A story for the child who is getting to know someone new
There is a new child in class who speaks another language, brings different food, or has a different kind of family at home. Your child notices, has a good look, and isn't quite sure what to make of it. Curious and a little shy at the same time.
A story about difference doesn't turn that into a lesson. The difference is simply part of the world the story happens in, not the problem that has to be fixed. What it does do: it lets your child truly get to know someone, and find out they share more than they thought.
The story adapts to your child's age. A four-year-old mostly sees that playing together is fun, whoever the other child is and however they look. A ten-year-old is more likely to trip over a misunderstanding, and learns by asking who is behind that difference.
And it doesn't end with 'and so everybody belongs.' It ends with something more real: the sense that your child's world has grown a little bigger, because someone new fits into it who wasn't there before.
What this story does
- The difference is simply there, as part of the story, not the subject everything revolves around.
- Your child isn't the one who 'lets someone belong'; together they discover they are having fun.
- It is about more than how someone looks: a language, a dish, a habit from home, something the other child brings along.
- The other child isn't an outsider being rescued, but someone with a story of their own that makes your child curious.
How the story grows with your child
Choose your child's age and see how the same theme grows with them, from toddler to almost-teen.
For a child who is 3 years old
A toddler looks curiously at someone who looks different, and doesn't think much further about it. Playing together happens on its own, the moment a toy gets shared.
What that looks like
In the story a new child sits alone on the bench. Your child walks over, hands them a block, and a moment later they are building a tower together.
For a child who is 4-5 years old
Around this age your child sees that someone looks different or does something differently, and doesn't quite know what to think. Until they start playing and notice it is simply fun.
What that looks like
The new child has bread with something yellow on it that your child has never seen. 'Can I have a taste?' And after that they play together the whole break.
For a child who is 6 years old
The new child in class talks or does things differently, and that feels a little strange at first. A curious question and really listening break the ice.
What that looks like
Your child asks how you say 'hello' in the new child's language. They practise it together, giggle at the funny sounds, and then they are friends.
For a child who is 7-9 years old
At this age your child sometimes feels a slight awkwardness around someone who is different, and isn't sure how to act. By listening instead of judging, they learn something new.
What that looks like
At the new child's home the family is marking a celebration your child doesn't know. Instead of finding it odd, your child asks about it and gets to join in.
For a child who is 10-12 years old
Now a cultural or personal difference can lead to a misunderstanding. Your child dares to ask further, finds the person behind the difference, and notices their own assumptions.
What that looks like
Things get tangled because your child misread something. Instead of laughing it off, they ask about it, and then understand why the other child did things differently.
Frequently asked questions
- Will my child see themselves in the illustrations?
- Yes. You tell us what your child looks like, including their skin tone, and the main character in the book is recognisably your child. We don't promise an exact colour match down to the shade, but your child sees themselves as the hero of the story, not a random little figure.
- Doesn't diversity turn into a preachy little lesson in the story?
- No. The difference simply sits in the world of the story, as something matter-of-fact, not as the moral at the end. The meaning comes out of what happens between the children, not out of an explanation. You read the whole story for free before you buy anything, so you can see for yourself how it lands.
- Can the story fit our own situation or background?
- Yes. You briefly tell us what's going on for you, and the story is written around that, with your child as the main character. That way your child recognises the situation, instead of a generic little tale about 'being different'.
Related themes
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