Review by Sheila_Jay -- The Barnyard Buddies Meet a Newc...
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- Sheila_Jay
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Review by Sheila_Jay -- The Barnyard Buddies Meet a Newc...
The Barnyard Buddies Meet a Newcomer by Julie Penshorn is an amazing children’s book that teaches about compassion using animal characters. In this short story, a dog named Blue wanders alone in search of refuge after the family that cared for him relocated owing to bad water. The dog finally spotted a tiny farmhouse and barn and crept inside. He drew the attention of animals in the barn who gathered round him and shared their thoughts about him.
The animals had varied suggestions, some like Portland Pig were very welcoming and offered to share their food. On the other hand, animals such as Ol’ Dot voted to send Blue away for fear that he could be dangerous. Soon, they agreed to host Blue, and since he was starving, Portland shared his sweet potatoes and bread. Later, the animals prepared for Blue a secluded to sleep, and he once again felt at peace.
The next day, the animals continued with the discussions about Blue and reached a consensus to let him stay. In the evening, a coyote attacked the henhouse, but Blue saved the chicken by quickly chasing the coyote in the dark. Jim (the owner of the barn and farmhouse) thanked Blue for his act of courage. Blue’s actions reminded Jim a lot, and after careful deliberation that night, Jim opened his heart to Blue and offered him home forever.
I really enjoyed reading this simple book and was fascinated by the impressive colored illustrations accompanied by nice callouts and short texts. Further, I was truly captivated by this book as it has a great story with key lessons, including kindness and consensus-building, not just for kids but adults too. The message in the book is very relatable to some of the challenges witnessed currently around the world such as the refugee crisis as well as immigration.
Even though the book is short (the whole book is 36 pages), the author neatly packed a beautiful story that left me thinking that the book should be a must-read for all kids. Penshorn made the book even more attractive by incorporating parent and educator guide at the end. The guide can be used by anyone who cares for kids to teach them that they should always be kind to strangers and refugees as they could turn out to be of critical help, just like Blue.
There is absolutely nothing I disliked about this book, and I gladly award it four out of four stars. I would recommend it for children, but it also makes a great quick read for adults as it has a powerful message that is critical for people of all generations. For anyone looking at teaching kids about kindness and consensus-building, then The Barnyard Buddies Meet a Newcomer by Julie Penshorn would be handy for you.
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The Barnyard Buddies Meet a Newcomer
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- Julius_
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- Sheila_Jay
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