Simsim Family in Trouble

ABOUT THE BOOK
FAMILY ACTIVITIES

Text: Yamam Khartash / Illustrator: Hiba Shahtout

This story begins with the Simsim famiy of mice leaving their home when a river floods. They are welcomed into the home of various friends, each helping them in their own way. When they finally returns home, another river floods and a friend comes to the Simsims for shelter. The story celebrates the value of community support in times of distress. This book was produced at the initiative of Maktabat at Fanoos,

Family Activities

The river flooded the house of the Simsim family, so they had to move from one friend’s house to another till the river receded. Yet, although the popular proverb says: A small house will hold a hundred friends, the houses of the Simsims’ friends became too small for the family, and they ...

Video

Dear Parents,

This is a tale about friendship and about unity among people in times of hardship. It is also a story about our relationship with our home, which, even if the houses of our friends were open to us with all their love, would still be the most comfortable place we can find. This story allows us to have a dialogue with our child about the meaning of “home.” Is a home toys and personal items? Is it family warmth and a sense of security? What does a child feel when they leave their home for any reason?

Family Activities

Together, we can look at the cover of the book, and talk about the meaning of “trouble” in the title by looking at the expressions on the faces of the Simsim family.
We can recall the reactions of every friend who hosted the Simsim family. What would we do if the family needed our help? We can try to remember an experience where we hosted a family, some relatives or friends. What made us happy, and what bothered us?
Our family may be one of the families that moved once to a temporary residence - perhaps to the house of a relative or friend - due to repair work in the house, or a long trip, or otherwise. With our child, we can recall this experience: What did they miss at home?
Let’s get to know the members of the Simsim family: the rabbit, the lizard, the scorpion, the mole, and the jerboa. Where do all of them live?
The drawings of the story convey the feelings of the characters in an accurate and expressive way, such as anxiety, fear, sadness, and joy. We can look at the characters’ faces and their body movements. How do we express these feelings with our bodies?
These suggestions were developed by a team working in Al-Fanoos Library from the Ministry of Education and the Grinspoon Foundation
Enjoy your reading!