Gibberish

A boy named Dat starts school in a new country where every word sounds like gibberish, until a classmate finds another way to reach him besides talking.

For the kid who's ever felt like an outsider in a new place, this book shows that friendship can start long before words do.

• Big idea: Connection doesn't require a shared language — kindness and play can say what words can't.
• Vibes: Tender, hopeful, quietly emotional.

• are working on understanding what it feels like to be the new kid
• respond well to stories told through pictures as much as words
• are curious about immigration and starting over in a new place
• love stories about unlikely friendships

• Story & problem-solving: Why did everything sound like gibberish to Dat on his first day of school?
• Feelings & empathy: How do you think Dat felt when he couldn't understand anyone around him?
• Real-life connection: Have you ever been somewhere new where you didn't know anyone? What helped you feel better?
• Imagination: If you met someone who didn't speak your language, what could you do to become friends without talking?
• Kindness & connection: What did the girl in Dat's class do to help him feel understood?