Children generally seem to find it very easy to make friends with someone who comes from a different world. Even when they don't share a common language, they manage to make themselves understood, and find ways to play together. Of course, all too often, someone comes along who says that they are too different to be friends, which is ridiculous because they are managing perfectly well, thank you very much.
Today's picture book explores the idea that friendship and family connections should be allowed to form where they will, and should be celebrated.
Today's picture book explores the idea that friendship and family connections should be allowed to form where they will, and should be celebrated.
Alexis Deacon
Picture Book
For ages 6 to 8
Random House UK, 2012, 978-0-091-89332-3
Two eggs are sitting on the sand together, and under the twinkling stars they break open and two babies come into the world. One of the babies is a parrot chick, and the other is a little crocodile. Together the two parentless youngsters figure out how to get food, and they keep each other warm until the sun comes up. Together they sing and build nests and they grow up. They believe that they are brothers and they are happy.
Then one day they discover that birds and crocodiles are not brothers after all. The bird joins his kind in the trees, and the crocodile lives with his relatives in the river. One would think that they would be happy now, but they are not. Something is wrong.
For hundreds of years people have told their children that they should only be friends with their own kind. They have discouraged friendships with children who live in another town, who belong to a different tribe, who practice a different religion, or who come from a different country. “Stay with your own kind” children have been told.
This wonderful book celebrates families and friendships of all kinds. It shows to great effect that there are no rules when it comes to choosing who is going to be your friend, your sister or your brother, your mother or your father. All that matters is that you love and respect one another, and that you have interests in common that you care about.
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