Books can help us cope with challenging situations: Toddlers identify with book characters and, as a result, learn about emotions, behaviors and challenges that exist both in books and in real life. In situations that are similar to those presented in the book, you can remind your toddlers of the book characters, and suggest that they be inspired by them and behave in a similar way: “Do you think we can maybe shift a little on the bench, and make room for our friends, just like the bears in the book did?”
You can discuss what is happening in the book with your toddlers – which problem did the bears encounter? Why didn’t the bear have anywhere to sit? What did the other bears do? You can also address the feelings that emerge from the book: How did the bear feel when he had nowhere to sit? Was he happy, sad, or perhaps surprised or confused?
You can learn, play, and have fun using the illustrations. You can look for a different detail in them every time – can you spot the pink bear? Where’s the spotted bear? Where is the big bear and where is the little bear? You can swap roles, and let your toddlers beckon you to search for details in the illustrations.
You can turn the pages of this book and pause at a different page each time to look at the bears and try to copy their movement, sitting posture, and facial expressions so that yours are exactly like the ones depicted in the illustration.
Reading a book together can evoke thoughts, feelings and emotions in children: Like the young bird, they can feel small and fragile; like Efrat, they can feel misunderstood, or determined to go on doing what they believe is right. We recommend sitting close together, and accompanying the reading with a soothing stroke: Touch brings parents and children closer together, and strengthens children’s faith that they have someone who supports them, and is attentive to the feelings that the book evokes in them.
Little Peanut is getting bigger, and Efrat, who is discovering independence and responsibility, is getting bigger too. You can discuss and ask your children what makes them bigger and more responsible than they were before – are they taking care of a pet, for example? Doing things on their own? Helping their friends and around the house? We recommend always reminding children about the areas in which you, as parents, see that they have made progress and grown. Doing so makes children feel good, and bolsters their self-confidence.
You can also help the animals in your surroundings: You can make a feeding station for birds containing crumbs; place a water bowl for cats; make a sign protecting an anthill, or think of your own ways of helping the animals in your surroundings.
The illustrations in this book depict various animals – some are stuffed, drawn or playthings, some are real, while others appear in the children’s thoughts. Can you find them?
Do you like to move? Look at the page on which Little Peanut learns how to fly, and try to move along with the story: You can grow wings, hop, skip, or even try to pretend to fly.
This book was inspired by the well-known children’s song The Little Bunny [HaShafan HaKatan] by Binyamin Caspi. You may want to ask your child which children’s song this story reminds them of, and then sing and dance together.
Do you have any other favorite children’s songs? You could create a family songbook, and select one to sing together from time to time. You too may be inspired to write a story about it.
Reading both words and illustrations – You may enjoy taking turns reading this book to one another: you can read the words to your child, and then have them tell you the story using the illustrations.
Our table – draw an empty table and choose who to invite over: it can be family and friends, real or imaginary, favorite toys, or characters in books. What would you serve your guests? What do you think would happen when they all meet one another?
Having a friend visit us is exciting. You may want to prepare for the visit together and discuss how to welcome this friend, how to pass the time together when they get here, and what to do if each of you prefers to do something else.
The bunny’s friends thank him, and he uses kind words when speaking to them, like “please”, “so glad you came over”, and “bon appetit!”. When you sit together for a family meal, you could take turns saying kind words to each other: the first begins by giving the one on their right a compliment; the second compliments the third, and so on. The compliment can be about something nice they had done, a good quality they have, having behaved pleasantly, or any other positive thing you can think of. If you look for it, you’ll be sure to find it…
What is your responsibility, as parents and children, for your friends, family, and environment? Which roles do you play within the family, and which additional roles would you like to assume responsibility for in order to help others and your surroundings? Perhaps you could discuss and make suggestions that would help your family in their day-to-day, such as: sweeping the porch; checking in with a sick friend; recycling bottles, paper, and bio-degradable materials; set the table for dinner, or tightly close leaking faucets.
Cut out some paper leaves. Each family member gets some leaves, and writes suggestions for actions that would be considerate of other members of the family, such as: leaving enough warm water for others to shower; feeding your pet hamsters, or saying ‘good morning’ with a smile. Make your tree in painting form or some other artform using recycled materials or tree branches you have collected, and attach all the leaves to it.
You could try to put your ideas to practice. How about deciding to try out one suggestion each day? And if it doesn’t go too well for you, don’t worry, tomorrow is another day…
Suggestions and examples can be found on the PJLibrary Pinterest page – The Juice Tree.
The villagers must cooperate for the tree to grow more leaves. Games are a delightful way of working together as a family: cut out a paper leaf, and stand in a row. Ready? Here we go!
Pass the leaf round from one player to the next without touching it with your hands. If any of you struggle, help by giving them advice and cheering them on. By way of celebrating when the game is over, enjoy your favorite beverage.
Raise your glass to your cooperation, and the many collaborations still to come!
The book ends with Mr. Milly’s silence. He smiles, and helps water the tree. And then what happens? You could try to continue the story from this point: What was Mr. Milly thinking while he smiled quietly? What happened to the juice tree and the villagers? Did they keep on picking a single leaf? Or did something surprising happen down the line?
Bears on Chairs 
Little Peanut 
The Bunny who Forgot to Close the Door 
The Juice Tree 
קְרִיאָה
שִׂיחָה
מִשְׂחָק
כְּלָלִי
הַעֲשָׁרָה
קְרִיאָה
שִׂיחָה
לָצֵאת הַחוּצָה
יְצִירָה
כְּלָלִי
הַשְׁרָאָה
שִׂיחָה
יְצִירָה
חֲגִיגָה
שִׂיחָה
הַשְׁרָאָה
יְצִירָה
מִשְׂחָק
כְּלָלִי
שִׂיחָה
כְּלָלִי
– suggestions for game cards and arts & crafts can be found on the PJLibrary Pinterest page.
