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4.29 AVERAGE
4.29 AVERAGE
Living for the lesbian teacher who simply saves the day.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
i read this book again recently and it made me cry. its about bravery and being who you are and it’s perfect <3.
This was one of the first books to help me learn how to pronounce hard words as a kid and how to enjoy learning through literature. I would recommend this to anyone.
Names are funny things. You can like yours and hate yours at the same time. In this book we see one little kid with a perfectly unusual name with a great little family, going to school and getting bullied over her name. And the bullying comes to and end a little too easily for me. But its a fine little story with good enough art.
fast-paced
The audiobook was a brief and quick listen. Overall, the audiobook felt a little plotless, but it may be a nice and short audiobook for children to listen to before, during, and after bedtime.
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
After only one reading of this book, it was already my favorite. For a book that is comprehensible to a three year old, this one is so full of emotion, pride, disappointment and hurt that it brought tears to my eyes. It has so much to say, and it says it well. Chrysanthemum is excited to start school, but her enthusiasm is quickly shattered when she falls object to teasing and taunting. It's not easy being different!
I love the way her story is told, from the cradle till her first steps in kindergarten. "The day she was born was the happiest day in her parents' lives." The little pictures show the milestones of her infancy and toddler years. She is loved and cherished and happy and proud. Until the day she begins school: "On her first day, Chrysanthemum wore her sunniest dress and her brightest smile." But the cruel remarks of her class mates ruin it all. Her fault: having a name that stands out. "School is no place for me," says Chrysanthemum as she returns home. "My name is too long." Her parents (while demonstrating concern over her issues) try to cheer her up and boost her confidence, but once Chrysanthemum is back at school it proves of no value. Ultimately though, she finds unexpected support and in the end gets validation. There's an epilogue to the story, that parents and older kids will find funny. When reading the book to my 3 year old however, I passed on it, all but the two last lines, because 1) I knew it would go over his head, and 2) the message is a little double edged, and I think he's too young for that sort of meanness, even if justified.
In addition to the message of the story, which is both heartfelt and well delivered, the book is delightful and witty. The illustrations are funny, cute, clever and full of details. The text is sensitive, simple enough for the little ones, but subtle enough for the older ones. My son was moved by it, and it probably felt quite real to him as the pictures portrayed a preschool setting very similar to his. He was dismayed at how mean Chrysanthemum's "friends" were. In particular he did not like how they said she was a "flower".
If you feel in need of being reminded that it's okay to be different, this is the book. As a an adult you will probably like it a lot too.
I love the way her story is told, from the cradle till her first steps in kindergarten. "The day she was born was the happiest day in her parents' lives." The little pictures show the milestones of her infancy and toddler years. She is loved and cherished and happy and proud. Until the day she begins school: "On her first day, Chrysanthemum wore her sunniest dress and her brightest smile." But the cruel remarks of her class mates ruin it all. Her fault: having a name that stands out. "School is no place for me," says Chrysanthemum as she returns home. "My name is too long." Her parents (while demonstrating concern over her issues) try to cheer her up and boost her confidence, but once Chrysanthemum is back at school it proves of no value. Ultimately though, she finds unexpected support and in the end gets validation. There's an epilogue to the story, that parents and older kids will find funny. When reading the book to my 3 year old however, I passed on it, all but the two last lines, because 1) I knew it would go over his head, and 2) the message is a little double edged, and I think he's too young for that sort of meanness, even if justified.
In addition to the message of the story, which is both heartfelt and well delivered, the book is delightful and witty. The illustrations are funny, cute, clever and full of details. The text is sensitive, simple enough for the little ones, but subtle enough for the older ones. My son was moved by it, and it probably felt quite real to him as the pictures portrayed a preschool setting very similar to his. He was dismayed at how mean Chrysanthemum's "friends" were. In particular he did not like how they said she was a "flower".
If you feel in need of being reminded that it's okay to be different, this is the book. As a an adult you will probably like it a lot too.
Growing up with the name “Margaret”, I totally related to Chrysanthemum as a little girl. was/is still one of my favorite children’s books.
Chrysanthemum tells the story of young Chrysanthemum who is about to start school for the first time. She comes from a very loving family who support and dote on her. Chrysanthemum begins the book with a lot of confidence in who she is and a love for her name. Throughout the book, a couple of the girls in her class begin to bully her about her name until they meet their music teacher. She is kind to Chrysanthemum and compliments her name. The bullies are enchanted by this teacher and stop harassing Chrysanthemum. Both of these events restore Chrysanthemum's confidence and self worth.
This is such a great book to teach with. It's great to start the year and talk about being kind to other another, pointing out how words can hurt each other and how we need to be respectful. I also like using it to teach Notice and Note strategies. This book contains words of the wiser, when her parents are telling her to be proud of herself as well as what her music teacher tells her. It also has again and again, where we see the bullying happening to Chrysanthemum over and over again, which teaches us the conflict of the story.
This is such a great book to teach with. It's great to start the year and talk about being kind to other another, pointing out how words can hurt each other and how we need to be respectful. I also like using it to teach Notice and Note strategies. This book contains words of the wiser, when her parents are telling her to be proud of herself as well as what her music teacher tells her. It also has again and again, where we see the bullying happening to Chrysanthemum over and over again, which teaches us the conflict of the story.