Amaleigha Makes a New Friend by Janice Pratt – Review by Donya Pedigo

Amaleigha Makes a New Friend by Janice Pratt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a fantastic read!
Amaleigha’s 3rd grade class gets pen pals from Ukraine. It’s in these letters that they get to learn about each other’s cultures, countries, families, and everyday life. As they keep writing, they get to ask questions and learn more and more about their new friends. Everything was going amazingly until the Ukraine students wrote and told Amaleigha and her classmates about the possible war they were facing with Russia and how scared they were. This proceeded to open up all the fear the students had for their friends while also giving them the incentive and chance to learn more about different types of unrest in the world.

Janice Pratt has written a very thought provoking book about differences between individuals and the struggles they endure. She really handled the war in such a sensitive manner that allows you to ease into learning more about the world around you and how everything can and usually does affect everyone else in some way. I also really enjoyed the colorful illustrations and was pleasantly surprised to learn that they were drawn by a Ukrainian artist, Alina Kralia, who has had to relocate because of the unrest in Ukraine.

View all my reviews