Invisible River to Cross

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A01=Taraneh Matloob
A12=Kristen Balouch
adaptation
An Invisible River to Cross
art
Author_Kristen Balouch
Author_Taraneh Matloob
belonging
bilingual child
bridge crossing
Category=YFB
children's picture book
classroom belonging
classroom read aloud
colored pencils
communication
communication through drawing
confidence
counselor read aloud
courage
creativity
cultural adjustment
diverse books for kids
dragon
drawing
ELL
emotional expression
empathy
English language learner
eq_bestseller
eq_childrens
eq_isMigrated=1
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_new_release
eq_nobargain
eq_teenage-young-adult
ESL
extended metaphor
fairytale
fear of English
finding your voice
first day of school
friendship
grade 1
grade 2
grade 3
grandmother's wisdom
hope
imagination
immigrant child
immigration
inclusive classroom
invisible river
journey
kindergarten
kindness in the classroom
Kristen Balouch
language barrier
lyrical language
magic
moving to a new country
multicultural children's books
multilingual
new environment
newcomer story
nonverbal communication
picture book about learning English
poetic picture book
preschool
quiet bravery
read aloud
Red Comet Press
refugee child
representation
resilience
river metaphor
school anxiety
school friendship
school library
SEL
self esteem
self expression
shy child
social emotional learning
starting school
storytime
Taraneh Matloob
teacher resources

Product details

  • ISBN 9781636551449
  • Dimensions: 229 x 229mm
  • Publication Date: 16 Apr 2026
  • Publisher: Red Comet Press LLC
  • Publication City/Country: US
  • Product Form: Hardback
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In a world of unfamiliar words and new beginnings, Afsi discovers that imagination, kindness, and art can help her cross the invisible river of language and find her voice.

In this poignant and poetic picture book, a young girl named Afsi navigates the invisible river of learning a new language and finding her voice in a foreign land. Her name, rooted in fairy tales, contrasts sharply with the overwhelming reality of her new classroom, where English words snare her like spiderwebs and classmates appear before her like giants.

If only Afsi could summon some fairy tale magic to help her bridge the overwhelming divide. But when a simple act of kindness—a pad of paper and colored pencilsre—ignites her love for drawing, Afsi discovers that creativity can bridge the distance between two worlds.

As she draws, Afsi finds calm in the current of change and begins to cross the river that once seemed impassable. A moving exploration of language, belonging, and resilience, An Invisible River to Cross is a tender reminder that expression takes many forms—and that quiet bravery is sometimes what it takes to find your voice in a new world.
 

Taraneh Matloob is an associate professor of children’s literature with a specialty in creative writing and multicultural children’s literature at the University of Northern Iowa. Matloob has published several picture books in Persian, and her first book in English, Dear New Friend, was also published by Red Comet Press. Her stories appeal to fans of social, cultural, and emotional representation in picture books. She also serves on the Outstanding International Books (OIB) committee of the United States Board on Books for Young Children. Matloob was born in Tehran, Iran, and now makes her home in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Kristen Balouch is a designer, author, and illustrator of more than a dozen award-winning books for children, including One Million Trees and If You Are the Dreamer. She won the Ezra Jack Keats award for Mystery Bottle, recounting an intergenerational relationship between a boy and his grandfather in Iran, inspired by her son. Balouch lives and works near Lake George in Upstate New York. You can visit her on Instagram at #kristenbalouch.

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