This gorgeous book from Iranian author Anahita Teymorian is a timely reminder of the difference which kindness and compassion can make to the world.
The story is narrated by an old man as he looks back over his life and shares the lessons he has learned. First he speaks of his childhood and observes that although his mother’s womb was small, there was enough space for him to grow. The house in which he grew up was also small, but there was enough room for his family and his toys and the love they shared.
As he moves through his life he sees that the sky is large enough to hold the moon and the stars, the library has room for all of his favourite books and the sea is vast enough to hold the largest whales. Nature has provided enough space for the world to thrive.
But throughout this he sees one species which never seems to be happy. Humans fight for space every day. They argue over little things like desk sizes and seats on trains. They go in to battle and hurt each other in the fight for land. They even dispute the rights of other humans to use tiny spaces like toilets.
As the wise old man looks back he shares a secret with the reader. We don’t need to fight. If everyone were a little kinder and a little more compassionate there would be enough space for everyone.
This is a beautiful story which encourages children to think about our time on earth as a gift which we need to cherish. It opens the path to conversations about sharing and also what we can do as individuals to create space for others, both physically and metaphorically.
The illustrations are unlike any I have seen and they stayed with me for a long time after reading the story. All of the characters seem to be jostling to take up as much space on the page as they can, with wide eyes, curved bodies and impossibly long limbs. The imagery is utterly fascinating, and it underlines the story perfectly.
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Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.