AVeryMessyStory

About the book

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Dear Parents, 

Many times our child says, “But I don’t want it to happen like that!” and becomes overwhelmed with difficult feelings. 

Louay tries to tell his story calmly, but surprises begin the moment his pages are splattered with jam, ink, and scribbles. He feels angry because his story is no longer perfect. Yet by the end, he learns that life doesn’t always unfold the way we plan, and that he can still enjoy the story even if it isn’t flawless. 

The book highlights one of the essential skills children need as they grow: the ability to adapt to changes and unexpected situations. At this age, children often prefer things to be clear and predictable. They may feel annoyed or frustrated when things don’t go as planned, or they might refuse to finish an activity because of a small mistake.

We can teach our children how to cope with disappointment and accept imperfections through supportive phrases such as:

“Let’s try to enjoy ourselves and keep going despite what happened,”

and “Things don’t have to be perfect to be good.” 

Let’s talk about the story events

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Let’s Talk 

About the story events 

What happened to Louay in the story? How did he feel? How did he overcome his difficult feelings? 

About similar experiences 

Has something ever happened to you that you didn’t expect? What was it? How did you feel, and how did you deal with it? 

Name the different feelings Louay experienced when the unexpected events disrupted his story

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Let’s Enrich Our Emotional Language 

Name the different feelings Louay experienced when the unexpected events disrupted his story—such as anger, disgust, and others.

If you were Louay, how would you end the story? 

On a blank sheet of paper, draw a simple frame. Invite your child to fill the inside with random scribbles

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Let’s Create 

On a blank sheet of paper, draw a simple frame. Invite your child to fill the inside with random scribbles or colorful blotches using a sponge or eraser dipped in paint.

When finished, observe the drawing together and ask:

What do you see? What can we imagine inside these “scribbles”? 

Encourage your child to use their imagination to turn the “mess” into a picture, an idea, or a creative story.

You can even hang their artwork to celebrate their creativity and effort. 

Which senses did Louay use in the story? 

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Let’s Explore Our Senses 

Which senses did Louay use in the story?

Let’s recall our five senses together. 

Try a taste activity: sample peanut butter with jam or honey, or prepare a simple recipe that includes peanut butter. Explore the flavors and ingredients together.