Easy Peasy

Ky Garvey

Amy Calautti

EK Books, 2023

32pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9781922539441 

When her dad gives her a pair of shiny, sparkly red roller skates for her birthday, Ruby is thrilled and can’t wait to try them out because she thinks roller-skating will be easy-peasy.  She rejects her dad’s offers of help even though she spends a lot of time wibbling and wobbling and crashing.  Luckily, she has all her safety gear on so her injuries are minimal although her pride is hurt and that night, instead of taking the skates to bed she throws them in the cupboard. Will she abandon them altogether, or will she be prepared to take her dad’s offer of help?

This is a story of resilience and perseverance as well as accepting that we can’t all be good at everything we try immediately.  That some things take instruction and practise and we need to be willing to put in the effort needed if we are to move forward and master the skill.  Sadly, some of our students have never experienced failure and so haven’t learned Ruby’s lessons yet, so this is a worthwhile discussion starter particularly as a new school year begins.  Growing and learning involves embracing new challenges and working at them one step at a time to maser them, understanding that mistakes are just opportunities to learn and develop.  Ruby can leave her new skates in the cupboard and never try again, or maybe she can have another go and discover a whole new world of friends and adventures.