The Suitcase                                                                                                                                                                         by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros                                                                                                                                      Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | 978-0358329602

When a stranger arrives dragging a big gray suitcase, he is greeted with the obvious question… “What’s in your suitcase?”

“Well, there’s a teacup,” the traveler replies.

He claims there’s also a table, a wooden chair, and a cabin – home – with a kitchen where he makes tea.

By this time, two others have joined the first. They’re skeptical. “… a table and chair? Really?”

“It’s all there, in my suitcase,” says the stranger.

CLICK TO ENLARGE © by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

The stranger has traveled from far away. He’s weary and needs to rest.

As soon as he falls asleep, the friends start in. The fox wants to break open the suitcase. The hen agrees. Don’t they need to know the truth? The rabbit insists it wouldn’t be right. The suitcase isn’t theirs to open.

Things go as you might imagine and mistakes are made, but there’s a surprising twist.

This powerful picture book delivers a helping of kindness and empathy at a time when our world desperately needs more stories of acceptance and hope.

*Highly recommended.*