empathy

Salat in Secret

Sophie Rosen , ,

Thompkins-Bigelow, Jamilah. Salat in Secret. New York: Random House Studio, 2023.
What do you hide from other people? What are you afraid to let others know? Seven-year-old Muhammad receives a prayer rug for his birthday. He is now old enough to pray five times a day, his father tells him. But Muhammad is scared. How will he find the courage to find a place to pray at school? Where can he pray without anyone else knowing he is a Muslim? Colourfully illustrated by Hatem Aly, this picture book is most highly recommended as a read-aloud for five- to eight-year-olds. It provides a powerful introduction to discussing religious faith, respect for others, and empathy.

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I’d Like to Be the Window for a Wise Old Dog

Sophie Rosen , , ,

Stead, Philip. I’d Like to be the Window for a Wise Old Dog. New York: Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2022.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be someone else? Be something else?  What would it be like to bring joy to someone else? Bring safety to someone else? Not for fame but simply out of love. This wonderfully imaginative picture book is an extraordinary example of other-centredness. You can find endless lesson plans on empathy. Instead, read this book aloud. Then start a conversation.

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Everything by Philip Stead is lovely: encouraging, hopeful, and life-affirming. Read these books, too…

The comfort of trees…

Sophie Rosen , , , , ,

Applegate, Katherine. Wishtree. New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2017.
Red is an oak tree who has seen a lot of changes. Provided a home for countless little creatures. And comforted many children. But now someone wants to get rid of Red. What will happen to this venerable neighbourhood tree?
A wonderful read-aloud novel for children 7 to 9 years old. A wonderful story for imaginative readers who enjoy seeing life from a wider perspective.

P.S. Any book published by Fiewel and Friends is worth picking up. The quality is invariably superb.

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“Friendship is a sheltering tree.” – Samuel Taylor Coleridge