Pam in CT Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Te tree thought he was happy. S.S. modeled it on his observations of women who partner up with men who are just takers, and think if they just keep giving that will fulfill them somehow. I think by the end it seems like the tree is finding the whole thing less fulfilling, but perhaps he has nothing else, now. You are right he doesn't say that is a bad thing - he leaves the readers to come to their own conclusions. I guess it isn't odd that people have different views. If you think if it as being a marriage or friendship, it seems clearly awful. If you think of it as a sort of parental relationship, or even a relationship with God, it might feel a little different. And I suppose it may depend on whether you see yourself as the tree, or the boy, too. (The tree's a "she," FWIW.) Yes, it does make a tremendous difference, whether you read the story from the perspective of the boy, or from the tree. And, relatedly, from a perspective of "dominion" or "reciprocity." I've actually had rather good discussions with my kids riffing off the book and parsing it when they were adolescents. I just would never read it straight to a young child. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 (The tree's a "she," FWIW.) Yes, it does make a tremendous difference, whether you read the story from the perspective of the boy, or from the tree. And, relatedly, from a perspective of "dominion" or "reciprocity." I've actually had rather good discussions with my kids riffing off the book and parsing it when they were adolescents. I just would never read it straight to a young child. I liked the complicated books best when I was a kid. The Story of Ping was also one of my favorites - it seemed like such a moral conundrum. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuddleJumper1 Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 (edited) Ah, I see your problem. Well, your two problems. First, Go, Dog, Go is not Seuss. It's P. D. Eastman. Secondly, I had an ironclad rule which I stand by: I don't read easy readers aloud. Period. Those are for the early reader to read to herself. (I read them to me, though, and giggle!) :thumbup: That's me agreeing with you. That little "Cat in the Hat" symbol is on a book? :hat: For my guy that equals Dr. Seuss. Matters not who actually penned the pages :lol: I LOVE your rule and stood by it faithfully for years until life blessed my youngest with an obsession to Dr Seuss (and the CitH symbol) and being read to :w00t: ! The catch - he has special needs, can't read for himself and will never outgrow his love for the beloved Cat so my hair pulling continues without end :willy_nilly: . Go Dog Go lives on my shelf with every other CitH title and is read regularly. The real riot is that I didn't even need the book to give the quote. It's among those read so often they are memorized. Thankfully the real Dr Seuss books are among my favorites. Edited June 5, 2017 by PuddleJumper1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No More Perfect Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 What?? You don't like Goodnight, Moon? 😳 Nope! I find it creepy. Maybe it's just the illustrations?? But, maybe not the illustrations because I love the artwork in The Little Island but dislike the story. It was fine until the kitten started flying and I couldn't get past the randomness. 🤷ðŸ¼â€â™€ï¸ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 And while I don't like reading aloud the Richard Scarry books without a plot, the ones with a story are very fun. The Great Steamboat Mystery, for instance. Yep. Love that book, probably because I loved it as a child. Also The Supermarket Mystery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busymama7 Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 Yes yes to no Disney or character books and no reading aloud early chapter books. I will read things like Dr Suess and Danny and the Dinosuar to preschoolers though. I am amazed when I hear of moms reading things like magic tree house aloud. I tried. Once. But I have limited read aloud time and I want to it to be much better quality. There are so many books out there. No time to waste in garbage. (I do encourage my young readers to read them themselves though for fluency) I thought I was weird for not liking the giving tree or love you forever. Actually love you forever makes me cry in a sweet way but it never seemed like a kid book. I picked up the giving tree recently thrifting and read it aloud once and was like huh? What even was that? Ok back to the Grouchy Ladybug. The only message I think my preschoolers hear is "wanna fight?" It's so weird. I mean yes there is time telling and in the end the nice lady bug is kind to the grouchy one but since "wanna fight" has already been said 57 times I pretty sure that's all they heard 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicMom Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 I hate all Junie B. Jones books. I will be extremely charitable and say they are beyond stupid. My son's first grade teacher won't allow them in the classroom and advises parents not to let their kids read them. I haven't allowed them yet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calihil Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Winnie the Pooh. Ugh, I just can't stand reading it out loud. So we listen on audio book sometimes. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Funny, I like the Disney character books (even though they are vapid) because it lets kids see their favorite characters without screen time. It's like that study where kids were given a choice of that to have for lunch - a piece of fruit or a rock with a sticker of their favorite character on it. Most of them chose the rock. Those books are like the stickers I now put on snack bags of baby carrots - an endorsement to like books and reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Dinosaur's Binket. Mostly because of the word Binket. Seriously, it's a blanket. The Disney princess books. If I never have to read Goodnight Gorilla or Eric Carle again I will be happy. Curious George-seriously the man in the yellow hat is a poacher. Books everyone else in this thread hated that we use and love in our house: We all love Love you, forever. I still recite love you forever to my kids when I say goodnight. We are able to have a good laugh over stalker mom. My kids know I will use the keys they give me. I am not climbing through a window. Go Dog Go-opportunity to talk about being happy with your own hat. You don't need some shlubs approval. The Giving Tree-a lesson in how not to be a total selfish ingrate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teachermom2834 Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Amelia Bedelia and Bearenstein Bears. Fancy Nancy. And the f***ing Henry and Mudge book about Mother's Day. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I don't know Fancy Nancy and I didn't mind Henry and Mudge but when I started this thread I thought of Amelia Bedelia immediately. I got so frustrated reading them. They were so long and so many of the silly misunderstandings were of expressions that little kids wouldn't get anyway so they wouldn't even understand the humor. And Bearenstein Bears. Ack! No nuance whatsoever. The stories were so over the top preachy on whatever topic it was. And also too long! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixpix5 Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 (edited) It's interesting to see several references to the BerenstEin Bears, especially after the recent thread about conspiracy theories. ;) http://www.avclub.com/article/how-you-spell-berenstain-bears-could-be-proof-para-223615This was hilarious :) I had to send it to my husband because he just argued with me a week ago about this haha. I, apparently, am that odd man out who adores these Bears and like most of the relatable messages in them. The later ones written but their son are over the top and wordy. I don't care for them but the originals are near and dear to my heart. Edited June 5, 2017 by nixpix5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Curious George-seriously the man in the yellow hat is a poacher. Heck yes, he is. :mad: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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