Reading a book together can evoke thoughts, feelings and emotions in children: Like the young bird, they can feel small and fragile; like Efrat, they can feel misunderstood, or determined to go on doing what they believe is right. We recommend sitting close together, and accompanying the reading with a soothing stroke: Touch brings parents and children closer together, and strengthens children’s faith that they have someone who supports them, and is attentive to the feelings that the book evokes in them.
Little Peanut is getting bigger, and Efrat, who is discovering independence and responsibility, is getting bigger too. You can discuss and ask your children what makes them bigger and more responsible than they were before – are they taking care of a pet, for example? Doing things on their own? Helping their friends and around the house? We recommend always reminding children about the areas in which you, as parents, see that they have made progress and grown. Doing so makes children feel good, and bolsters their self-confidence.
You can also help the animals in your surroundings: You can make a feeding station for birds containing crumbs; place a water bowl for cats; make a sign protecting an anthill, or think of your own ways of helping the animals in your surroundings.
The illustrations in this book depict various animals – some are stuffed, drawn or playthings, some are real, while others appear in the children’s thoughts. Can you find them?
Do you like to move? Look at the page on which Little Peanut learns how to fly, and try to move along with the story: You can grow wings, hop, skip, or even try to pretend to fly.
You may like to sit together, read the story out loud, and look at all the illustrations. Perhaps you could stop reading when Dad comes home with the box, and see if your child can guess what is moving around inside it.
The illustrator has hidden many animals in the illustrations. Some of them are real, others are toys. You may enjoy looking through the book, and searching for the animals on each page. Have you found the green creature with the antennae? What is it doing on Dad’s hand? And what happens to it when the little boy meets Pumpkin the Kitten?
Using an old sock, some leftover fabric and buttons, you could make a hand puppet in the shape of a cat together, and act the story out. How would you name your puppet? Is it fun to pet? What kind of sound does it make?
Perhaps you would enjoy going for a walk in your neighborhood in search of cats. It is best not to go too near them, or try to pet them, if they are not domesticated, but you could help them a little. An empty box and some old fabrics could serve as a shelter for street cats, so they can stay warm and dry on cold nights and rainy days.
Which animals do you like? Is there an animal that your child does not like, or that scares them? You may want to visit the zoo, or a local pet store, and see this animal from up close. You too might find that a close encounter with the animal will make you change your mind about it.
In the story, Nivi’s emotions are depicted as bumper cars in an amusement park. On a repeated reading of the book try to follow with your child when the bumper cars crash into each other. When do the bumper cars stop bothering her? Why?
A chain of bad deeds versus a chain of good deeds. Talk to your child: What is Nivi’s first mistake? What are the consequences? In what way does one bad deed lead to another? What is the first step she takes to correcting her mistake? What does that lead to? In what way does one good deed lead to another?
Ogi
שְׁמִירָה
Tikun, Tshuva ve Slicha (Rectification, Repentance, Forgiveness)
The turning point in the story is when Nivi acknowledges her mistakes. The process she undergoes is one of correction, repentance and forgiveness. The notion of Tikkun (rectification or correction) is a basic concept in Judaism. Judaism assumes that every one of us sometimes makes mistaken choices but that we all have the power to rectify ourselves, and change course for the better. There are many Jewish sources that guide a person and his surroundings on how to rectify wrongdoing. The great 12th century Jewish sage, Maimonides, guides a person to first acknowledge a wrongdoing, to repent genuinely, and to resolve not to repeat the action. He also teaches that the person who was wronged must forgive the wrongdoer who asks for forgiveness.
Look together at the pictures in the book and suggest that your child tell the story in his/her own words. Look for the pictures depicting the moments of asking for forgiveness and giving forgiveness in the encounters among the characters (Nivi, Mother and the teacher). (You may well discover new ways to understand the story through what your child tells you. Pay attention to what details your child considers important and which ones he/she does not think are important).
Tell your children if you sometimes did things that were not allowed when you were a child. Did you correct the wrongdoing? How? Try to create a story dealing with asking and receiving forgiveness. Consider drawing it and creating your own little book.
Talk with your child about whether he/she has ever experienced a similar situation.
Imagine how Iddo must have felt when the ladybird tickled his hand, and how the little ladybird felt. You may want to ask your child to hold their hand out like a small bowl, and tickle it. You can pretend the ladybird is strolling across their belly, and pleasantly tickle one another.
The ladybird found shelter in Iddo’s hand. You may want to discuss ways of hiding out from the rain with your child. You could search for umbrellas at home, woolly hats, or any other object used to protect us from the rain. You could also step outside and point to buildings, bus stations, and stores on your way to kindergarten. Can they, too, provide some shelter from the rain?
You may want to look at the illustrations together and look through the book for the ladybird’s encounters with each of the other animals: the ants, spider, and cat. Perhaps you could ask your child to tell the story in their own words, and discuss the difference between Iddo’s reaction, and the other animals’ responses.
Perhaps you would enjoy stepping out to the park or playground, and look for ladybirds (ladybugs). Will you find one among the leaves, or in the sandbox, just like Iddo did in the book? You could place it gently on your hand. Does it tickle? Does it rest, or immediately spread its wings and fly off? It is of course very important to return the ladybirds to nature.
You may enjoy collecting smooth, round stones of various sizes, painting them red, and, once the paint dries, marking a black line across them from top to bottom, and adding white spots. And there you have it – a ladybird family!
You may enjoy looking at the book together. What do you see on the cover? You may want to ask your child their opinion as to the feelings of both girl and cat in the picture.
Do you own a pet? Is your child attached to it? In what way do they help to take care of it? Perhaps you could go to a petting or regular zoo, and discuss your favorite animals together.
Kishta
שְׁמִירָה
Perhaps you would like to observe the cats on your street.
Perhaps you would like to observe the cats on your street. How do they walk? What sounds do they make? What do they eat? Are they domesticated cats or street cats? You could place an empty cardboard box in the yard. Maybe a cat would use it to sleep in?
You could act the story out using puppets. You could also make a puppet from bits of fabric, or an old sock. You could take turns being Maya and Kishta.
Life is full of childhood transitions – moving from a crib to a bed, a new bedroom, or kindergarten. We hope that the joy found by Maya and Kishta in their new friendship will be a source of support for your child in their transitions.
Your children can “read” the illustrations and tell you the story, using the pictures as a guide. You could ask them: Why do you think the boy is the only one who notices the injured bird?
Bob Graham added details in his illustrations that do not appear in the text of the story. Try examining the pictures together to find how Bill, and his parents, treat the injured bird. What does each one do in the pictures?
You might compile a joint list of questions about things you want to know about birds. You can then look up the answers in books or on the Internet, or visit a pet store, an aviary, or a zoo. The people working at these sites will surely be happy to explain to your children what birds eat, how we take care of them, when we need to take them to the vet, and so on.
Pay special attention to the page in the story where Bill lets the bird go free and fly away. Together with your children, you could imagine how Bill felt as he let the bird go. If the bird could speak, what might she have told her friends once she got better and returned to them? You could even turn this “conversation” between the bird and her friends into a little play, using puppets or stuffed animals.
How can we help birds? It’s easy to make a bird feeder: take a big empty plastic bottle, rinse it well, and cut a large hole in one side. Devise a way to hang it from a tree branch or deck railing and fill it with cut-up fruit, seeds, and breadcrumbs. You can watch from a distance (quietly!) as the birds come and eat from it.
It is important to encourage young children to show empathy and compassion for animals—but you should also make clear to them that we don’t always need to inter This is a chance for you to explain to your children that, if they are out walking and see a baby bird or kitten, they shouldn’t touch it as its mother may be nearby and will soon return to take care of it.
“A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing” (Ecclesiastes, 3:5)
Perhaps you would enjoy looking at the illustrations together and finding examples of the help Mole had given to the baby bird. When did Mole’s care meet the baby bird’s needs, and when did it not? What changed with the baby bird, requiring a subsequent change in care, and why was it so difficult for Mole to let it go?
Young children develop their sense of independence but still need our protection as parents. As it says in the Book of Ecclesiastes, at certain times and situations it is appropriate to be nearby and “embrace”, and at others, free trial and error is best. It may be interesting to ask your child which areas they felt they had become stronger and experienced growth in over the last 12 months, and whether there are any new things they would like to do on their own, and have us, as parents, allow them to do.
This story describes a parting process. How do you say goodbye in the morning? Do you have a “hug & goodbye” ritual? You may enjoy some role-play – you can be the kindergarten child, and your child can say goodbye to you and “go to work”. After some activity in your “kindergarten”, and when your child’s “workday” is over, you can meet again… and hug!
“Greetings upon your return, lovely bird” (H.N. Bialik)
Birds “speak” using whistles and tweets. You may enjoy stepping outside and listening to the birds. You could try mimicking different tweets, and “speaking” the language of the birds.
The baby bird in the story stands in its cage and says nothing. If we were able to understand bird language, what would it have told us?
You could also care for birds! To do so, make a bird-feeder. Take a large, empty bottle, and wash it well. Cut a large opening into one end of it. Hang it in the balcony or on a tree near your home, and place pieces of fruit, seeds, and breadcrumbs in it. Watch from afar as birds come and eat from it.
Little Peanut 
Pumpkin the Kitten 
Ogi 
The Ladybird in the Rain 
Kishta 
How to Heal a Broken Wing 
Mole and the Baby Bird 
קְרִיאָה
שִׂיחָה
לָצֵאת הַחוּצָה
יְצִירָה
כְּלָלִי
הַשְׁרָאָה
מִשְׂחָק
חֵקֶר
הַמְחָשָׁה
