Klub divných dětí
(Wierd Children Club) Book not yet available in English
Summary:
Mila, Petr, Katka, and Franta are strange. Or at least that’s what others think of them. Ten-year-old Mila loves animals—especially insects, and spiders most of all. Petr is in fourth grade, but he looks like a first grader. He’s great at drawing and can’t sleep at night. Katka has no friends, she thinks she’s fat and ugly. She’s afraid to talk to people and is only happy when she’s reading. Franta has bad legs and has to walk with crutches. He’s angry about his disability and is often mean to people. After meeting by chance, these four gradually become friends. Together, they experience an unforgettable adventure.
Edited by: Gender Studies, o p.s. - Knihovna Jiřiny Šiklové
Comment:
The Club of Strange Children shows the lives of children who are somehow excluded from their peer group. Whether it is ridicule from classmates because of their weight, disability, neurodiversity, or interests that others see as strange, children feel loneliness, rejection, or fear. Every child copes with their feelings differently. For young readers, it can be beneficial to learn about the experience of being ostracized by those around them and to help them build empathy and understanding of differences. For children who identify with the characters in the book, it can be a story that helps them escape feelings of loneliness and emphasizes that there are communities where they can find cohesion and support.