Yan the Little Squirrel and a Big Change: Heroes, New Chapters

Yan the Little Squirrel and a Big Change: A Story About Starting School, Big Feelings, and New Beginnings A new school. A big change. A thousand questions. >How can we help children prepare for change? How can we ease separation worries and goodbye feelings? How can children stay connected to old friends while building new friendships? How can we help them take that first brave step? Join Yan the Little Squirrel as he prepares for his first day of school and learns that big changes do not have to feel impossible. Through his journey, children discover how to recognize feelings, turn worries into questions, prepare for the unknown, and find familiar pieces in new experiences. This gentle social-emotional learning story helps children develop: - confidence during transitions- emotional awareness and communication skills- problem-solving strategies- friendship and connection skills- resilience during times of change Perfect for children experiencing: starting kindergarten or a new school moving to a new home, city, or country changing classrooms or teachers saying goodbye to familiar friends >A Note From the Author One morning, my little one ran straight to the window. "What are you looking for?" I asked. "I'm looking for yellow leaves! Is it autumn yet?" A few days earlier, I had told him that when the trees turned yellow, orange, and red, he would start a new school. From that moment on, he searched the trees every morning. And I realized that while we were waiting for autumn, he was also trying to understand a much bigger change. Big transitions can bring excitement, joy, worry, and uncertainty - sometimes all at once. So we talked. We turned worries into questions. We found the answers we could. We prepared for what was ahead. And we learned to leave some things as surprises. One little leaf at a time. - Anna Klimentova