Day 5


As a teacher, of course I want to honor and remember the events of 9-11, but my second graders are still so innocent.  I don't want to expose them to the harshness of the world just yet.

 14 Cows for America, by Carmen Agra Deedy with Wilson Kimeli Naiyoumah and illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez, tells the true story of a Kenyan community's response to 9-11. Gulp. This is a beautiful story I was absolutely honored to share with my class. If you are a softie (like I am), keep tissues nearby. The story is incredibly moving and focuses on rebuilding, community and above all other things, love and empathy.

My students were absolutely amazed by the illustrations. We spent more than a few minutes looking up the Maasai people and had to locate Kenya on a map. One of my students suggested we read more stories about Africa too--I am on it!

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