What's an im-ag-in-a-shun?
"Go use your imagination." "How do we do that?" Like they've never imagined anything in their lives. It's kind of bland. It just seems like they're copying this older story instead of being very imaginative. It's like the writer was being lazy.
Using your imagination is awesome!
Know-it-all four year old.
The ending is kind of sappy. "When I was little I didn't know what a family was. When I was little I didn't know what dreams were. When I was little I didn't know who I was. Now I do." I still don't know who I am, and I'm in my 30s. Still working on that one, Jamie Lee Curtis. Still working on that one.
You get to do a lot more fun things when you're older than you did when you were a baby.
A bit like the Rainbow Fish, but with its own issues.
The nice things that he does for other people reward him by changing his outward appearance to a form that others will accept. It's so bizarre. It's like he has to earn the ability to fit in. It's difficult to tell whether it's saying that fitting in is good or not. It's hard to understand this book.
Either help others less fortunate than you, or people won't accept you unless you fit in.
What's the opposite of racism?
Byrd Baylor just kind of annoys me. Her books are just full of glorification of and romanticization of ancient cultures, especially Native Americans, in a way that I don't feel is realistic and comes off as sappy and too reverent of people who are no better or worse than we are.
People should worship the sun.
In the absence of their dumpling maker, they formed the Plastic Oni Band.
It's very weird. It feels like it should have a moral, but I can't find one. She claims early on to not be afraid of the oni, but when they're chasing her it says that she's frightened, so it's not like she's fearless. I guess she's brave because she perseveres despite her fear.
Be brave.
I eat my peas with honey, I've done it all my life.
It's kind of like the kind of joke a young child would write. It's not very funny, and the whole book is based around it, which is just bizarre. Maybe a young child would find it funny, but I don't. It's not bad, but it's not great. Contrary to the quote on the back by Parenting Magazine, I don't think it will make children eat their vegetables. It might actually make them sympathize with them, which would be the opposite of your intention.
Eat your dinner so you can get dessert. Or, peas are just like people.
Doesn't even attempt to answer the “which came first” question.
There's no story line, really, it's just playing with artistic holes in paper and what appears to be oil paints. It doesn't seem intended to be educational, just a series of paintings that are all interconnected. It's one of those books that would be better as an art installation than a book.
None.
What are monkeys doing in Europe, anyway?
So he just solves the problem through anger? That's weird. It's kind of strange, because there's no real location for this. He's depicted as being in a town with a church, and houses and such, but there's a bunch of monkeys in the tree.
You can solve your problems through anger.
Doesn't give the best impression of Chinese people. Maybe some were too embarrassed to come?
Ping is the only one who brought an empty pot, so he's the only honest child in the entirety of China, so he's going to be the emperor.
Adults will lie to you in order to trick you into being honest to them.
Clever illustrations, not much substance.
Not really a very interesting story. It's got cute pictures. It's kind of silly. But I'm not that impressed with the writing. There's definitely no message. It's just a very strange book and not very useful.
None.
