“Broken Crayons” arrives in Kenyan and P.E.I. classrooms

Book inspired by Farmers Helping Farmers is now being shared at twinned schools in Kenya and Canada

Farmers Helping Farmers is delighted that "Broken Crayons" by Patsy Dingwell is now available at all of our twinned schools, past and present, in Kenya and Canada.

You can read more about Broken Crayons here, including lesson plans for the classroom.

Here is the book being shared for the first time in Kenya!

The book's introduction to students was filmed in two classrooms at Mitoone School, with funding support from the Atlantic Council for International Cooperation.

Asante, thank you, to everyone who made this recording possible, both in Canada and Kenya.


The book is also being featured in classrooms on Prince Edward Island.


This class of Grade 6 students at West Kent Elementary school in Charlottetown, P.E.I. has a special connection to the story.

They are twinned with Maritati (Mwcheweri) school. It's a new twinning relationship, starting in 2019.

West Kent has been part of the school twinning program since 2012.

Thank you to teacher Patti Graham for sharing these photos. *Please note: masks are recommended but not mandatory in elementary schools on P.E.I. Also, these students are all from the same cohort.

We are also excited that the book has been receiving some fantastic reviews from readers, including teachers, like this one!!

Anissa Telle rated it:  It was amazing. Broken Crayons by Patsy Dingwell is a heartwarming book. It shares the story of a teacher leaving a Canadian classroom to teach in Kenya. Differences in class size, clothing, shoes, school supplies, classroom set up, and attitudes are apparent.

The illustrations bring to life unfamiliar places and the vibrant characters of both classrooms leap off the page. The African students are trying to find a way to share their new crayons, so compassion is introduced in a relatable way for young children.

The themes of abundance, creativity, collaboration, and gratitude are introduced. The African students find an out-of-the-box solution to ensure others are also able to color. An excellent Introduction to other cultures and traditions was also provided.

You can read more comments here:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56533893-broken-crayons

More photos from the book launch in Kenya:

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