Heart-Shaped Friendship

On her first day of school, Hope meets Summy who has different abilities and language challenges. Her teacher asks the students to each teach Summy one word and when all are successful, they will have a party. Hope struggles to teach Summy the word heart but after many unsuccessful weeks she teaches Summy a different word – love. This picture book, with child-friendly language and colourful illustrations, can encourage empathy for and understanding of people with challenges and can launch discussions about the first day of school, friendships and how to create and maintain them, acceptance, inclusion, that people of differing abilities are worthy of friendship, and what it means to be a community.