A Powerful Message
Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks by Sally Fetouh is a perfectly lovely book for the under fives.
The story is a simple but memorable one that will appeal to all children – Jana shares her brightly coloured socks with all her classmates. This promotes the message that it is good to share what we have with others. Jana has a generous heart.
Jana also has Downs Syndrome. We see via the brightly coloured socks, the second message of the book, that it is all right to be different. The socks all have different patterns but they are still all socks. We all have different talents/looks etc but we are all people. As a former learning support assistant to teens, I absolutely love this book. I have worked with a teen with Downs Syndrome, and this book warms my heart. Everyone no matter how old or young, no matter there giftings, we all have something to contribute to life and we can all learn from each other.
All the book is beautifully illustrated by Alexis Schnitger. I only had a black and white copy on my kindle, I can only imagine how stunning the book must look in paperback.
I think that every nursery and early years classroom should have a copy of Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks. This would also be a wonderful addition to any young child’s personal library.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
JULIA WILSON
Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks
Cheerful text and whimsical illustrations bring alive this heart-warming story of kindness and inclusion featuring a character with Down syndrome.
When young Jana receives heaps of beautiful socks from her parents after learning how to put on socks all by herself, she can’t wait to show her friends at school. They are always kind and patient with Jana when they play together. Jana decides to share a pair of her new socks with each and every friend. This calls for a school sock parade! All of the children had so much fun showing off their colourful socks together that they gave a very special and huge gift for their kind and generous friend, Jana, a box of more socks!
Author Sally Fetouh was inspired to write this touching story by her own daughter who has Down syndrome, feeling it was important for her and other children like her to be able to see themselves in literature. Two years ago, after reading a different story about a girl with Down syndrome to her daughter’s preschool class, Sally says, “The children were so engaged in the story and asked questions. They were very accepting and loving of their friend—my daughter. I left with a heart overflowing with emotion and that inspired me to write my story.”
Purchase Links
Author Bio –
Writing is very much a part of who author Sally Fetouh is as a human being. As a child, writing was a way for her to express herself and all of the stories and ideas she had in her head. Now, as an adult, she has been inspired to write a beautiful story of kindness and friendship, Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks, a heart-warming picture book loosely based on her daughter who has Down syndrome.
It was important to Sally that her daughter and other children like her were able to see themselves represented in literature. The idea came to Sally when she visited her daughter’s preschool to read a story about a girl with Down syndrome. The loving, accepting, and inquisitive responses from her daughter’s classmates inspired her to write a story reflecting these caring friendships.
Sally believes a great book is one that has impactful characters and a story that provides a new experience or perspective to the reader that stays with them long after the book is closed. She hopes that her young readers with disabilities or those who are different in some way will be able to relate to the main character and see a little bit of themselves, while also aiming for other readers to gain insight into the world of Down syndrome and the importance and impact of kindness and friendship.
When she isn’t writing thought-provoking children’s books, Sally works as a lawyer and a photographer. She enjoys being in nature, hiking, and horse riding. She lives with her family in Sydney, Australia. Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks is her debut picture book.
Social Media Links –
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sallyfetouh/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089048475502
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/sallyfetouh