Beth Grewn Ni / What We'll Build
on Goodreads (2,274)
What’s inside...
A father and daughter set out to lay the foundations of their life together. With their special tools, they create memories, build a safe home, and nurture love to keep them warm. This timeless story explores the everlasting love of a parent, the incredible possibilities of life, and what is needed to build the future. Oliver Jeffers, a renowned artist and author, uniquely combines images and words to craft this narrative.
Age
4-8
Length
48 pages
Text complexity
Character compass
Dad
Daughter
Discussion points
What do you think are the most important tools the father and daughter use to build their life together?
How did the story make you feel about working together with someone you care about?
Can you think of a time when you built or created something special with someone else? What was that experience like?
Why do you think it was important for the characters to build a place for safety and a place for love?
Tip: Role play these questions
Take turns describing what each illustration in the book represents about the relationship between the characters, enhancing their understanding and connection to the story.
Encourage your child to connect the act of building in the story to their own experiences of creating or building something, helping them relate personally to the themes.
Discuss the emotional aspects of the story and ask how certain parts made your child feel, promoting emotional intelligence and empathy.
Use the concepts of building and creating together from the book to initiate a small project you and your child can do together after reading, reinforcing the theme of collaboration.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: The importance of collaboration
Explanation: The story features a father and daughter working together to build both physical structures and their relationship, demonstrating how teamwork can lead to successful outcomes.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this by participating in group activities at school or home, learning to cooperate and value others' input.
Example Lesson: Creativity and imagination
Explanation: The book showcases the limitless possibilities of creativity as the characters invent and build fantastical structures.
Real-World Application: Encourage children to engage in creative play, art projects, or storytelling, helping them to develop innovative thinking and problem-solving skills.
Example Lesson: Planning and foresight
Explanation: Oliver Jeffers illustrates the significance of planning as the characters lay out blueprints and gather materials for their projects.
Real-World Application: Teach children the importance of organizing and preparing for tasks, whether it be homework assignments or setting up for a game.
Example Lesson: Emotional resilience
Explanation: The book subtly touches on facing challenges and maintaining hope, as seen when the characters encounter difficulties but find ways to overcome them.
Real-World Application: Help children understand that setbacks are a part of life and that perseverance and emotional strength are key to overcoming obstacles.
Example Lesson: Importance of family bonds
Explanation: ‘What We’ll Build’ centers around a parent-child relationship, highlighting how shared experiences can strengthen familial ties.
Real-World Application: Encourage activities that involve family collaboration, such as cooking, gardening, or DIY home projects to strengthen family relationships.