{"id":296284,"date":"2025-06-16T03:36:35","date_gmt":"2025-06-16T03:36:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/the-wave-by-tyler-charlton\/"},"modified":"2025-06-16T03:36:35","modified_gmt":"2025-06-16T03:36:35","slug":"the-wave-by-tyler-charlton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=296284","title":{"rendered":"The Wave (by Tyler Charlton)"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Author<\/span>:\u00a0 Tyler Charlton<\/span><\/p>\n

Illustrator<\/span>:\u00a0 Tyler Charlton<\/span><\/p>\n

Target Ages<\/span>: 5 and up<\/span><\/p>\n

Genre<\/span>: Fiction Picture Book<\/span><\/p>\n

Summary<\/span>:\u00a0 A young boy describes his experience with a wave of sadness that he must learn to navigate to get back to shore.<\/span><\/p>\n

First Lines<\/span>:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe last time it happened I was building a fort.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

I lose my joy and I don\u2019t know why\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2026and the wave takes me away.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Memorable Moment<\/span>:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd even though the wave still has me\u2026I can get to my feet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Evaluation<\/span>:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I pulled this book for a symbolism activity, but I felt it was worthy of a post on its own. In college, I took a course called Bibliotherapy.\u00a0 It made me realize the power books can have to help someone deal and heal.\u00a0 If I were teaching that course, I would use <\/span>The Wave<\/span> as an example book for educators to support their students and counselors to help their patients.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I like this book because it illustrates and discusses depression in a concrete way that children can understand. The wave symbolism aptly captures how someone depressed feels\u2013alone, joyless, overpowered.\u00a0 The book extends beyond that though.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The protagonist shares what he does to help him reach the shore (i.e. get through the depression and back to himself).\u00a0 Even when the wave has him, he can get to his feet and keep moving.\u00a0 He can protect himself from further hurt\u2013emotional, mental, and physical.\u00a0 He can look for (and move toward) the shore.\u00a0 Just as a person caught in a wave will fight to protect himself and to gain his footing again, so should a person caught in a wave of sadness. The narrative shows these positive principles in the text and illustrations.<\/span><\/p>\n

The story provides hope.\u00a0 First, as mentioned previously, depressed people can do things to help them survive and eventually get back to themselves. Second, the story reminds readers that a wave eventually ends and makes it to the shore.\u00a0 Similarly, the pain of depression will end for most.\u00a0 Finally, the shore is hopeful because there are loved ones there waiting to support the protagonist.\u00a0 In the same way, the reader has people wanting to help them.\u00a0 The extended wave metaphor gives readers hope that the sad feeling can subside or end.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For those experiencing depression, the wave captures what they are going through.\u00a0 For those who do not experience depression, the wave illustrates what some of the peers and loved ones struggle with.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The book is geared for children.\u00a0 However, picture books like this one can be used with all ages\u2013middle schoolers, high schoolers, adults\u2013to help them identify their feelings or to build empathy for others.<\/span><\/p>\n

Activities and Extension Ideas for Lesson Plans<\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\n