Day 22 Picture Book Frenzy: A Sky Blue Bench by Bahram Rahman and Peggy Collins
Just as Aria feared, sitting on the floor is so uncomfortable that she can't think about learning at all. She knows that before the war changed many things in Afghanistan, schools like hers had benches for students to sit at. If she had a bench, her leg would not hurt so much. The answer is obvious: she will gather materials, talk to Kaka Najar, the carpenter in the old city, and learn to build a bench for herself.
In A Sky-Blue Bench, Bahram Rahman, author of The Library Bus, returns again to the setting of his homeland, Afghanistan, to reveal the resilience and resolve of young children—especially young girls—who face barriers to education. Illustrator Peggy Collins imbues Aria with an infectious spunkiness and grit that make her relatable even to readers with a very different school experience. An author's note gently introduces an age-appropriate discussion of landmines and their impact on the lives of children in many nations, especially Afghanistan, which has the highest concentration of landmines of any country in the world. -Goodreads
A Sky-Blue Bench by Bahram Rahman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I love books where kids take charge! Aria has a new prosthetic limb and is navigating her world with it. As she arrives at school, she notices that the only place for her to sit, is on the floor. She can't get comfortable and is so sore. Plus, she can't even get up or down by herself. So, she solves her problem-she builds herself a bench. The community all rallies around her, the girls at the school help, and the bench is made. I loved the message of perseverance and hope. Thank you Pajama Press!