About the story
Layla loves colors and draws everything she sees. But when she opens a book, the letters start to dance: the b flips into a d, and one letter hides behind another. With clay, a little tray of sand and a patient teacher, Layla learns the “steps” of the letters, and on Story Day she reads her own story to the little ones.
This is the second book in our Different Heroes series, where every hero is a child who learns in a different way. Yousef from book one is back to cheer her on.
Who it’s for
- Children aged 5–8
- Children who find reading hard, mix up letters like b and d, or have dyslexia, and their brothers, sisters and classmates
- Parents and teachers who want to talk about learning differences in a kind, positive way
Reading it together
- Stop and ask: “How do you think Layla feels right now?”
- Try the book’s trick with clay: “First the bat, then the ball… b! First the drum, then the stick… d!”
- Remind your child what Layla’s mom says: “One small step every day is enough.”
- The PDF also includes tips for parents and teachers and a “Clay Letters” activity.
Written by Sara Ali Ahmed, special-education teacher, and Mohamed Thabet Ahmed.
