From the Book Jacket: Imagine if, on an ordinary school day, after a morning studying tadpoles and drawing birds, war came to your town and turned it to rubble. Imagine you lost everything and everyone, and you had to make a dangerous journey all alone. Imagine that there was no welcome at the end, and no room for you even to take a seat at school. And then imagine that a child, just like you, gave you a gift, something ordinary but so very, very important.
Inspired by true events, this deeply affecting book evokes the experience of a young refugee and shows the hope a simple act of kindness can bring in the wake of the devastation of war.
Why It's On My Bookshelf: This is such a moving book and really evokes strong emotions. Although it's hard to read about the suffering that children endure as refugees, I felt hope at the end of the story because of the goodness of children and people. We can heal suffering through kindness. We can push hate away by connecting to one another through our humanity. Such an amazing representation of what is going on in our world though the eyes of a child.
A Link to This Book:
Author: Linda Sarah
Illustrator: Benji Davies
From the Book Jacket: Birt and Etho are best friends. Together they play outside in big cardboard boxes. Sometimes they're kings, soldiers, astronauts. Sometimes they're pirates sailing wild seas and skies. But always, always, they're Big friends. Then one day a new boy arrives, and he wants to join them. Can two become three?
Why It's On My Bookshelf: Navigating a friendship of three can be really difficult for kids. At some point a child might feel left out if they see the other two are having more fun with each other. All of a sudden they might feel very lonely and left out in the friendship. But don't know how to express it or fit back in because jealousy has taken over. This book helps kids celebrate a circle of three friends. This is a big issue kids deal with and I can't wait to use this as a skill building resource for being inclusive.
A Link to This Book:
Author/Illustrator: Kate Berube
From the Book Jacket: As Mae's first day of school approaches she decides she IS. NOT. GOING. School is scary! What if the other kids don't like her? Or what if she's the only one who doesn't know how to write? Or what if she misses her mom? Mae's anxiety only builds as she walks to school. But then she meets Rosie and Ms. Pearl. Will making new friends show her that they can conquer their fears together?
Why It's On My Bookshelf: Anxiety about starting school is not just common but normal. Sometimes school refusal can accompany that feeling and make things very difficult for everyone. The book starts out with Mae exclaiming "I'm not going!" Eventually she does go and makes it into school. What I like about this book is she overcomes not just her anxiety but the refusal behavior she is feeling and expressing. We can do hard things. That's a favorite motto of mine as a school counselor. This is an awesome find and read. Loved it!
A Link to This Book:
