32 p., DK Ink, 1998.
Four gorilla characters tell their stories of a walk in the park - an intensely snobbish mother; her bored, sad son; a sad, unemployed father; and his daughter. Seeing the story from different perspectives exposes the mother's prejudice against the father and daughter - "rough-looking", "frightful types" - and their "scruffy," "horrible" dog. (And in case this doesn't make it clear, the girl refers to the mother as a "silly twit"). Her son's prejudice is against the girl, because she is a girl, but when he's played with her for a short time, he realizes she's "nice" and hopes to see her again. This story provides a lesson in empathy that can help kids move past others' exteriors.
Ages 7-10
Main character's cultural background: non-human
Cultural context: non-human
Monday, June 28, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
You Hold Me and I'll Hold You by Jo Carson
Illustrated by Annie Cannon. 32 p., Orchard, 1992.
In this story, a girl's great-aunt, whom she is not particularly close to, dies. The story shows the girl's attempts to come to terms with what death means by comparing the experience to the loss of her sister's hamster. The girl, her sister, and her Daddy attend the funeral at a church. At the funeral, she's surprised and worried to see her step-grandmother, Grandpa, and Daddy crying - she hadn't realized that adults cried. Being held on her Daddy's lap helps her feel better. This story honestly addresses the girl's distress that results from the grief of the adults around her.
Ages 3-7
Main character's cultural background: European American
Cultural context: European American
In this story, a girl's great-aunt, whom she is not particularly close to, dies. The story shows the girl's attempts to come to terms with what death means by comparing the experience to the loss of her sister's hamster. The girl, her sister, and her Daddy attend the funeral at a church. At the funeral, she's surprised and worried to see her step-grandmother, Grandpa, and Daddy crying - she hadn't realized that adults cried. Being held on her Daddy's lap helps her feel better. This story honestly addresses the girl's distress that results from the grief of the adults around her.
Ages 3-7
Main character's cultural background: European American
Cultural context: European American
Monday, June 14, 2010
Loop the Loop by Barbara Dugan
Illustrated by James Stevenson. 32 p., Greenwillow, 1992.
Anne meets an old woman in a wheelchair, Mrs. Simpson, and they become friends, visiting the park together and playing games inside when it rains. Mrs. Simpson, who is suffering from dementia, is an expert at yo-yo tricks and an enthusiastic singer. Anne quietly buys a yo-yo and learns to do tricks with it. After a hip fracture, Mrs. Simpson moves to a nursing home, and her caregiver gives Mrs. Simpson's cat to Anne. Anne visits Mrs. Simpson, bringing the cat and her doll, Eleanor; she gives Eleanor to Mrs. Simpson. She delights Mrs. Simpson with yo-yo tricks. Anne shows children a way to cope with an older friend's dementia.
Ages 7-10
Main character's cultural background: European American
Cultural context: European American:
Anne meets an old woman in a wheelchair, Mrs. Simpson, and they become friends, visiting the park together and playing games inside when it rains. Mrs. Simpson, who is suffering from dementia, is an expert at yo-yo tricks and an enthusiastic singer. Anne quietly buys a yo-yo and learns to do tricks with it. After a hip fracture, Mrs. Simpson moves to a nursing home, and her caregiver gives Mrs. Simpson's cat to Anne. Anne visits Mrs. Simpson, bringing the cat and her doll, Eleanor; she gives Eleanor to Mrs. Simpson. She delights Mrs. Simpson with yo-yo tricks. Anne shows children a way to cope with an older friend's dementia.
Ages 7-10
Main character's cultural background: European American
Cultural context: European American:
Monday, June 7, 2010
One of Us by Peggy Moss
Illustrated by Penny Weber. 32 p., Tilbury House, 2010.
Fitting in can be a complex and difficult process for children, and seems to be a concern at earlier and earlier ages. In this empathic, upbeat story, Roberta faces this difficulty when she enters a new school. She finds her new classmates very accepting - lots of kids tell her that she's "one of us." The only problem is, being "one of us" means being "the same" in very limited ways. For example, Roberta likes to play on the monkey bars, and she makes friends there with other children who have the same interest. But when she tries to eat lunch with them, they tell her that she has to eat with the kids whose lunchboxes look like hers. It seems as if whenever she has one attribute that allows her to fit in, something else about her leads kids to reject her. In spite of this, Roberta stays true to herself; for example, when a group who claims her rejects monkey bars, she follows her own natural inclination to play on them anyway. In spite of this, as the day goes on, Roberta feels more and more confused. Will she ever fit in? Finally, she meets Anna, "a trumpet-playing girl who likes baseball and car racing and ballet." Anna's friends have diverse interests, too. Not only that, but Anna values the differences among her friends! At last, Roberta has truly found her place. Reading this story, children can expand their ideas about what it means to fit in, and can find ways to fit in and still be themselves fully.
Ages 6-11
Main character's cultural background: ambiguous; perhaps African American, Latina, or European American
Cultural context: multicultural
Fitting in can be a complex and difficult process for children, and seems to be a concern at earlier and earlier ages. In this empathic, upbeat story, Roberta faces this difficulty when she enters a new school. She finds her new classmates very accepting - lots of kids tell her that she's "one of us." The only problem is, being "one of us" means being "the same" in very limited ways. For example, Roberta likes to play on the monkey bars, and she makes friends there with other children who have the same interest. But when she tries to eat lunch with them, they tell her that she has to eat with the kids whose lunchboxes look like hers. It seems as if whenever she has one attribute that allows her to fit in, something else about her leads kids to reject her. In spite of this, Roberta stays true to herself; for example, when a group who claims her rejects monkey bars, she follows her own natural inclination to play on them anyway. In spite of this, as the day goes on, Roberta feels more and more confused. Will she ever fit in? Finally, she meets Anna, "a trumpet-playing girl who likes baseball and car racing and ballet." Anna's friends have diverse interests, too. Not only that, but Anna values the differences among her friends! At last, Roberta has truly found her place. Reading this story, children can expand their ideas about what it means to fit in, and can find ways to fit in and still be themselves fully.
Ages 6-11
Main character's cultural background: ambiguous; perhaps African American, Latina, or European American
Cultural context: multicultural
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About the Author
- Jacqueline Golding, Ph.D.
- Jacqueline Golding, Ph.D. is a psychologist in private practice in Pleasanton, California who works with children, teens, and adults. A graduate of Yale University, Dr. Golding earned her Ph.D. in psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Central Contra Costa County Child, Adolescent, and Family Mental Health Service in Concord, California. She holds an appointment as Professor Emeritus at the University of California, San Francisco and has published over 100 articles in scientific and professional journals on topics such as trauma, depression, and cultural issues in mental health. Dr. Golding is represented by the Levine Greenberg Literary Agency.
