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Explore the wide world of emotions
Why recommend the following two titles? “They invite readers, whether children or adults, to delve into their inner world and better understand their feelings. They also show that we can feel a whole range of different emotions at the same time,” explains Francine Di Torre, who, together with two educational consultants from the Rivière-du-Nord1 school service center, selected all the recommended albums.
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In my little heart
- The book: In my little heart, by Jo Witek and Christine Roussey (La Martinière Jeunesse)
- Level: Preschool
- The story: With a lot of poetry, a little girl opens the doors of her heart to gradually explore the emotions contained within. Joy, courage, anger, sadness, tenderness, fear, etc. Every emotion has its color.
- Learn: Know how to recognize and appropriately express your feelings and perceptions
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The Battles of Ti-Cœur
- The book: The Battles of Ti-Cœur, by Marylène Monette (Fonfon)
- Level: 5th and 6th grade
- The story: Ti-Cœur, an impulsive boy who quickly loses his temper, is often punished and must learn to deal with his feelings. Thanks to his uncle, he understands that several puppets inside him are directing a boxing match in the ring.
- Learn: Be able to control your impulsivity, calm down and express yourself while respecting others
To understand others better
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Big grumpy bear
- The book: Big Grumpy Bear, by Nick Bland (Scholastic)
- Level: Preschool
- The story: A lion, an elk, a zebra and a sheep try to persuade a grumpy bear, who drives them out of his cave despite the rain and wind. The bear growls that he wants to sleep. The sheep then cuts off some of its wool to make a pillow. A gesture of sharing that allows the large animal to fall asleep again while his guests play next to him.
- Learn: Express yourself while respecting others, recognizing their needs, controlling your own impulsivity, listening and asking questions
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A small gesture
- The book: A Small Gesture, by Jacqueline Woodson (Éditions D'eux)
- Level: 5th and 6th grade
- The story: Maya arrives at a new school and smiles at the person sitting next to her, who ignores her. The whole class rejects the little girl because her clothes are worn out. One day her chair stays empty and she never comes back. Using a bowl of water, the teacher explains to the children that small gestures, like stones thrown into the water, react to the world like waves.
- Learning: being able to view yourself and others positively, manage your emotions, recognize the needs of others, cooperate, assert yourself, and deal with peer pressure
Learn tolerance, mutual help and respect
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The lion and the bird
- The book: The Lion and the Bird, by Marianne Dubuc (Saltimbanque Éditions)
- Level: 3rd and 4th year
- The story: An injured bird is cared for by a lion throughout the winter. The cat must overcome his sadness when the healed bird decides to join his family in the spring. However, a nice surprise awaits him in autumn, because instead of migrating, the bird returns to spend the winter by his side.
- Learning: being able to collaborate, help, share and recognize the needs of others
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Warm penguins
- The book: Penguins in the Warmth, by Andrée Poulin and Oussama Mezher (Éditions de l'Isatis)
- Level: Preschool
- The story: After an oil spill, penguins get stuck in heating oil. Since they cannot move, they are at risk of dying from the cold. An altruistic boy comes up with the idea of knitting them sweaters and mobilizes his grandmother, neighbors and volunteers to make it happen.
- Learning: being able to recognize the needs of others and being able to collaborate, cooperate, share and help
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A chicken behind a wall
- The book: A Chicken Behind a Wall, by Jean-François Dumont (Flammarion Jeunesse)
- Level: 5th and 6th grade
- The story: A hedgehog appears on a farm before disappearing. Convinced that they need to protect themselves from intruders, roosters and hens build a wall without a door for months. Only to discover in the spring that they can no longer go out and the harmless hedgehog was sleeping peacefully under the straw.
- Learning: recognizing the needs of others, resisting influences, knowing before judging, accepting differences
Learning to live with others
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Tyranono: a history of intimidation
- The book: Tyranono: a prehistory of intimidation, by Gilles Chouinard and Rogé (Éditions de La Bagnole)
- Level: 2nd year
- The Story: Like every schoolyard on the planet, a little dinosaur is mocked by his classmates. Until he saves his torturer from drowning and makes him realize that the “weakest” can hide heroes.
- Learn: know how to ask for help, talk about it, lead by example, recognize the qualities of others, observe the feelings and characteristics of the bully, witnesses and victims
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The rumor
- The book: Rumor, by Zaza Pinson and Christine Davenier (Kaleidoscope)
- Level: 3rd and 4th year
- The story: A hedgehog comes to school. True to form, he curls up into a ball and eats loudly. An “oddness” that attracts ridicule and suspicion. He's even unfairly called a thief – without listening – when a snack goes missing. The hedgehog leaves school before his classmates can discover his great drawing talent.
- Learning: Being able to assert yourself, ignoring the negative influence of peers, denouncing observed intolerance and harassment, making appropriate judgments about yourself and others
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Ada, the grumpy girl in the tutu
- The book: Ada, the grumpy girl in the tutu, by Elise Gravel (La Pastèque)
- Level: 1st year
- The Story: Ada takes a ballet class against her will and shows her bad mood instead of speaking up, which earns her very little sympathy. Luckily, one of his many missteps leads to him colliding with a karate instructor, who invites the little girl to his class, so impressed is she by her strength. Ada has finally found her place, unlike a boy who hates karate.
- Learn: Know how to assert your rights, resist peer pressure, make appropriate judgments about yourself
These titles were selected by: Francine Di Torre, retired teacher who helped develop the Dire Mentor program; Marie-Josée Trudel and Annie Martin, both educational consultants for school climate and prevention of violence and bullying