Every kid has that moment where they’re so excited to do something new for the first time, like riding a bike without training wheels, taking the big yellow bus to kindergarten, or jumping off the high dive, like Jabari. But even when you really, really want to do something new and exciting for the first time, you can get a little scared too, like Jabari.
Gaia Cornwall has written and beautifully illustrated Jabari’s day at the pool with his dad and little sister. This is a great mentor text for teaching about schema, as all students will have a story to tell of a time they tried something new or a time they got scared. Hopefully they also had someone giving them advice and gently encouraging them not to give up, like Jabari’s dad.
There are lots of ways for teachers to carry over the message of this book into the classroom as well. It could be read aloud and used to springboard a discussion about perseverance, trying something out of your comfort zone, and being encouraging and kind to each other.
And in the end….
Love this book!! I agree with everything you say. JABARI is also a wonderful mentor text for the “show don’t tell” concept in writing. Gaia does a beautiful job showing Jabari’s hesitation, stalling, Dad’s-hand-squeezing… And the spread where his toes curl around the edge of the board??! Perfection! Thanks for featuring.