Paola Santos: Vida Dreams, Gebunden

Klappentext

Dreams provide hope and respite in this beautifully told story about a girl's experience of family separation, immigration and living with uncertainty.

Vida misses Papá. He has gone far away to find a new home for her and Mamá. Papá tells her to be brave and always follow her dreams. Only, her dreams don't make her feel brave. And they don't bring Papá home. At school, she misses her best friends, who have left the country. At home, she worries about Mamá, who sometimes attends protests. And while she waits for word from Papá, her dreams are full of longing, searching for a way they can all be together again.

This poignant picture book puts a child's face on the modern-day consequences of political conflict and refugee crises. Paola Santos, the author, and Marianne Ferrer, the illustrator, are both Venezuelan Canadians who have firsthand knowledge of what it's like to leave behind one's entire life to move to a new country, and they've represented this experience with sensitivity and care. Young readers will be moved by Vida's story as they recognize that what she wants is simply what every child wants: to feel safe and to be with family. The book makes an excellent read-aloud choice for exploring this timely topic with children. There are curriculum connections here in social studies and social-emotional learning. An author's note and glossary provide context for the situation in Venezuela as well as the Spanish words used in the book.