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A review by jlennidorner
Kat and Juju by Kataneh Vahdani
4.0
This is set in a world where the children get a friend on their birthday. (It seems to be imaginary.) Kat's friend Juju isn't like her. But they come together to help another character, and that is the catalyst for change for Kat.
It's a short and easy to read book for young children. It was an Amazon First Reads book for June 2020. If there's a child you know who feels like an outcast
The concept of getting a friend for one's birthday is interesting. It's certainly a nice spin for the imaginary world. Some children might be upset when such a friend doesn't show up, so it's certainly only aimed at kids who understand that fiction is pretend. It's interesting in that what makes the character different is that she colors in the lines, finds beauty where others don't look, and can appreciate nature. I could relate to Kat in that I've "shared secrets with trees."
It's very well drawn and fun to look at, especially if you like the color orange (which I do).
The main character does change in the book. She "overcomes" shyness, which defeats her loneliness. This happens because she helps someone else, a minor character. (It would be important to remind children not to touch baby birds, especially without the help of a qualified adult.)
It's often easier to help others than to help yourself. In fact, we often learn to help ourselves by way of helping others. That's the primary lesson of this book. The secondary lesson is that shyness needs to be overcome to make friends and end loneliness.
It's a short and easy to read book for young children. It was an Amazon First Reads book for June 2020. If there's a child you know who feels like an outcast
The concept of getting a friend for one's birthday is interesting. It's certainly a nice spin for the imaginary world. Some children might be upset when such a friend doesn't show up, so it's certainly only aimed at kids who understand that fiction is pretend. It's interesting in that what makes the character different is that she colors in the lines, finds beauty where others don't look, and can appreciate nature. I could relate to Kat in that I've "shared secrets with trees."
It's very well drawn and fun to look at, especially if you like the color orange (which I do).
The main character does change in the book. She "overcomes" shyness, which defeats her loneliness. This happens because she helps someone else, a minor character. (It would be important to remind children not to touch baby birds, especially without the help of a qualified adult.)
It's often easier to help others than to help yourself. In fact, we often learn to help ourselves by way of helping others. That's the primary lesson of this book. The secondary lesson is that shyness needs to be overcome to make friends and end loneliness.