Beautifully Different by Dana Salim
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Beautifully Different is the second book in Dana Salim’s Yousuf’s Everyday Adventure series.
The story opens with Yousuf playing with blocks on the floor with his father. He asks his father why people are different. He goes on to say that some children at school are picked on because they are different. His dad suggests they play the imagination game. Yousuf closes his eyes and the game begins. Dad directs the game and his part of the story is in rhyme. He adds in little problems that Yousuf must find solutions to, so it’s not only dad’s imagination but also Yousuf’s that’s directing the story.
Yousuf is in a land of beautiful flowers, all different shapes and colours. The weeds come to scare them away. Yousuf needs to help the flowers unite and chase the weeds away.
I read this story to a 3 and 4 year old. They loved the story and the big bright illustrations and asked straight away for the story again.
Me: How did Yousuf get to the Island?
3yo: The birds took him (she took the story literally)
4yo: In a dream
Me: What was your favourite part of the story?
3yo: The flowers
4yo: chasing the yucky weeds away.
Recommended for 4+ preschool, Kindergarten age when they become more aware of the people around them and better understand the concept of imagination.
Beautifully Different is a book we will definitely be reading again and again.
With my thanks to the author for my copy to read to the children.