, so the shots of James are in ovals, stars, curved edges, etc. The finished product was awesome!

When his father and I gave him this book, all of our family sat around as I read it to James. He is a 6'5" wonderful fellow who got teary-eyed as I read it. As he looked at the pictures accompanying each gift, we talked about family and life!

Charlene Costanza is to be praised for writing this inspirational book. It is a treasure! The words, the message of dignity and worth, the pictures, and the artwork are outstanding. Everyone who sees it wants to order one. One friend is personalizing "The Twelve Gifts of Birth" for her mother!

I came across a real life-time treasure when I found this book.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Gift for the Prince or Princess in your Life!, September 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Twelve Gifts of Birth (Hardcover)

I was so happy to receive this touching book last week. As this book begin's "Royal dignity was yours from the day you were born- Psalms 110:3" we are reminded how each of us has our own special gifts in life.

The book includes a special page for gift-givers to inscribe some personal thoughts to the receiver. I always told my 23 year old daughter she was a princess and now I have a book that shows her just how special she has always been.

I highly recommend "The Twelve Gifts of Birth," as a wonderful gift to give to a pregnant woman, a newborn baby, or a child of any age to remind them of the special gifts that were their's from the day they were born. It would be an especially thoughtful gift for a young person who is struggling with adolescence to help remind them of the beauty and talents that they were born with.

Not only the words are beautiful, but the quality of the materials used to produce this book will make this a gift that will be treasured for a lifetime.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book for every parent to read to their child!, August 14, 2004

By 

KSL "emma-and-me" (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Twelve Gifts of Birth (Hardcover)

This is such a special book that every parent should have, and read to their children often. It is beautifully illustrated as well! Once you read this book, you too will fall in love with the book, you too will pass it on at every chance you have!

The 12 gifts every baby should know they where given at birth are: Strenght, Beauty, Courage, Compassion, Hope, Joy, Talent, Imagination, Reverence, Wisdom, Love, and Faith so you may believe you have these gifts!

Whether you come home with your child from the hospital, international flight, or domestic travel this is a book that should be read often and in every childs' home and or room!