Mina and the Whole Wide World by Sherryl Clark illustrated by Briony Stewart

I have to be kind

to someone else

a stranger

who's taking my room

Mina has been looking forward to moving into a room of her own and at last the day has come but mum and dad need her to be brave and generous and patient. 

Azzami and his mum

are refugees,

they've just moved to 

a new house but now his mum

is very sick in hospital

and Azzami needs

people to care for him

This may be the first time Mina has really heard or thought about the plight of refugees. Mina loves her new globe of the world and when the teacher shows the class the location of Afghanistan she begins to understand this young, very frighten boy, has travelled far and his silence and confusion need her kindness and understanding. Mina is young and her initial reactions to Azzami are immature and selfish but when she sees his life story, depicted in graphic form through his art, she finds a way to reach out to him and more importantly a way to show her whole class what Azzami has experienced. In turn this helps Azzami, we hope, as he makes his first tiny steps towards his new life here in Australia. 

The power of this book comes from the way Sherryl Clark gives Mina such an authentic and honest voice. Here are a set of very detailed and worthwhile teachers notes from UQP - I wonder why the author of the notes has not shared his or her name?

After you read Mina and the Whole Wide World please try to find a copy of The Colour of Home. It is the perfect book to explore themes of displacement, war, and the way art can help to tell a story - even a sad and distressing story. I also have a Pinterest of other picture books about the refugee experience. 

I read one reviewer who said this is a book for a "first time chapter book reader".  I disagree. This is a fairly simple book to read on one level, assisted by the verse novel format, but this book has quite deep emotional themes. I would recommend this book readers aged 8+. 

Mina and the Whole Wide World is a story with hefty overtones yet is told with a gentle poetic hand that allows space for readers to stop, reflect and imagine. .... A gem of a novel encompassing friendship, inter-racial harmony and compassion. Dim's Write Stuff

The use of verse and format of the text allows readers to digest the words, visualise what is happening, imagine and make connections. This endearing verse novel will tug at your heart and no doubt encourage conversations about attitude towards refugees in Australia. Reading Opens Doors

Read an interview with Sherryl where she talks about writing this book - in Finland!

Here are some companion reads which are also verse novels for younger readers.

Little Dog Lost

Little Cat's Luck

Applesauce Weather

Where I live

Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie

The Little Wave

Zoe, Max and the Bicycle Bus

Pearl verses the World

Mrs Bibi's Elephant by Reza Dalvand

Mrs Bibi loves her elephant. They walk together, play with the children, eat tea and cake, and Mrs Bibi tells her elephant gentle bedtime stories. 

BUT the people (adults) of the town don't like this elephant. All they can see is trouble. 

"They said instead of talking to an elephant, Mrs Bibi should read the newspaper, check the stock market and keep up to date with economics!"

There is a protest and Mrs Bibi is ordered to take her elephant to the zoo. Mrs Bibi is desperately sad and so the next day she decides to leave her town.

Can you guess the outcome? 

"After Mrs Bibi and her elephant left, the town wasn't the same. ... everyone felt as if something was missing."

Sorry - now you will have to read this book to discover how this tricky situation is resolved. 

Here is the blurb from Flying Eye Books: "A heart-warming story with a message as big as an elephant, this fanciful tale of friendship between an eccentric lady and her beloved pet is as poignant as it is beautiful.  When the townspeople tell Mrs Bibi her pet elephant is too big for the town, she reluctantly packs her bags and heads off somewhere they can live together in happiness. But what they both leave behind is far bigger than the other people could have imagined. Delicate artwork complements messages of acceptance, tolerance and love in this moving children’s story."

You can see art from this book here. And take a look at these glorious end papers which to my eye celebrate difference, happiness, nurturing, filling life with colour and filling your life with things that bring you joy.

... an older reader will be able to pick up both the sophisticated style of the illustration and all the lovely detail and reflect on the book’s more profound message. Book Trust

No matter how often children open this book, they’ll always discover something new. Kirkus

The illustrations are stunning. From the embossed cover to the end papers, there is so much to enjoy. For example, on the title page, Mrs Bibi is sitting under the title- look closely at her hairstyle. You can see the elephant, curled up! Each picture is packed with details- so many opportunities for storytelling offer themselves. North Sommerset Teachers Book Award

I have so many favourite things that delight me as I read through hundreds of children's books but one thing I really do enjoy is the discovery of a book which can be used across ages. Take a look at all of the themes I listed for this book. Two journalists were recently discussing the writing of children's books on a radio program. I was utterly horrified and even 'angry' when I heard one of these 'experts' declare anyone could easily write a children's book. She said 'How hard could it be?'  This is utter nonsense. I wanted to scream at the radio and grab a big pile of splendid books - picture books, junior novels and middle grade novels, and thrust them into the hands of this presenter. 

Reza Dalvand is from Iran.  Here are some of his other books:

The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates and Juniper Bates

"By the front door there is an umbrella. It is big. It is a big, friendly umbrella. It likes to help. It likes to spread its arms wide."

Yes it is raining. Time for this umbrella to go to work. One person, two people, four people, tall, short, hairy, even plaid - they all need shelter and the umbrella is happy to help.

The Big Umbrella is a picture book about kindness. It is one of those wonderful books you could share with preschool aged children but you could also share it with a much older group.  The text I quoted at the start of the post comes from the first six pages of this book. You will want to talk about the themes of inclusiveness, tolerance, compassion, community, and perhaps diversity but you could also use this book to talk about the structure of a picture book. Pacing, word placement, page turns, and the use of pages with no words. The illustrations by Amy June Bates are perfect. The Big Umbrella was first published in 2018 and it is still available but here in Australia the hardcover edition is quite expensive. 

A subtle, deceptively simple book about inclusion, hospitality, and welcoming the “other.” Kirkus

This cheerful, inclusive book encourages the reader to share resources, not by demanding that everyone shares, but by showing how community grows when shared.  First Thursday Book Reviews

There’s a calming and happy tone to The Big Umbrella and a wonderful mix of realism with fantasy that makes it engaging, uplifting, and full of wonder. It expertly walks the line of impossible and possible. The Picture Book Review

The book I could use as a companion to The Big Umbrella is this one:

Rain is a very complex phenomena to paint but in this book you can almost feel and hear the rain drops.

I do like books about rain and umbrellas. Yes this book - The Big Umbrella -  is about so much more but here are some other books on rain and umbrellas:

Come on Rain

Rain for Christmas

Home in the Rain

All I want for Christmas is Rain

I have been fascinated with umbrellas since I was a very young child and I read a story about a Chinese umbrella decorated with people who appear to be running when the umbrella is open. The story came from The Youngest Omnibus.  I decided (tonight) to begin a Pinterest collection of books about Umbrellas. I am also good at misplacing umbrellas - I wonder where they all go? I once had an umbrella decorated with umbrellas - sadly lost long ago.  I seem to have missed National Umbrella Day. It is celebrated on February 10th each year. I should also mention from time to time I do wish I had the umbrella used by Mary Poppins. 

It might be fun to fill your school library with Umbrellas or invite your school art teacher to create a display.

Image Source: Teachers Web