My Friends Are Missing
What’s inside...
Bella and her mom meet Bella's friends at the park for a playdate. During the playdate, her friends disappeared. So she and her mom walked the park in search for her missing friends. Along the way, Tracy, Bella's mom, used this opportunity to teach her character traits of a good friend.
Age
5-9
Length
34 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
How do you think the main character felt when they realized their friends were missing?
What would you do if you were in a similar situation as the main character?
Why is it important to have friends and how do they make us feel?
Can you think of a time when you helped a friend or a friend helped you?
What have you learned from this story about friendship and solving problems?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to express their feelings and thoughts about the story by asking them to relate the situations in the book to their own experiences.
Highlight the importance of empathy by discussing how the characters might be feeling in different situations throughout the book.
Promote problem-solving skills by exploring different solutions to the main challenge in the story with your child.
After reading, ask your child to draw a picture of their favorite scene or character from the book, and discuss why they made that choice.
Reinforce the themes of the book by engaging in activities that involve teamwork and cooperation, reflecting the book's message about the value of friendship.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Empathy and Understanding
Explanation: In 'My Friends Are Missing', children witness how the main character navigates feelings of sadness and worry when friends are not around, teaching them to understand and share the feelings of others.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this by recognizing when their peers are upset or lonely and offering their presence or help to comfort them.
Example Lesson: Problem Solving
Explanation: The protagonist in the book uses creative thinking and problem-solving skills to find their missing friends, illustrating the effectiveness of these strategies in overcoming challenges.
Real-World Application: This encourages children to think critically and find solutions when they encounter problems, whether it's a lost toy or a disagreement with a friend.
Example Lesson: The Importance of Friendship
Explanation: The story highlights how friendships enrich our lives and the lengths we go to for our friends, emphasizing the value of maintaining relationships.
Real-World Application: Children learn the importance of nurturing friendships, being reliable, and supportive, which can help them build strong relationships throughout their lives.
Example Lesson: Resilience
Explanation: Despite the challenges faced when friends go missing, the main character’s determination shows children the power of resilience and staying hopeful.
Real-World Application: Kids can mirror this resilience in their own lives by remaining hopeful and persistent in the face of challenges, whether in schoolwork or personal goals.
Example Lesson: Communication
Explanation: The character’s journey to find the missing friends involves asking others for help and expressing their worries, teaching kids the importance of open communication.
Real-World Application: This can be taken into daily interactions, encouraging children to express their feelings openly and ask for help when needed.