Time for another Rachel's Random Resources tour and this time around, we're taking a closer look at a new Picture Book that is brilliantly fun, while sharing some much bigger concepts. Ladies and gents, let's take a look between the epages of today's book of choice...
Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks
by
Sally Fetouh
Illustrated by
Alexis Schnitger
About the book...
Cheerful text and whimsical illustrations bring alive this heart-warming story of kindness and inclusion featuring a character with Down syndrome.
When young Jana receives heaps of beautiful socks from her parents after learning how to put on socks all by herself, she can’t wait to show her friends at school. They are always kind and patient with Jana when they play together. Jana decides to share a pair of her new socks with each and every friend. This calls for a school sock parade! All of the children had so much fun showing off their colourful socks together that they gave a very special and huge gift for their kind and generous friend, Jana, a box of more socks!
Author Sally Fetouh was inspired to write this touching story by her own daughter who has Down syndrome, feeling it was important for her and other children like her to be able to see themselves in literature. Two years ago, after reading a different story about a girl with Down syndrome to her daughter’s preschool class, Sally says, “The children were so engaged in the story and asked questions. They were very accepting and loving of their friend—my daughter. I left with a heart overflowing with emotion and that inspired me to write my story.”
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At first glance, I was getting a story about a little girl and her bright socks. After my first read, I realized that while it was a story as simple as my presumptions, it was so much more!
I love that the author shares her family life at book's end. I love that she connects the story to flesh and blood moments, and events that are celebrated outside the pages. I love that it had such a big hearted little leading lady to help show us the way through kindness, sharing, and acceptance. The brilliantly colored socks are amazing, and when her friends rally around her to return the sharing is caring spirit Jana first showed, my heart was touched. It's moments like these that we need more of from an early age. It's stories that not only let everyone find themselves in a book, but that gently remind us how far, and how many ways love can be shared. Whether it's in a pair of open arms for a hug, or a box of colorful socks to make a young girl smile, they're all ways to show we care, and to extent that positive feeling into the world at large.
A great read for kiddos at home or the classroom with messages to last a lifetime!
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About the author...
Writing is very much a part of who author Sally Fetouh is as a human being. As a child, writing was a way for her to express herself and all of the stories and ideas she had in her head. Now, as an adult, she has been inspired to write a beautiful story of kindness and friendship, Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks, a heart-warming picture book loosely based on her daughter who has Down syndrome.
It was important to Sally that her daughter and other children like her were able to see themselves represented in literature. The idea came to Sally when she visited her daughter’s preschool to read a story about a girl with Down syndrome. The loving, accepting, and inquisitive responses from her daughter’s classmates inspired her to write a story reflecting these caring friendships.
Sally believes a great book is one that has impactful characters and a story that provides a new experience or perspective to the reader that stays with them long after the book is closed. She hopes that her young readers with disabilities or those who are different in some way will be able to relate to the main character and see a little bit of themselves, while also aiming for other readers to gain insight into the world of Down syndrome and the importance and impact of kindness and friendship.
When she isn’t writing thought-provoking children’s books, Sally works as a lawyer and a photographer. She enjoys being in nature, hiking, and horse riding. She lives with her family in Sydney, Australia. Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks is her debut picture book.
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Special thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for the chance to bring this tour to you. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, this promotion, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today and be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more bookish fun!
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
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