Aya and the Butterfly is a new picture book to help children come to terms with grief, cope with change, and build
The book is written by Dr. Maysoon Salama; IWCNZ Emeritus National Coordinator who lost her beloved son, Atta, in the mosque attacks. Dr. Salama said she wrote this story for her granddaughter (Aya) and other children dealing with loss and trauma.
Aya and the Butterfly is part of a four-book series designed to support, reflect, and celebrate the Muslim community in Aotearoa New Zealand. It has been developed with the Islamic Women’s Council and published by the Ministry of Education through Lift Education.
“The book joins part of a growing collection of learning resources that reflect the diverse culture and perspectives of children and young people across Aotearoa New Zealand,” says Ministry of Education Deputy Secretary Early Learning and Student Achievement, Ellen MacGregor-Reid.
“The book is accompanied by a teaching guide to assist with conversations with learners around the topics of grief and loss, and the cycle of life in general. We thank Dr. Salama for trusting us with her story and enabling us to share it widely to all learners.”