Focus of the story:
- Children’s book for 3-5 YO children
- Focus on Irish mythology and influential personas
- Harm reduction in women. Reminding how incredible the women each one’s family were and are and help reducing misogyny from a young age.
- Opening views on immigration from a young age
Page 1-2:
Tilda (main character) – 3 YO girl –
It’s bed time. Maman brings Tilda to bed and offers to read one last story before sleep time. Tilda picks the story of St Brigid, that aunty Maé has brought back to her from a trip to Ireland.
Maman reads the story to Tilda. We hear St Brigid’s story being narrated. Tilda falls asleep. Maman leaves the room after giving a kiss in the front head of Tilda and closing the door.
Page 3-4:
It’s 1:15AM, Tilda wakes up and begin to feel anxiety. She wants to call for Maman as she starts to have some tears.
St Brigid appears and calms Tilda down. Tells her that she’s going to read her the story of the incredible women in her own family.
Tilda settles back into her bed and St Brigid opens the book.
Page 5-6-7:
St Brigid is overlooking and narrating the story. She starts with Tilda’s great grand mothers.
Their families came from Ireland, Scotland, Brittany in France. But also Morocco, Northern Africa, Italy, Germany.
They worked in the fields, raised numerous children. They lived through 2 wars, and 2 of them lived through 3! But they survived and not without incredible efforts.
One of Tilda’s great grand mother was French, but living in Morroco. That’s where she met her husband. They lived through the independence of 2 countries. Morocco and Algeria. And moved back to France, living in a studio apartment with 2 children and facing rejection from the French population. It’s difficult to say, but Denise family were colonisers in those countries.
Another of Tilda’s great grand mother had to flee wars and poverty. She had to immigrate to America and leave her closed ones behind. They lived through poverty. She was working 4 jobs while raising their 5 children and taking care of her sick husband. They had to learn another language and they faced racism.
Tilda asks what racism is. St Brigid explains it to TIlda. Tilda starts feeling revolted about what racist people do.
Page 8-9-10:
St Brigid’s moves on to Tilda’s grand mothers.
St Brigid explains to her about her grand mother Rachida, who’s grew up in the United States and was raised by her incredible mother. And she was given the opportunity to go to college and learn Law. Rachida married Carlos who raised their 3 children while Rachida pursued a brilliant career as a judge. Rachida learnt from facing backlash and racism that she wanted to dedicate her life to fairness and equity. Tilda felt pride in Rachida’s choice of life.
“ Your grand mother Rachida, who grew up in the United States of America and was rased by your incredible great grand mother pursued a career in law. She dedicated her career to defend the poors and the oppressed and fight inequity. Rachida grew up in an environment of racism and oppression”
“St Brigid, what do racism and oppression mean?”
“you know Tilda, sometimes, people treat others unfairly because of how they look or where they come from. That’s not kind. Everyone should be treated with love and respect, no matter what.”
St Brigid spoke about Laurence, the mother of Maman. Who suffered all her youth and left her family home to pursue a life in a hippy community. Laurence eventually got back into studies and became a teacher. Laurence had to make a difficult choice when she was too young to carry and raise a child. Laurence is still suffering from having had to make this decision to this day. Laurence was able to have 3 children. Laurence decided to pursue a career of psychologist to take care of others as it was always her destiny. 3 girls, who all decided to live in another country but valued family as the best thing in life.
Not only grand mothers but great aunties. St Brigid tells Tilda that she has family in Germany! and that her great aunt use to be a famous actress back in France!
Rachida’s sisters are strong women, who stayed back in moved to Scotland, England, to give a chance to their own future generations. Working hard !
Page 11-12-13:
St Brigid comes to talk about Tilda’s aunties.
She tells Tilda about auntie Juju. Who’s very smart. and is an incredible artist. Julie is famous in France! She makes music for movies and series. Julie also writes and sings her own songs! Julie is what we call a Feminist. she defends the rights of women all around the world and from different backgrounds. So that our generation and the next generations don’t have to face the inequalities of what our ancestors had to go through.
Tilda opens her mind and a lot of thoughts come through.
St Brigid continues with Julie, and tells her that Julie loves women, and that she shares the life of the beautiful Louise, who’s an actress, she makes theatre pieces and creates beautiful stories. Louise also is a feminist!
St Brigid continues and talks about Auntie Maé, who’s pursued her dreams of music in Ireland, and is in the process of becoming an Irish citizen!
Tilda asks why do people need to ask permission to become citizen of a country? St Brigid explains why. Tilda makes the connection with the immigration process. and so on.
Page 14-15-16:
St Brigid tells the story of Tilda’s mother.
Maman, Hélène, is a woman that loves life, she loves her friends, her family. She met your father in England as she was working her first job in a hospital. Maman is a very strong woman. Working as a nurse is like being a super hero!
Maman and dada decided to go travel all around asia and east Europe before they had you. And their journey brought the strong love that they still have today for each other!
Maman and dada were in love with New Zealand and they decided to go settle there. Maman was working in a hospital. She got so good at what she did that she was asked to take care of sick patients and fly them all over the Island. She would revive them high up in the air.
Maman had you and continued to work saving lives and taking care of you. Maman is the bravest person that you’ll ever meet!
Tilda is impressed by her mother.
17-18:
St Brigid continues with Tilda’s broader family. St Brigid tells Tilda that she has relatives that are scientists, doctors, work in supermarket, actors, business women. Some also their job is to read the weather and make predictions! Some are sporty. Some are not. Some play music, some love to listen to it. Some have children, some struggle to have some. But no matter what’s their background, they have a great sense of family. And this is due to the past generations that thought them that family, and the women in their family will always take care of each other no matter the differences. No matter the distance between themselves. They could always rely on each other.
Tilda back to sleep with a sense of peace in her face.
Last Shot: St Brigid kissing Tilda’s front head and closing the door of her bedroom.
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