It's the Friday before Father's Day, and it's not lost on me that
we almost lost Dad in January to a heart attack; doesn't he look
incredible at 86 years old just six months after his triple bypass?
As we were reminiscing about our childhood this visit, the topic turned to blankeys and other objects that kids get attached to, so I told him that I distinctly remembered how anxious and sad I was when they took mine away from me. It was a tattered and oh-so-soft terry-cloth couch pillow with blue fringe that comforted me; when they decided that I was too old for a lovey like that, boom, it was gone. I found it years later in the summer kitchen. The memory of that loss has stuck with me a half a century.
Enter today's PPBF to tenderly tackle separation anxiety.
Title: Bear with me
Author/Illustrator: Kerascoët
Publisher: Random House Studio
Birth Date: June 13, 2023
Suitable for: ages 3-7
Themes: anxiety, friendship, coping skills
Brief synopsis: What will happen when this inseparable duo has to separate for school?
Resources: Read a glowing Kirkus Review {here}.
See the book's page at the Publisher's website {here}.
Check out this review at The Horn Book, Inc.
Compare and contrast with Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes
Why I like this book: This pair of talented husband-and-wife French illustrators has done it again, brilliantly created an almost-wordless picture book. Remember I Walk With Vanessa? First off, the title is perfect. Bear with me. It's so creative, right? Who among us doesn't appreciate a little patience when we're going through something new that might make us anxious and nervous? So "bear with me" is a lovely way to ask for a little empathy, understanding, love. But, it's also the child's wish that her bear were with her, to help her cope, to help her calm.
Much like my pillow did for me all those years ago.
Anyway, these stories without words really captivate me, because it's an opportunity to ask my learners: If you were going to write this page, what would it say? Then they look at the pictures, hands shoot up, and scribe away. No wrong answers here, just lots of opportunity to individualize and imagine. Imagine the possibilities.
Invite them to delve into the pictures, to look at all of the details in the pictures as the young lad tries to sneak his lovey into school. What's happening on each page. Is it silly? Is it sad? How would they feel if they were that child who had to leave their best friend home?
In my office, we turned our ceiling tiles into feeling tiles.
My littlest learners loved moving under the feeling that they'd have
during certain situations as we would read our books together.
Use this gem as a springboard for talking through feelings and emotions.
Invite them to color Feelings Wheel, like this one from Oriental Trading.
Talk about the child's coping strategies. How is Bear kept close?
What other things can we do to walk kids through their anxiety?
*Look up: I suggest skywriting their name to start.
*Drink water: Swallowing helps us process hard feelings.
*Deep breathing: Our personal favorite is box/square breathing.
Finally, encourage them to draw their best friend.
Check out this incredible newcomer, a jewel worthy of a
prominent place on every classroom shelf around the world
and in the hearts and minds of young and old alike.
Now, if you'll bear with me, I'm going to head to
Susanna Hill's blog for today's other PPBF picks.
Happy summertime, dear reader.
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