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mmattmiller 's review for:
The Rainbow Fish
by Marcus Pfister
GREAT book! Great message!
I always find it interesting when adults analyze every bit of a children's story. (Although I suppose I am doing the same thing...)
Many reviewers are saying that this is pushing the message that if you are special you have to share your gift with all of the jealous people so that everyone is the same. Because everyone needs to be the same.
Children aren't seeing it with that agenda. After reading this book, they feel good. They know that it's nice to share. Not only are your friends happier, but you feel good because you've made them happy. They understand that it doesn't really mean you give them your favorite shirt or your iPad. It just means that if you bring an iPad to school, maybe you should let them play a game for a couple of minutes too. Kids know what's write and wrong, what's fair and what's too much. They know that if they have a Hoho in their lunch, they don't need to give it to someone else. But they also know that if they have a ziplock baggie full of goldfish, maybe you can give just one to your friend. As someone who works with kids, and has been in a classroom reading this book, I know that they get it. As an adult it's easy to put more meaning into what is there, and maybe when these kids grow up they will read it with a whole new agenda in mind...
But for now, trust me, they get it. They aren't taking it too far. They aren't thinking they have to be the same as everyone else. They aren't thinking they aren't special. Have faith in the children. And have faith that this author had good intentions. Let's leave the cynicism to grownup things :)
I always find it interesting when adults analyze every bit of a children's story. (Although I suppose I am doing the same thing...)
Many reviewers are saying that this is pushing the message that if you are special you have to share your gift with all of the jealous people so that everyone is the same. Because everyone needs to be the same.
Children aren't seeing it with that agenda. After reading this book, they feel good. They know that it's nice to share. Not only are your friends happier, but you feel good because you've made them happy. They understand that it doesn't really mean you give them your favorite shirt or your iPad. It just means that if you bring an iPad to school, maybe you should let them play a game for a couple of minutes too. Kids know what's write and wrong, what's fair and what's too much. They know that if they have a Hoho in their lunch, they don't need to give it to someone else. But they also know that if they have a ziplock baggie full of goldfish, maybe you can give just one to your friend. As someone who works with kids, and has been in a classroom reading this book, I know that they get it. As an adult it's easy to put more meaning into what is there, and maybe when these kids grow up they will read it with a whole new agenda in mind...
But for now, trust me, they get it. They aren't taking it too far. They aren't thinking they have to be the same as everyone else. They aren't thinking they aren't special. Have faith in the children. And have faith that this author had good intentions. Let's leave the cynicism to grownup things :)