Meesah Makes Friends works and speaks effortlessly

I was teaching at school and there was a gap in the schedule. It’s a ten-minute period where the kids finished the lesson, the student transfer didn’t happen on time, or the class simply needed redirection. Regardless, I had to find a book to read to some wily kindergarten kids ASAP. I love the book series from Tom Percival, A Big Bright Feelings Book. These are oversized illustrated books that make the most of their size and color. Meesha Makes Friends was just the length and theme that I needed for the read-along for many reasons.

Meesha Makes Friends is a story about a young girl who likes making things, but sometimes has difficulty in making friends. Percival’s illustrations are perfect for books like these that show kids dealing with emotions. Meesha is always brightly colored. Sometimes the background around her, or her classmates will be gray, but those things close to her sparkle with brightness.

The text in the book is simple and direct. It was a bit too complex for that kindergarten class, but they’re just learning their capital letters. Some pages have three short sentences, while others might have one complex sentence. Either way, it’s a book that will have many sight words for those early elementary-aged readers to latch onto and practice.

Meesha’s timing when she’s trying to make friends is never correct. She might say things at the wrong instance or use the entire wrong context in a simple conversation. But, since Meesha likes to build things she sets about creating her own friends out of felt, cardboard boxes, and such. She quickly realizes the limitations that friends like these have when she tries to play games with them.

Her parents encourage her to go to a party where she’s assured that many kids will be playing. Sure enough, at the party, there are dozens of children playing, but she still finds it difficult to engage with them. She goes downstairs to do some crafts when another child comes upon her making something. Meesha asks him if he wants to play, even though she’s a little bit unsure about him messing things up.

To her surprise, the thing that the two of them create is even better than the thing that she was building by herself! Their duo project opens up more children to play with them and this now bigger group creates something even better. All the while, the color scheme around Meesha gets brighter and brighter, as her number of new friends increases.

As I read this book to the class I was showing the photos to them. Once I was done reading we all went to the playground for recess. I noticed a child who was playing by themselves. A teacher was encouraging some of the other students to include them in their games. It turns out that this student had just transferred to the class the other day.

This student didn’t have a different color like Meesha, but it was obvious that there was a lack of confidence. Just like in the book, when the other kids included this new student in their games their entire aura changed. They were running, had more facial expressions, and were swinging their hands as they went from climbing structure to basketball court.

It was an example of the right book being in the right place, at the right time. The entire Big Bright Feelings book series accomplishes its goal of helping children understand their feelings. They also do so in a minimalist way that’s entertaining and allows children to find the solution without adults coming in to point it out.  

It is entirely possible that this particular student would have been included in the other children’s game without any adults prompting them. However, I like to think that, on some level, the students internalized the lesson of Meesha Makes Friends. There are several series on children’s lesson or their emotions. However, this is certainly our favorite because of the way that it leads children to do the right thing naturally, instead of using guilt or less organic methods.

Meesha Makes Friends is by Tom Percival and available on Bloomsbury Publishing.

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