(no subject)

[the_rck]

Cordelia tried to tell me a few days ago that The Monster at the End of this Book is scary. That really startled me since the whole point of that book is that it isn’t actually scary, but it emerged that Cordelia doesn’t remember anything at all about the book except the title. I think I last read it to her six or seven years ago, and she’s forgotten it pretty completely.

The topic came up because she has to read a picture book either to her classmates or to a class of second graders. She’s of the opinion that the second graders are more judgmental (this may be based on the experiences of her friends who’ve already done this assignment). At any rate, she was trying to figure out which picture books we still own. I think we’ve only got about half a dozen left, and she has settled on Green Eggs and Ham. I suggested The Monster at the End of this Book and Where the Wild Things Are because those were the two I knew we had kept.

They seem to be doing a lot with performance in school this month. They just had an assignment where each child had to record themselves giving a talk that ran a minimum of three minutes. Cordelia talked about nuclear energy (which she favors) and just made the three minute minimum. She told me she’d rather have talked about something else, but she was kind of stuck with nuclear energy because she’d used the topic for a prior assignment, one that led to this one.

Comments

[sixbeforelunch]

FWIW, I found The Monster at the End of This Book scary/uncomfortable as a kid. It was something about picking up on Grover's anxiety, I think. Though, to be fair, my anxiety disorders were already germinating by the time I was 5 or 6, so I doubt that's a normal reaction.

[the_rck]

That's fascinating. I have-- and had even then-- huge anxiety issues, but I always felt kind of gigglingly powerful with that book because I could turn the pages. I don't remember ever not knowing that things would be okay at the end, so I don't know if I worried the first time or not.

[untonuggan]

I enjoyed that book for the giggling but also felt weird anxiety at the same time? if that makes sense.

I did have a book on tape about how escalators will not actually eat you and...yeah, that book did *not* help. Though I did eventually at least ride them, which is helpful when traveling on the subway with your child. So. There's that.

[velvetwhip.livejournal.com]

They do seem to be rather performance oriented. Good luck to Cordelia.


Gabrielle

[the_rck]

Cordelia's almost thirteen, so I think that doing some performance like this is useful. The kids are old enough to understand feedback on how to improve and young enough not to be quite as self conscious as they will be in another year or two.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

LOL nooooooo I love 'Monster at the end of this book'! It's one of my favorites! I have two copies downstairs!

My mom did not like Green Eggs and Ham...I think she just disliked reading Dr. Seuss out loud because he was so tongue twistery...that or she found Sam's constant pestering to be obnoxious. Can't a guy NOT like Green eggs and Ham and not constantly have to hear about it?

Hm...are all of these public speaking classes meant to replace or prepare kids for speech and debate classes later on?

[the_rck]

I bought my copy long before I ever had a child (even at a point when I thought I wouldn't have the option). I remember, as a child, being really gleeful about turning the pages. It made me feel powerful.

I've always been kind of indifferent to Green Eggs and Ham. I imprinted heavily on The Fox in Socks. That's the first book I remember checking out of the school library and reading myself.

Cordelia is almost thirteen. I rather expect that there will be more performances required in school as she gets older. I think that some of the purpose for recording the speeches was that each kid should get a chance to record someone else and so get to know what the recorder could do. This particular school also aims to prepare kids for science and engineering careers, and communication is a huge part of those (and something often ignored in preparing kids).

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I don't have kids but I have an entire Muppet shelf of books that I have collected over the years. :) And isn't it a childhood past-time to torture Grover? He's just so easy!

oh that is good! 13 is a good age for starting to get used to public speaking, especially in careers where you will need to defend your projects and funding.

[snogged.livejournal.com]

I love the Monster at the End of the Book and Where the Wild Things are!

[brunettepet.livejournal.com]

Starting kids in public speaking early may be a good thing. If we'd done it in earlier grades I might not have been so anxious performing later.

[hamsterwoman]

Public speaking is good practice! And I'm impressed by Cordelia's topic.

[evalerie.livejournal.com]

I always hated "The Monster At The End Of This Book," because it teaches the child to be disobedient and do exactly what Grover is begging them not to do. I have not found peace with that book yet.

My mom wasn't keen on "Green Eggs And Ham" when I was a kid. I think that was because she thought it validated picky eating. I mostly kept it from my older two kids for that reason -- and they turned out to be totally picky eaters anyway. Then I decided that the amazing thing about "Green Eggs And Ham" is that even though the narrator spends the whole book saying that he doesn't like it, eventually he does try it, and he likes it!! And I think that's a really good lesson for kids. So I have enthusiastically shared that book with kid #3. And my kid #3 is a moderately picky eater. I am not sure that the book helped or hindered any of them -- and it is awfully fun to read. Also, my kid #3 has autism, and I discovered that the faces in "Green Eggs and Ham" are wonderfully expressive. It is super-good for him to practice looking at faces and identifying the emotion on them. So I love his love of the page where the narrator looks skeptical, on the last page right before he finally tries the green eggs and ham. That is such a great drawing of a truly skeptical face that I love Dr. Seuss for that.

I have issue with "Where The Wild Things Are." I think it glorifies Max's bad behavior. As a kid, I didn't have any instincts toward bad behavior, so I grew up thinking that this book encourages kids to behave badly. But then as an adult I encountered kids who really do go wild with behaving badly. And I like that this book gives them the messages that (1) it's okay to romp around and have a wild rumpus from time to time, and (2) even after you behave badly, Mom will still love you -- as shown by the hot dinner that Max's mom has left waiting for Max when he gets home again at the end.

Whew, this got long!

[lady-of-mists.livejournal.com]

I love Grover's book! :) And my brother (who was a bit of a cautious soul when he was younger) LOVED IT TO BITS. :) He felt so cool flipping those pages!

[the_rck]

I really think it makes kids feel powerful. Well, some kids anyway.

[carbonel]

As a kid, Green Eggs and Ham always bothered me because of the nagging. As an adult, it bothers me even more, because it could be read like stalker behavior. Or about trying new things, but still.