1st & 2nd Grade Books > The book tree

The book tree

Text: Paul Czajak / Illustrations: Rashin Kheiriyeh/ Translation: Eiad Maddah / Publisher: Wa'el Wakim

When young Arlo accidentally drops a book on the Mayor’s head, the Mayor decides books are dangerous and destroys all the books in town! But thanks to Arlo’s imagination and perseverance, the Mayor finds that suppressing stories cannot stop them from blossoming more beautifully than ever. This timely allegorical tale will be a useful tool for starting conversations with children about the power of activism and the written word.

Family Activities

This book encourages children to love reading and highlights the importance of books in our lives. It also refers to different types of books and their impact on us.

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Dear Parents,

The mayor decides to ban books in his town. Everyone gets sad until a boy's imagination returns the books to the homes and neighborhoods. This book is about how a book is born from a simple idea, and about the happiness books bring their readers.

This book encourages children to love reading and highlights the importance of books in our lives. It also refers to different types of books and their impact on us. Finally, it relates to the vital space books fill in our lives, pushing us to lead a conscious dialogue with our children about books and allowing us to expose them to different types of books.

At this age, children are still incapable of reading smoothly and need us to continue reading for them and with them. The book fascinates children pushing them to identify with the characters and look for solutions to their problems. The book develops children's imagination, enhances creativity, enriches their language, and expands their world.

Children in this age undertake adventure, magic, and fiction stories. The perseverance to read increases their passion for reading and helps them navigate the worlds of stories.

Discuss

  • The importance of books: Anwar noticed some changes in town when the books disappeared. Talk to your children about the changes and why they believe these changes occurred.
  • The love for reading: Anwar loved reading. He was sad when the mayor tore up the books. Ask your children: How does Anwar feel when he reads? How do you feel when you read or listen to a story?
  • The types of books our children prefer: The text indicates different kinds of books (story, poetry, cookbook). Talk to your children about book types they know and are in the libraries. Ask them: Which books do you like? Why?
  • Creativity and imagination: Anwar succeeded in creating and publishing books for people in town, influencing their lives. Ask your children: Where, in their opinion, does the idea of a book come from? How did Anwar write his books? Support and talk to your children about their experiences and stories they may want to write.

Explore

  • Visit your town's public library and search, with the children, for books they love.

Connect

  • Dedicate a daily ritual to reading a book with your child.

Enrich your language

  • Enrich your child's lexicon with the names of new plants: dandelion, red maple, and willow. Which flowers/wild trees can we see in abundance in our country?

Create

  • Together with your children, enjoy the book's drawings. The drawings are made with the collage technique and include fine details that provoke laughter or sadness. The collage is comprised of newspaper clippings in several languages and strange illustrations.

Enjoy your reading!

Family Activities

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