old post from book talk

Karen Johnson
10/20/08
Section 2
Innocenti, Roberto. Rose Blanche. Creative Edition Inc, MI, 1985.
Rose Blanche by Roberto Innocenti is an unusual children’s picture book that describes World War 2 through a child’s eyes. Rose Blanche is Hitler’s idea of a perfect child, blond and blue eyed. She is filled with curiosity and does not understand what is going on. She stumbles upon a concentration camp and her childlike innocence takes over. She brings the children in the concentration camp food until the war is over. Roberto Innocenti had quite a story that inspired him to write Rose Blanche. He states in the book that he named it Rose Blanche after a group of German citizens that protested the war and were all killed. Roberto himself hid German soldiers that gave up to the Allies and saw roundups. This historical fiction goes right along with what really happened in World War 2. There are a few things off like the concentration camps. It is highly unlikely that a child could get that close to the people in the concentration camps, also the abundance of food she gives them and how she gives them food. The pictures in this book are amazing and full of detail. They cover most of the page and allow the reader to see through Rose’s eyes how the war looked. It looks very realistic and Roberto did an amazing job. Overall this book is great and the illustrations are wonderful. It is a great book to teach young children about history.

GLBT

I was just posting about something that we have talked about a couple of times in class that was mentioned for extra credit. The GLBT seminar that was being held on campus, I did not attend this one, but I attend a seminar last year. The topic was being addressed was the language used when addressing GLBT. I thought that this seminar was very interesting because GLBT topics have become increasing in the news and in people's community. As a teacher I want to be able to address these topics the correct way and to be as informed about them as I can be. I would suggest to anyone, even if you are not going to become a teacher I would recommend trying to attend one of these seminars.

I was thinking back to when I was a little girl and about any diverse literature that I had encountered. One particular book stuck out in my mind the most. The book was called, "Adopted and Loved Forever." I can recall my mom reading that book to me nearly every night for years and years because I am adopted and she found a children's book that explained what being adopted meant. I remember reading it and just knowing that I was adopted and that it was nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about. I also remember that the concept of adoption just made sense after being read that book. I think this is a an example of diverse literature just because many children might not even know what adoption is. I remember I was talking to a younger child and mentioned that I had been adopted and they had no idea what that meant. It was sort of hard to explain the concept to a child with no background knowledge of adoption. I wasn't quite sure how to word it etc. I think books about adoption are very beneficial for children. I don't really recall reading any other books about the topic except for that one, but I think it is a great topic to write about.

The Harry Potter Uproar

In our last class we discussed diverse literature and how we need to have these so all students can be well rounded and incorporate every religion, race, sexual orientation and so many more diversifying things. But when I got home, I got to thinking of when I was in middle school and when the Harry Potter books first came out. Most of us were probably in middle school at this time and I remember after about a month our school pretty much freaked out. I went to a Catholic school and when they came out it was ok at first because no one had read them yet so no one knew what they were about. But then parents started complaining that it had had witchcraft it in it and we should not be allowed to read it. This was the only book in my whole entire life that I can remember causing so much trouble. So to go along with the idea that schools should have diverse literature, I still don’t understand how some parents won’t let there children read Harry Potter. I’ll admit that the last few books are a little graphic and I wouldn’t let my young child read them until they were older either, but the fact that the parents became involved and told the administration they shouldn’t allow this and then the administration followed is a prime example of how outside influences can affect diverse literature. Being a future teacher I’m really intimidated by this because I hate confrontation and I know that the literature in my classroom will be diverse. So if a parent or administration has a problem with what I am letting my students read them it will be really interesting.

Safe Schools Seminar

On thursday I attended the Safe Schools Seminar in which the film excerpts were called “For the Bible Tells Me So.” I found this discussion/presentation to be extremely facinating because it dealt with issues of religion and family acceptance. It was nice sitting in smaller groups and breaking off into discussion after each film portion was shown, similar to in class. I definitly plan on attending another lecture soon.

Trillium Poetry Reading (Extra credit opportunity)

TRILLIUM

College of Education Evening of Poetry

Thursday, November 13, 6:30 p.m., Erickson 252

Once again, the College of Education is holding a Trillium Evening of
Poetry. The evening will feature poetry by Laura Apol and Janine Certo.
Open mike time will include readings by staff, students and
faculty across departments and levels. Music of any form is also welcome.

Please consider participating in any way you wish: read an original
work, read a favorite piece by another writer, read a translation or a
poem in your own language, be a part of the audience, bring students and
friends. If you are a visual artist, please consider displaying your
work; if you are a musician, please consider performing.

Open mike readers and musicians will be given 3-5 minutes for their
performance; please plan accordingly.

We are looking forward to another wonderful evening. Please plan to
join us, and please announce this event to your classes and to the
elementary, middle and high school teachers and students with whom you
work.

If you would like to attend for TE 348 extra credit, just write up a reflection on your participation and/or experience. (If you are already in the poetry class, no "double dipping".)

Exceptionalities in Children's Books

After last week’s discussion on diversity in children’s books, I went home to try and find any that I had read as a child. I was particularly interested in books about children with disabilities, since these are few and far between. I came across The Handstand, by Barry Rudner, which I remember reading a lot when I was younger. This picture book is about a young boy who is excluded from a club because he cannot do a handstand. He meets a new friend “in the seat with four wheels” (p. 8) who, in an unexpected twist, teaches him how to win the handstand contest. Looking back at this book after our class discussion, I realized that although it does include a character with a disability, it also emphasizes the conventional lesson of acceptance. The end of the book stresses the fact that the boy has learned that his new wheelchair-bound friend is “nothing less than you and I” (p. 23). While this is a lesson that all children need to learn, there should be more books that convey the topic in a less obvious way. The books that really stand out are those that do not force the reader to think about the characters’ disabilities.