Word Trouble

Ronnie, the four-year-old in this  picture book, has not only moved house recently, but has also moved countries and has no English.  He is happy and excited, and his supportive parents are helping him adjust. Because he is starting nursery, they have taught him a few words, and when he goes for the first time, the teacher and his classmates are smiley, welcoming and friendly.  But when asked to introduce himself, he gets the words confused, and the children laugh.  He feels so lonely and out of place that he spends the rest of the time playing on his own.  When he tells his parents afterwards, they explain that things will get better. But the next day, when the children ask him the sorts of things that children do ask, like, ‘What’s your favourite ice cream?’, all he can say is ‘yes’.  When he comes out of school, a very sad little boy, Dad  has an idea – going to the park – and there Ronnie meets a little girl from his class.  Swinging on the swings, they both enjoy being together, and their playing results in his starting to tell her all the individual words he knows.  She responds with smiles and encouragement, and he soon learns that she and no doubt the others are wanting to like him. The tender and sympathetic illustrations are just right for a child with such monumental changes to his life and will be perfect for use in schools and at home to promote understanding.