{"product_id":"a-sky-blue-bench-9781772782226","title":"A Sky-Blue Bench","description":"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIt's Afghan schoolgirl Aria's first day back at school since her accident. She's excited, but she's also worried about sitting on the hard floor all day with her new prosthetic \"helper-leg.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eJust as Aria feared, sitting on the floor is so uncomfortable that she can't think about learning at all. She knows that before the war changed many things in Afghanistan, schools like hers had benches for students to sit at. If she had a bench, her leg would not hurt so much. The answer is obvious: she will gather materials, talk to \u003ci\u003eKaka Najar\u003c\/i\u003e, the carpenter in the old city, and learn to build a bench for herself.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eA Sky-Blue Bench\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003eBahram Rahman\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Library Bus\u003c\/i\u003e, returns again to the setting of his homeland, Afghanistan, to reveal the resilience and resolve of young children--especially young girls--who face barriers to education. Illustrator \u003cb\u003ePeggy Collins\u003c\/b\u003e imbues Aria with an infectious spunkiness and grit that make her relatable even to readers with a very different school experience. An author's note gently introduces an age-appropriate discussion of landmines and their impact on the lives of children in many nations, especially Afghanistan, which has the highest concentration of landmines of any country in the world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDon't miss \u003ci\u003eThe Library Bus, \u003c\/i\u003e also by Bahram Rahman\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWinner of the Middle East Book Award\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFinalist for the Governor General's Literary Award\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFinalist for the Florida Literary Association Children's Book Award\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFinalist for the OLA Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Award\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWinner of the Northern Lights Book Award: Multicultural Category\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eRahman, Bahram:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBahram Rahman\u003c\/b\u003e was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, and grew up during the civil war and the Taliban regime. He earned a medical degree at Kabul Medical University and a master's degree in public policy at the University of Erfurt, Germany, while also working as an activist in Afghanistan in the areas of gender equality and youth political participation. Bahram came to Canada as a refugee in 2012, and today he is a senior policy advisor at the Ministry of Health in Ontario. His first picture book, the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e-reviewed \u003ci\u003eThe Library Bus\u003c\/i\u003e, documents the barriers to education experienced by girls in war-torn countries and their resilience and ingenuity in overcoming them.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCollins, Peggy:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePeggy Collins\u003c\/b\u003e is a graphic designer and an award-winning children's book author-illustrator with more than 35 titles to her name, including \u003ci\u003eHarley the Hero\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHungry for Math: Poems to Munch On\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eIn the Snow\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eIn the Garden\u003c\/i\u003e. Peggy teaches animation at Loyalist College as well as illustration and drawing at St. Lawrence College. She has also written and illustrated for animated apps teaching math, indigenous history, and education. Peggy lives in Newburgh, Ontario with her two children. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pajama Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50615532290322,"sku":"9781772782226","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_8172b127-bd27-47fd-9153-44399e449e96.jpg?v=1732493089","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/a-sky-blue-bench-9781772782226","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}