Shine news
22nd March 2019
Book of the Month for March 2019
Reading Matters
Shine charity knows that reading really matters for language development and recommends books with a positive and inclusive message for babies, children and young people every month. This month a Shine parent has recommended ‘Mermaid’!
Mermaid
by Cerrie Burnell
Luka lives by the sea, but does not like to swim, that is until a young girl offers to help. This is no ordinary girl, Sylvia is a mermaid!
Together the two of them go on an adventure under the waves until the sun begins to set. In school the next day, Luka is in for a big surprise when a new girl starts at school – it’s Sylvia and only he knows her secret.
Author, Cerrie Burnell, is able to write about disability from experience and is now a popular children’s TV presenter. The fact that Sylvia is in a wheelchair is actually shown as not being that big a deal. When Sylvia arrives at her new school, Luka soon jumps in to tell all the children in class that she is actually a mermaid.
Most children brought up watching TV programmes like Something Special are positive about disability, yet they can be curious. Treating everyone the same is the best way to approach new people and this is a great lesson for any 3 to 5 year old