In a world full of lull and gloom, it feels nice to have a sliver of hope in the clouds. Do you know this feeling?
Well, some stories can resonate the feeling of a warm embrace with the pinch of magic! One such story is Your Birthday was the Best by Maggie Hutchings, dotted with illustrations by Felicita Sala that will tug at your heartstrings.
Your Birthday was the Best is narrated from the point of view of a friendly cockroach who is quite an unwelcome guest at a birthday party. The protagonist cockroach just wants to have a good time but lands up in a web of troubles upon being noticed by the family. He ends up being vacuumed out of the party, only to join the celebration once again with an even stronger grit and determination.
The unique aspect of this story is that instead of realising the aversion of humans, the protagonist sees everything through the eyes of appreciation and love. It is a hilarious read that reimagines the idea of how life can throw curveballs at you, and how you can turn it into a fun game by simply shifting your perspective.
The book takes on you a comical ride of mishaps, confusion and chaos which eventually left me beaming with a smile (and with warm fuzzy emotions!) It’s bound to evoke a lot of excitement in the minds of young readers.
While the book is quirky and delightful, it manages to teach important lessons with humour as a powerful tool, such as cherishing the little joys in life. It sheds light upon meaningful concepts of the power of resilience and optimism, conquering fears, and finding the best in every situation – which might just help them to better face any challenges in the future.
The book stands out as an excellent resource for teachers who can use the book to ask pertinent questions to students on how a slight change in their perspective can bring remarkable changes in their day to day lives, and how empathy and understanding are traits that can help them as they grow up. The book drives conversations around building a mindset that can help students become compassionate and thoughtful individuals.
For teaching units of work that explore books with similar themes, why not try: