FRIENDS TOGETHER Book Reviews

FRIENDS TOGETHER by Tanya Saunders Book Summary

Luna Bear is sad because she is on her own and has no-one to play with. Luckily, The Bear Buddies are kind and friendly; they scoop her up and before long, she is one of them! 

Introducing the eight Bear Buddies, FRIENDS TOGETHER is all about making friends in the playground, helping children learn and practice early social language and interpersonal skills. In addition to modelling simple playtime language that children will need to make friends and join in, the story demonstrates the importance of inclusivity, acceptance, kindness and diverse friendships. 

FRIENDS TOGETHER was initially written for deaf children learning to listen and speak but is equally suited to all children aged 3-6 years old as they transition from home to a school environment, a critical time in their developmental journey when they need to learn new language and appropriate behaviour for making friends, playing and thriving in a wider social setting.

FRIENDS TOGETHER is one of the The Bear Buddies Learning Adventure stories.

Primary focus of the book (themes/concepts):
- Playtime / play language (asking to play, inviting to play, initiating games to play) - Saying hello and introducing yourself and others - Saying ‘thank you’ and responding ‘you’re welcome’ - Paying compliments and responding to compliments - Expressing basic feelings - Appreciating the importance of kindness and inclusivity in the playground - Interactive reading and activities stimulating two-way communication between adult and child, which is essential for the development of fluent receptive and expressive language as well as cognitive and social skills.
Secondary focus of the book (themes/concepts):
- Learning that different words can have the same or similar meanings (synonyms) - Sequential time concepts: earlier…now / first…then / now…next - Learning left and right - Answering ‘Why?’ questions with ‘Because…’ - Recognising and understanding basic emotions in yourself and others - Recognising basic personality traits in yourself and others - Recognising and accepting that different individuals have different preferences/quirks/likes and dislikes - Understanding that the things that make us different are the things that make us interesting - Basic theory of mind - recognising that actions/events have consequences (‘I am sad because…’) - Strengthening auditory memory by asking questions about particular characters in the story at the end
About The Bear Buddies series

With a deaf central character, who wears cochlear implants, The Bear Buddies learning adventure stories were originally conceived to support deaf children learning to listen and speak but are equally suited to all children aged 3 to 6 years old who need a little extra language practice. Focused on the transitional period when their world expands beyond the home to a school environment and other social settings, these charming, simple stories about a group of young friends navigating familiar childhood scenarios help children to learn and practice early social language, playground etiquette, self-advocacy and other skills that they will need in order to thrive at school, in the playground and on playdates in each other’s houses. Key themes include the importance of inclusivity, acceptance, diversity, kindness and friendships.

Author’s Note

While she is inspired by auditory verbal therapy, which teaches deaf children with cochlear implants and hearing aids to listen and speak, the author acknowledges that there are many different and valid approaches to deaf communication. The author fully respects that there is no categorically right or wrong approach; which option to pursue is a deeply personal choice for each and every family based on their own values, aspirations and what works best for them.

The author is grateful for the advice and support of the Auditory Verbal UK (AVUK) team.

About the author

Having lived most of her life in the African wilderness with elephants literally on her doorstep, but now settled in Cambridgeshire, UK, Tanya Saunders is a writer, artist, lover of wild places and mother to twin daughters, one of whom is profoundly deaf and wears cochlear implants (her ‘magic ears’). 
Tanya believes that deaf children deserve the same opportunities in life as everyone else; it is not for us to set limits on what they can achieve but rather to give them the platform they need to learn, grow, and attain their goals as equals alongside their hearing peers. 
Tanya is a Parent Ambassador for Auditory Verbal UK (AVUK), an aspirational organisation that teaches deaf children to listen and speak. Her writing is inspired by her own family’s speech and language journey with AVUK, alongside the numerous other specialists, friends and family members who, as a team, have made such life-changing contributions to her daughter’s odyssey into the hearing and speaking world.  
Although not a professional therapist herself, as a ‘parent practitioner’ of auditory verbal therapy traveling this road alongside her daughters, Tanya’s personal experience and observations can provide helpful insights for other families on the same path. Her vibrantly illustrated stories encourage deaf children to reach for the stars and reassure them that, while it may not be easy, all the hard work involved in learning to listen and speak will be worth it in the end.
Tanya blogs about parenting a deaf child alongside a hearing sibling at: 
www.avidlanguage.com/hearsay-blog

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