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Ava the Brava
Ava the Brava
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Big brother loves to teach and take care of his little sister, Ava. He shows her the important stuff like how to be kind and silly but also how to have courage when necessary. When she needs surgery for her cleft lip and palate, he knows she will be okay because he taught her to be brave, and he will help her while she heals. Through words and pictures, this rhyming book for children shares the story of a big brother who vows to help his sister when she undergoes surgery to address her cleft lip and palate.
A great tool to help teach and normalize clefts and facial differences, Ava The Brava uses a positive tone to introduce cleft lip and palate to the reader while also sharing a snippet of the cleft medical journey and how it can affect a child emotionally. Parents can utilize the story throughout, as well as Ava's unique treatment experiences to date and the parent-to-parent advice listed at the end of the book to help guide a discussion with their child. It's an ideal resource for parents with kids under 8yo.
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This book is such a heartwarming and gentle way to introduce young children to the reality of living with a cleft, or supporting someone on a cleft journey. Although the book is written about siblings, it's still a great way to start the conversation about all kinds of facial differences whether the reader themselves are affected or have friends, classmates or other family members who are impacted.
Through the story of Ava, a brave little girl who needs surgery, and her supportive older brother, Jace, the book highlights themes of family love, resilience, and the importance of kindness. It does a great job of reassuring children that differences do not define one's ability to be strong, loved, and of course Brava! The book also includes a helpful, real-life timeline of the cleft treatment journey created by the author who is a cleft parent which I found to be such an invaluable resource for families navigating this experience themselves.
My children have an uncle and a good friend who were born with clefts. This book has helped give them a better understanding of clefts, and has contributed to their compassion and empathy for our loved one’s experiences. This book is so well written, and I recommend it to everyone!
My cleft palate girl has her surgery at 2 years old. She is now 4. We use this to help understand her past hospital stays and surgeries.
My son was born with a cleft and I wish every family and every school would read this book to children. I love that it’s in the older brother’s perspective! It’s so important for kids to understand that everyone is unique in their own way.
Absolutely LOVE this book! My cleftie baby isn't here yet - but it's helping my 7 and 9 year old understand what their baby brother will go through!
10/10! Buy it!