A little girl is devastated when a tree branch falls on her bike during a thunderstorm. Her older sister helps her understand this event is not the tragedy it seems by gently guiding her through a series of other possible outcomes that would have been much worse. In this way, the older sibling is able to help her sister put her disappointment into perspective. I was inspired to write this story after helping my granddaughter through a similar event. IF IT HAD TO HAPPEN not only provides insight into the endearing relationship between sisters, it also provides a gentle lesson on the concept of gratefulness.
IF IT HAD TO HAPPEN is a predictable picture book complete at 310 words. The suggested illustrations, repetitive phrasing and word patterns allow children ages 3-7 to anticipate certain words, such as in PLEASE TAKE ME FOR A WALK, by Susan Gal. The overarching theme of gratefulness is comparable to the theme in “JUST SO THANKFUL,” by Mercer Mayer.
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Barbara