• Theme: Migration/Refugees, Empathy, Kindness, Trust, Friendship

• Tone: Polite, deeply moving and humanitarian

• Age: 5+ years (Ideal for preschool/early school-age children)

Wonderfully illustrated, The Suitcase explores the themes of displacement and diversity in a way that young audiences can easily understand.
Laura Padoan, member of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency

A simple and powerful way to talk to children about the concept of kindness towards strangers.
Axel Scheffler, illustrator of The Gruffalo book series

At a time when over 65 million people are being violently uprooted from their homes, this wonderfully illustrated, wise, and loving fairy tale about tolerance and kindness towards our fellow humans says it all. I hope all parents share The Suitcase with their children.
Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner.

It is an extremely important book for parents and educators who want to introduce their child to concepts such as tolerance, diversity, and helping the stranger (the "other"). Choose it to:

• Start a meaningful discussion about people who are forced to leave their homes.

• Cultivate empathy and your child's ability to see the hidden sadness behind outward appearances.

• Teach the importance of making amends for our mistakes, just as the animals in the story did.

• Timely Message: Addresses the complex issue of migration/refugee experience with a simple, tender, and completely understandable approach for children.
  

• Power of Illustration: Chris Naylor-Ballesteros's images capture with palpable emotion the physical and emotional exhaustion of the stranger, immediately evoking empathy.

• Lesson about Truth: Shows that sometimes the truth is not what we see, but what we remember and what we miss.

• Highlighting Hope: The story ends with an act of selfless kindness, showing that acceptance and help can bring a new beginning.

• Awards: The book has been awarded (2020 English 4-11 Picture Book Award, Fiction 4-7 years) and has been shortlisted for major awards, such as the Kate Greenaway Medal and Oscar's Book Prize.

• Comparison of Emotions: Ask the child to describe how the stranger feels at the beginning (tired, sad, scared) and how he feels at the end (accepted, happy).

• Acts of Kindness: Use the story as a starting point to discuss specific acts of kindness you can do for a new friend at school or for someone who seems lonely.

• The Suitcase Burden: Discuss what the child would put in their own suitcase if they had to leave in a hurry, emphasizing that the most important things are intangible (memories, love).

• Discuss: "Why didn't the residents believe the stranger at first?", "How did their feelings change when they saw the photograph?"

• Ask the child: "How can we make someone who is new to our group feel welcome?"

• Play/Create/Imitate: Draw the 'real' house of the stranger, as it was in the photograph, and then draw the 'new' house that the friends built to welcome him.

Chris Naylor-Ballesteros is an English author and illustrator of children's books. He studied graphic design and illustration at Bradford College of Art and in 2000 moved to France, where he lives today with his family. After working for years as an English teacher and newspaper designer, he realized his love for picture books. His work "The Suitcase" was inspired by the refugee crisis and has received significant awards, while it has also been shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal. Other popular works of his include the Frank & Bert series.