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Taşlar ve Göller
Stones and Lakes: the wind between two shores (Dutch: Stenen en Meren)
For children who carry a stone that no one else can see.
Leyra is a small bird from the Iron Cliffs. One night two words appear on the cliff face in red paint, and the flock has to leave. Her grandfather gives her a flat black stone to take along: the memory of the nest. Told with watercolour illustrations, the book follows a child making room for herself in a new place. It is available in Turkish and in a Dutch edition, Stenen en Meren.
Uçmak kolaydır. Kanadı olan her şey rüzgârda uçar. Zor olan, nereye konacağını bilmektir.Grandfather, chapter 1 (translated: "Flying is easy. Anything with wings flies in the wind. The hard part is knowing where to land.")
Adım Leyra. Zor değil. Sadece yeni.
Kıyılar birbirine dokunamaz. Ama rüzgâr ikisine de dokunur.
Her kelime senin değildir. Bazıları sadece uğrar.
The story
Leyra's world is the thin line where the Iron Cliffs meet the lake. In the mornings she races her friend Cloud; her favourite moments are with her grandfather, who sits by his black stone at the water's edge. He tells her what her name means in the old language: "the wind between two shores".
One night the Watch Flock arrives, a list is read out and two words appear on the cliff in red: DANGEROUS FLOCK. The next morning Cloud no longer wants to fly with her. The flock leaves. Grandfather stays behind, and presses the stone he has sat on for years against Leyra's chest.
The journey leads first to the Grey Lake, a waiting place where numbers are called instead of names and the calendar carries a single word: FOR NOW. Then comes the Silver Lake, where everything is neat and straight, as if drawn with a ruler. On the first day of school the teacher cannot pronounce Leyra's name and suggests calling her simply "Ley". The stone under Leyra's chest grows warm.
The book tells of migration, leaving and being shut out through a child's eyes, in simple, gentle language. No one is cast as the villain. The story looks for the way a child can fit into a new place and still stay herself.
Themes
- Migration
- Belonging
- Growing up between two cultures
- Being different
- Name and identity
- Waiting and uncertainty
- Exclusion
- Resilience
Illustrations from the book
Who is it for?
- Children who have moved to a new country, city or school
- Children whose names are mispronounced when the register is read
- Parents looking for a way to talk with their child about migration, difference and belonging
- Teachers with newly arrived children in their class
What is inside
A journey in twelve chapters
From the Iron Cliffs to the Grey Lake and on to the Silver Lake. The chapters are short; you can read one in a single sitting with a child.
Watercolour illustrations
Leyra's journey is accompanied by watercolour illustrations: the nest on the cliffs, Grandfather's stone, the classroom, the Quiet Wing Room.
A note for adults
For parents and teachers reading the story with a child, the book offers one simple suggestion: you do not have to explain the child's stone or give it a name.
Turkish and Dutch
The book is available in Turkish (Taşlar ve Göller) and Dutch (Stenen en Meren). Children who speak Turkish at home and Dutch at school can read the story in both of their languages.
About the author
Dr. Hüseyin Doğan is a psychologist with a doctorate in psychological counselling from Gazi University, Ankara. As a Fulbright scholar he worked as a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer at the University of Central Florida. He has more than 19 years of clinical experience and, through ViaNova Praktijk, works online with Turkish-speaking adults in the Netherlands and across Europe.
He first wrote this story for one child. Then he noticed how many other children carry a quiet stone under their chest.
Frequently asked questions
What age is the book for?
The language is kept simple for children of roughly 9 to 13. Through its imagery, adults can read their own journey in the same scenes.
Which languages is it available in?
Turkish (Taşlar ve Göller: İki Kıyı Arasındaki Rüzgar, 75 pages) and Dutch (Stenen en Meren: De wind tussen de twee kusten, 74 pages). Both are e-books on Google Play Books.
How can I read it with my child?
You do not have to explain your child's stone or give it a name. You might simply ask what Leyra's stone looked like to them, and whether theirs is similar or completely different.
Can the book replace therapy?
No. It is a story that makes it easier to talk about feelings; it does not replace individual assessment or treatment. If your child keeps struggling in a new place for a long time, talk to your GP, the school or a youth care professional.
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