BOOK REVIEW: Little Girl Wanders: A Volunteer Vacation

TITLE: Little Girl Wanders: A Volunteer Vacation
AUTHOR: Eleni Charalambous
PUBLISHED BY: Independently published

This is a book which promotes heartfelt kindness and a desire to help others all over the world. It is a beautiful book about a unique topic, volunteering. It has been written to encourage young children to understand the importance of helping near and far.

As a young girl the heroine of the tale explains how she always wanted to be a volunteer and wanted to explore the world; the story shows that there are many places which need help and can be discovered through volunteering. She lists the countries she visits and how, although the people there are different from her, whether it be due to race, colour or culture, they are still very similar to her in many ways. At the same time, it raises awareness of different cultures and teaches children to be accepting of them.

It is an engaging rhyming picture book although some of the rhymes are a little awkward, almost clumsy at times, but they still manage to get the message across in a gentle way.

The book is a useful way to introduce the concept of helping and implanting the seed of sharing with young ones; it is a powerful way of letting them know that volunteering is an amazing way to discover the world whilst helping others in need and at the same time making a worthwhile difference. It also helps teach children about different countries in the world and raise awareness of how similar everyone is when it comes to core principles. There is a useful section at the end of the book which asks young readers to complete an exercise entitled “How Can I Change the World?”  The book may be used as a teaching resource either at home or in the classroom and will undoubtedly promote discussion and debate.

The story sends out a powerful message to teach children kindness and encourages them to be helpful without expecting a reward; the overall message is that volunteering is kindness.

Beautiful colourful illustrations which help relay the story are on each page which will certainly help engage young readers as there is much to discuss from each page whilst parents or teachers read it to their children or students.

The book has wipe-clean front and back covers, an added bonus for parents reading it to young children with sticky fingers.

The author has included a short interesting personal biography at the end of the book.

The book is charmingly illustrated by Tanja Varcelija.

Reviewer - Anne Pritchard