חיוך של נסיך
מאת: קתרין ריינר
תרגום לאנגלית של ההצעות להורים המודפסות בדפים האחרונים של הספר
Augustus and his Smile / Katherine Rayner
(Hebrew title: Prince’s Smile)
The tiger has lost his smile. He sets off on a journey to find it: He climbs high mountains, descends to the depths of the sea, prances across the desert and walks in the rain. As he splashes through a large puddle, the tiger discovers a wonderful surprise, right under his nose.
"And the light is sweet and it is good for the eyes to behold the sun"
The tiger set off to seek happiness, and found it in simple acts of nature: birds chirping, taking a dip in the sea, creating tracks in the sand and dancing in the rain. If you look carefully at the illustrations, you can distinguish the tiger's small smile as it gradually returns to his face.
As Ecclesiastes writes (Kohelet 11: 7-8), happiness can be found in small, everyday wonders –such as sunshine: “And the light is sweet and it is good for the eyes to behold the sun” (Umatok ha’or ve- tov la-einayim lir’ot et hashemesh).
The light of the sun is one of the many everyday wonders that add sweetness and joy to our lives. Special occasions such as birthdays, family reunions and Jewish holidays are sources of happiness as well. The holiday of Sukkot, for instance, is also called “The time of our happiness” (Zman simchateinu), as it is written (Deuteronomy 16:13-16): “And you shall be happy on your holiday… and be joyous.” (ve’samachta bi-chagecha… ve-hayita ach sameach)
Family Activities
"… the tiger understood that a smile would appear on his face each time he felt happy"
Take your child for a walk outdoors and enjoy the nature that surrounds you. Like the tiger, you too can play with crushed leaves, listen to birds chirping and climb up hills.
What makes you and your child smile? You can play "the smiling game" together: Pass a ball between you. Each time one of you tosses or rolls the ball to the other, mention something that makes you happy. Don't forget to smile throughout the game!
Where is our child and his or her smile? You can play hide-and-go-seek throughout the house, looking for each other's smile.
The tiger looked into a puddle and discovered his smile right under his nose. In our homes we don't have puddles but we do have mirrors! Your child can discover his or her smile in the mirror, and make funny faces at his reflection.
Song and dance are natural ways of expressing our happiness. You can sing and dance with your child, even without a special reason. Think of songs that are especially appropriate, such as "If you're happy and you know it…".
At the end of the story the tiger jumps with joy. If the story had continued, he might have even burst into laughter. Do you want to laugh? Here's a funny way to start: Everyone in the family lies down on the carpet, with one person's head resting on another's belly. One member of the family starts to giggle, his or her tummy trembles, and soon you'll all see how contagious the laughter becomes!
The author and illustrator Katherine Rayner loves the animals she depicts in her books. Our story is accompanied by special drawings. Go through the book with your child, noting how the tiger looks when he has lost his smile, and how he appears when he finds it in the puddle.
"Augustus and his Smile" is the first Sifriyat Pijama book of the year. Reading books together as a family is one way to bring joy and happiness into the home, and can put a smile on everyone's faces. Enjoy!