Who Wants A Piggyback?

ABOUT THE BOOK
FAMILY ACTIVITIES

Text: David Grossman / Illustrations: Gilad Soffer / Publisher: Am Oved

Distribution: May 2018

Shy slippers, a flying umbrella, a strange elephant, and a nice bag of flour called Yonatan, brought together in the book of beloved writer David Grossman. A magical and sweet story about the special time of parents and children before bedtime.

Family Activities

What are your evenings at home like? Are you preoccupied? Are you relaxed? Do you read a bedtime story together, chat, orn play games together?

Classroom Activities

Video

Dear Parents,

What are your evenings at home like? Are you preoccupied? Are you relaxed? Do you read a bedtime story together, chat, orn play games together?

In this book, Yonatan's father paints their walk together to bed in bright colors, and accompanies him with creativity, imagination, and playfulness.

Daily routine activities often create friction between parents and children, but they can also serve as wonderful opportunities for shared experiences and family bonding.

Enjoy reading the book!

"Train up a child in the way he should go" (Proverbs, 22:6)

The Book of Proverbs, brimming with wise sayings, is advising us to note that each child has their own special way, and as parents and educators we must try to adapt our educating methods to their unique personality.

Yonatan's father is attentive to him and his feelings. They play along with him, and are able to lead the shared experience from active playtime to a time of intimacy and calm.

And so the transition from daytime to bedtime becomes a shared environment for family intimacy and creativity.

Who Wants a Piggyback is the last PJ Library book you will be receiving this year. We hope you have enjoyed the books, and wish you a wonderful summer, and a smooth transition to kindergarten or school!

פעילות בחיק המשפחה

In Gilad Soffer's illustrations the piano turns into a shark, and the umbrella is transformed into an eagle. You may want to look at the illustrations together, and notice the various household items, and the amusing shifts between reality and make-believe. Perhaps you would like to pick an item or piece of furniture in your own home, and draw what it turns into in your imagination.
Which rooms and pieces of furniture are on your child's way to bed, what is their route to the bedroom? You may also enjoy making a game out of bedtime, and choosing a funny walk, dance or other movement – perhaps even carrying your child on your back. Who would buy your "sack of flour"?
Yonatan is deterred by the elephant drawn on the carpet. Sometimes items look different in the dark. You may want to ask your child whether there are any items or pieces of furniture in your house that look different at night. You could discuss their fears together, as well as ways to overcome them.
How does your child get ready for bed? Do you have a special ritual – a hug and kiss, a prayer, or a song that accompany your transition from daytime to nighttime? Do you read a bedtime story together? Following this book, you may want to invent a new ritual by which to say goodbye to the departing day.
Perhaps you would like to share some childhood memories with your child: Did you share a bedroom with any of your siblings? Who put you to bed? Were you told any stories or sung and lullabies before bedtime? Did you sleep with a specific doll or teddy-bear? Perhaps you can think of a funny story about bedtime from your past to tell your child.
At Yonatan's house, a piggyback is called "a sack of flour". In some Israeli homes, it's called "Abu Yoyo". Does your family have any special names for childhood games? Did you have any special childhood games where you came from? This may be an excellent opportunity to teach your child these games.