Never underestimate the power of teamwork. In Traveling Companions, Tuula Pere shows how important it is to work together. Even though we are different—some have strengths and some have weaknesses—when we work as a team, we complement each other and accomplish more than most people think is possible. Tony is a young boy who hurt his leg during a mudslide that destroyed his village. All the villagers leave to go down the mountain to safety, leaving behind the oldest villager because he is frail and can’t make the journey; the former blacksmith because he is now blind; and Tony because he can’t walk due to his injury. Using teamwork, the three left behind hatch a plan to get to the valley. How will they make the dangerous trip to safety? What does this story teach about working together? Adventure and learning merge to create a wonderful story your child will love.

Have you ever attempted a project and been unable to complete it because you needed help? Tuula Pere, in Traveling Companions, shows how important it is to help each other on the path to achievement. Tuula shows that differences are good and we can overcome obstacles when working together. The old man shares great wisdom when he states that they saved each other. With her lovely illustrations, Catty Flores does a wonderful job of bringing the story to life. As they read this book, your child will have questions, including why a family would leave a child behind. Help your child understand why the parents did what they did. Explore each of the trio’s strengths and weaknesses, then discuss how they were able to help each other. No one can do it all, but we can accomplish it all when we all work together.

Join an unlikely motley crew in their quest for survival in Tuula Pere's Traveling Companions. A small village on a mountain slope is destroyed in a landslide, forcing the villagers to abandon their homes and move to the valley below. But the rope-maker's son, Tony, broke his leg during the landslide and can't move. However, his family must go on without him as his parents have to carry his younger siblings down the valley. Two other villagers are staying with Tony, an old man too weak to walk, and a blind blacksmith. After the rest of the villagers leave, the three strangers slowly start talking and sharing each other's food and water. The old man finally comes up with a plan to move down the valley, but it will require everyone's effort. Are they up for it?

A tale of survival and unlikely companionship, Traveling Companions demonstrates the resilient nature of the human spirit that enables us to overcome seemingly overwhelming challenges. Tuula Pere makes sure each character has a very distinct personality with qualities that vary between the three main characters. The three strangers possess qualities that cover each other's weaknesses, and this seems to be the theme of the story -- teamwork. As part of the Survival Stories series, Traveling Companions is a brilliant first installment. The book also features some truly imaginative artwork by Catty Flores. As a fan of the author, I loved this book, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequels or any other books in this series. I think readers of all ages will enjoy this story. Highly recommended!

Traveling Companions by Tuula Pere is a charming picture book with a message of compassion, working together, and perseverance. When a landslide forces people in a small village to evacuate their homes, their only option is to journey down the mountain and find refuge in the valley below. However, not everyone can make the trip, such as young Tony who injured his leg during the landslide. When his parents cannot take him with them, he’s left behind in the village with the oldest man and the blind blacksmith. The oldest man in the village was too weak to make the trek while the blacksmith didn’t wish to be a burden on anyone. The three fear the time is coming when their supplies will be gone. There is only one option for survival: they must band together and find a way down the mountain. They rely on each other’s strengths as they set off on a trek that will require them to be courageous and work as a team.

Tuula Pere's story teaches children about natural disasters and situations where families have had to evacuate. However, this is formatted similar to a fable with the little boy unable to go with his parents and having to work with two others left behind to get down the mountain. This style of storytelling pairs well with the illustrations which capture the trials undergone by the characters. The visuals have a playfulness that will easily catch the attention of children and engage them with these characters. While the premise focuses primarily on Tony and his injured leg, the story also spends time getting to know the elderly man and the blacksmith. Each character overcomes their hardship by relying on the others' guidance and support. Their journey encompasses the themes of teamwork and resilience as three unexpected allies must help each other or face worse options alone in the village. These themes help create conversations with children about the importance of accepting our differences and lending a hand to those in need. Despite the serious subject matter, Traveling Companions shows a good sense of humor between the three characters and a lightheartedness that keeps it on a level that children can understand.

Traveling Companions (Survival Stories), by Tuula Pere, is a children’s picture book about Tony, a young boy caught up with his village under dire circumstances. A mudslide took out his entire village, causing great harm and havoc. In the midst of this, Tony is caught and suffers a broken leg. But the circumstances are so dire that no one can help him. His family has their hands full looking after the other children and their possessions, and they have to escape to a safe place. Heartbroken, the father leaves Tony with food, water, and promises of someone coming to rescue him soon. Only two other villagers are left along with Tony—a feeble old man, and a blind blacksmith, and both are unable to make the journey away from the village on their own. They meet and soon they decide to make for safety together. Will they help one another, or simply get in each other’s way?

The premise for this book is strong: the need to get to safety under threat of harm. Yet the outcome is even stronger: how three strangers risk everything they have to help each other reach safety. We see compassion, selflessness, generosity, and kindness come from each of them, even though they have already lost much. They don’t allow their losses to control how they treat others, despite the fear that even more loss may be right around the corner. This is a great book to teach team building and cooperation, where people learn how to help one another. Though the reader may not have gone through the trials these three have, Traveling Companions (Survival Stories), by Tuula Pere, teaches us how to put others above ourselves and be successful at the same time. Highly recommended.