Kindergarten Books > Rabbityness

Rabbityness

written and illustrated by Jo Empson (English original)

Rabbit enjoys doing rabbity things, but he also loves un-rabbity things! When Rabbit suddenly disappears, his friends are desolate. But as it turns out, Rabbit has left behind some very special gifts for them, to help them discover their own unrabbity talents. The book celebrates individuality, encourages creativity, and sensitively introduces children to dealing with loss of any kind.

 

Family Activities

Rabbity enjoys doing rabbity things: hopping, twirling his whiskers and sleeping. But he also enjoys doing “unrabbity” things like playing with colors and making music, which brings joy to his rabbit friends in the forest. When Rabbity disappears one day, his friends are sad and look for him, ...

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Rabbity enjoys doing rabbity things: hopping, twirling his whiskers and sleeping. But he also enjoys doing “unrabbity” things like playing with colors and making music, which brings joy to his rabbit friends in the forest. When Rabbity disappears one day, his friends are sad and look for him, only to find a surprise: he has left them his colors and music tools, as if whispering to each and one of them: “try doing a new, different thing. You might enjoy it and share your creativity and enjoyment with people around you”.

 

Dear parents,

We share with you a few ideas to read and enjoy the book with your child:

Family Activities

  • Talk with your child about an enjoyable activity that he/she likes to do with other children, and one that is unique for him/her. You might want to share with him/her an activity that you enjoy.
  • Rabbity disappears suddenly. Discuss what might have happened to him, and what did this make his friends feel.
  • The absence of a dear person from a child’s life can be a difficult emotional experience, but one that each child goes through as part of life. This book might arouse painful memories and feelings for loosing someone dear. But it’s an opportunity to encourage your child to express feelings of sadness, anger, as part of positively dealing with loss.
  • Rabbity left his colors and musical instruments for his friends to enjoy, create and remember him in joy. You might want to collect with your child nice memories of a dear person: A picture album, a book about funny memories that you can help your child write and illustrate.
  • “Family hobbies day”! Where each one invites others to share a favorite activity.
  • The illustrator plays with paint spots to do the illustrations. Your child will enjoy blowing with a straw on a small amount of paint on a paper, to get a colorful painting or a background for his/her drawings.
  • Dry leaves in a closed plastic bag, or dry peas in a closed yogurt container can make wonderful musical instruments to enjoy making a concert with your child!

المربية العزيزة،

الفقدان جزءٌ حتميّ وطبيعيّ من حياتنا، فنحن نفقد أشخاصًا أعزّاء يغيبون عنّا، ونتعلّم كيف نتعامل مع هذا الغياب. هذه خبرة عاطفيّة يمرّ بها جميع الأطفال، سواء في عائلاتهم القريبة أو في مجتمعهم المحلّي. والفقدان لا ينحصر في الموت بل إنّ سفر الأحبّة إلى بلاد بعيدة، أو الانفصال عنهم هو نوعٌ من الفقدان أيضًا. كذلك فإنّ الفقدان في حياة الطّفل لا ينحصر في الأشخاص، وإنّما يتعدّاهم إلى فقدان حيوان أليف يعتني به الطّفل ويحبّه ويتعلّق به.

 إنّ التّعامل المباشر والدّاعم للطّفل على نحوٍ يتيح له التّعبير عن مشاعر الحزن والغضب أحيانًا، مهمّ جدًا من أجل أن يتجاوز الطّفل هذه المرحلة بأقلّ ما يمكن من أذًىً عاطفيّ، وأن يطوّر قدراته النفسيّة في مواجهة أزماتٍ عاطفيّة على نحوٍ إيجابيّ وصحّي.

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