The Suitcase

When a strange, exhausted, and frightened animal appears one day, the other three animals are intrigued. What is in his suitcase? When he replies that there is a tea cup, a table and chair, and a little house with a beautiful view, they find this hard to believe. It is my home, he simply says. Then, being tired, he falls asleep. The fox, the bird and the dog are convinced they really need to know what is in the suitcase, so they break it open – not without caveats from the dog. What they find is heartbreaking: a broken teacup, and a picture of a little house with a table and a teacup and their new acquaintance sitting drinking tea. The fox thinks he has lied to them, the bird remembers he told them about the tea cup, and the dog is horrified that they have broken open the suitcase. Meanwhile, the stranger is dreaming about running away, climbing mountains and hiding from danger. The ending is wonderful – full of love and empathy and the kind of understanding that we all hope children will absorb and learn. Lots of white space on the pages, print in different colours (matching the colours of the animals), and the simple illustrations add much to the whole. Refugees are an important part of our world now, and this story will help children to be welcoming to those who are sad and lonely.