Books: Imagination & Strength
Tali and the Toucan is a heartwarming new children’s book by Mira Z. Amiras that invites young readers to delve into their dreams and playfully face their anxieties.
Children are hopeful, imaginative and creative but also fearful. Sometimes, fearful of the dark but they also have rational fears that adults have but commonly downplay. What all parents hope for is that their children’s future is as promising as the world they are living in, so this means showing the younger generation the importance of how pursuing their dreams can lead to healing, courage and promise.
In her new book, Tali and the Toucan, the author, anthropologist and award- winning filmmaker Mira Z. Amiras does just that.
Set in the diverse city of San Francisco, the main character, Tali, enjoys jumping, tumbling and playing like the other kids, but she’s too afraid to try. She worries that if she does, everything will shatter into pieces. One night, a surprise guest flies into Tali’s dreams. This new friend helps Tali discover the key to following her dreams and conquering her fears.
Tali’s fear of the world shattering is inspired by the Jewish teaching that the world is broken, and that our task, known in Hebrew as tikkun olam, is to mend it, starting with ourselves.
How can we help children talk about their troubles? And how can we help other kids empathize with friends who are sometimes frozen with fear? It starts with introducing all the young minds of today, no matter their background, to Tali and the Toucan.
