Will I love The Big Umbrella?

I love this story for its simplicity and power.

The umbrella symbolizes kindness and inclusion, always having room for one more. Children joyfully recognize that kindness is simply about making space for everyone.

Two things first drew me to this story. First, in our hall closet there is also a big umbrella—a big white, blue-striped umbrella which when opened is roomy enough for all our family members. Second, I love the metaphors in the book…the umbrella = shelter, rainy weather = troubles/hard times, and the variety of characters under the umbrella = family, friends, strangers, and the best part is no one is left out from beneath the umbrella as it simply gets bigger to accommodate everyone’s needs. What a compassionate, empathetic message of inclusion.

This book deals with inclusivity in a heartfelt way. I love how this book uses simple language to get across a big message. The story shows how there is always room for everyone under the big umbrella. In other words, you can think of your heart as a big umbrella that can find room for everyone—no matter how different they might be from you. The story is highlighted with loose, watercolor illustrations that complement the feel of the book. It’s hard to give character to an inanimate object, but the artist is very successful in this book, using a simple… show more.