A teacher can make huge difference in a child’s life. This is a story about an Egyptian-American girl at a new school. She was embarrassed by her mother tongue and felt that she did not fit in well. All it takes for her teacher, Mrs. Haugen, is to connect with Kanzi through her poetry and her special blanket, handmade by her grandmother back in Egypt. She was warm and welcoming and took her time to understand Kanzi’s anxiety. Mrs. Haugen invited Kanzi’s mother to the class to understand their similarities and appreciate the differences. Soon it becomes a class project; the children were making a quilt writing their names in Arabic. It is such a wonderful way to show children that knowing more than one language can be a valuable skill. Such an inspiring story! Well-done! Love the book that promotes the importance of home language - the more languages, the better!
You can borrow this book from public libraries in Singapore (Call Number: KHA).
Click on the pictures below for a sneak peak...
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