Book Review: Little Miss Jessica Goes to School
Written by Jessica Smith Illustrated by Joel Blakeley
Age Level: PreK-5th Grade
Hear the author read the beginning of her book Little Miss Jessica Goes to School.
Book Description: “Little Miss Jessica Goes to School” is about Jessica’s very first day. She experiences what it is like to feel different because of her appearance, but by the end of her first day at school, Jessica and all the other students in her class realise that being different is OK!
My Review:
Until I was contacted by Molly Stapelton, founder of The Lucky Fin Project, I knew very little about children with limb differences. Molly is out there education families about Symbrachydactyly, a term for a limb difference which occurs in every 30,000 to 40,000 births.
From Molly: A child being born with a limb difference is not tragic. It’s extremely important to show our children how capable & wonderfully made they are. If we treat them as flawed or limited that is who they will believe themselves to be- and that would be the tragedy. Please read to find out more and support this non-profit at The Lucky Fin Project.
Molly graciously sent me the book Little Miss Jessica Goes to School. I think the book has a lovely story that is told in a way that illustrates a common reaction that children may have to children who have a limb difference. Children are often threatened or very curious when someone is different than them. This leads to the horrible stigma that being different is bad. I love that Jessica’s story shares the importance of learning about each other and celebrating our differences!
Would you help us spread the message by sharing this blog post with three other people? You can pin it, email it, tweet it, or whatever it is we are doing in social media land today! Get this message out to teachers, administrators and parents so they can deliver the message to children. Thank you!
This book is perfect be read both at home and at school.