Posted on: 01/01/2021
It’s usually at this time of year that we think about the year that we might have ahead. Well, given all that’s gone before in a difficult and extraordinary year that is finally almost behind us, perhaps thinking ahead too much isn’t going to be that useful an activity this year. Instead, perhaps we should think more within: perhaps we should think about how we want to be rather than what we want to do.
Developing an awareness of self and character is absolutely something we have control over. Indeed, a statutory objective in the early years foundation stage curriculum explores encouraging the youngest children in the school to learn about similarities and differences between themselves and others, and among families, communities and traditions and know that others don’t always enjoy the same things and are sensitive to this.
But as we become older, growing from childhood into adolescence and then adulthood, we perhaps realise that we are never the finished article: we should always be working on ourselves and developing a sense of our own hopes and dreams. The truth in Polonius’ line in Hamlet, to thine own self be true is that being true to oneself is actually rather tricky. And this is not least because it sometimes means others may not be best pleased. We’re not talking about being so honest as to be rude or being so wayward as to be perceived as badly behaved. Instead, we refer to the fact that having a sense of self and being utterly unafraid to live one’s life in the way that one wishes to live it, is a really good value to instil in our children. Let’s not make them apologise for being who they are nor who they are trying to become. And so, as we enter a brave New Year in a highly fragile world, perhaps we should think about simply being ourselves, in whatever form that takes in this moment in time. To support the instilling of this idea, we have selected two books that we feel conveys this very message: Dreams for our Daughters by Ruth Doyle and Ashling Lindsay and Eyes that Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho and Dung Ho And in a break from the norm, we’ve chosen not to categorise our selection by genre this month: the texts we’ve chosen do so, so much that it renders them uncategorisable!
At this moment in time, this moving and beautiful book could not be more perfect for exploring feelings that undoubtedly we are all having moments of experiencing. Sadness is often something presented as an unhealthy emotion; an emotion we shouldn't allow ourselves to feel. Expressing feelings of sadness and sorrow often seem to cause discomfort in others: “cheer up”; “smile - it might never happen”; “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade” and other familiar phrases whilst being well meant, can be extremely unhelpful. What if we were to embrace sadness? What if we were to give ourselves and our children the sense that there is a certain beauty and sadness and that perhaps we should allow it in? Perhaps we should build it a shelter and let it stay. And this is the premise of this book. Inspired by the words of Etty Hillesum, a holocaust victim, Anne Booth wanted to capture Etty’s poignant message: “give your sorrow all the space and shelter in yourself that is its due, for if everyone bears grief honestly and courageously, the sorrow that now fills the world will abate.’’ A strong message in enduring that which must be endured.
What makes this book so accessible and such a good example of the power of literature is that it simply resonates: anyone would be able to connect with the text and see their situation within the pages. The book is simple but powerful in text and rich in detailed illustration in that evocative style of David Litchfield’s – sometimes bold; often gentle – that we so love of his. The cause of the nameless character’s sadness isn’t explained as, rather than this being a narrative, it is more an ode to sadness, albeit modern in structure. The opening line, Sadness has come to live with me and I am building it a shelter is rather an empowering thought: what if allowing sadness in, welcoming it, giving it space to do what it needs to do; nurturing sadness - even allowing it to flourish, could be a healthy concept? The sense that something that is seen as a bad and difficult feeling being allowed to grow as it needs to is an interesting concept. But this isn’t about letting sadness overwhelm, rather allowing ourselves to Let sadness in, acknowledge our feelings and permit a difficult emotion to sit alongside us rather than fighting with it.
Sensitive illustrations by David Litchfield with such delightful use of colour perfectly depict the moods, which are sometimes full of light and life. Perhaps there really is beauty to be found in sadness? This is an absolutely perfect book for sharing with anyone of any age the feelings that we are all likely to be feeling right now.
This sumptuously penned and illustrated book, dedicated to the author’s joy-making daughter, Anna, and all her fearless dreams is for daughters everywhere. Due to be re-printed next month, we couldn’t not review it! It is an ode to girls and the idea that girls must become what they are to become, without fear, without inhibition; instead, with courage and hope of heart and mind. Messages around inner beauty and what’s inside being the most important thing abound:
Oyster-child, your
true beauty shines
as it grows.
You’re the hidden
pearl, not the shell
the mirror shows.
So too there are messages around being a keeper of kindness and a champion of change: a theme that continues on to what, in our opinion, must be one of the most perfectly conceived and created picture-book pages of all times – both in illustration and word:
Be a barrier-breaker:
lead your rainbow- nation
in a wild, skydiving, multicolored
murmuration.
Here, the art-work depicts several little girls riding upon the backs of starlings: such an exquisite bit of imagery!
This would be the most perfect gift for a newborn baby girl but also would work very well upon the shelves of a classroom book-corner. And although it is aimed at younger children (and not just girls!), we think that the language used and the message the text carries makes this rather perfect for the older child, too:
Planet Earth has been waiting
for the gift that is you
and the hope you’re creating.
And in a similar vein to the message about being true to oneself and celebrating who we are is Eyes that Kiss in the Corners: and oh! What a poignantly written book! Author Joanna Ho – former class teacher; former dean and now a high-school vice principal– is passionate about equity in literature, as are we.
In an exploration of self, this poem sees the central character acknowledging and celebrating her and her family-members’ beautiful eyes after first comparing her own eyes with those of her friends:
Some people have
eyes like sapphire lagoons
with lashes like lace trim on ballgowns,
sweeping their cheeks as they twirl.
Big eyes, long lashes.
Not me.
I have eyes that kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea.
Lines such as, When Mama tucks me in at night, her eyes tell me I’m a miracle, very much echo the sentiment in Dreams for our Daughters that each child upon this earth, each being is a gift. And the literary devices that have been deployed, paired with Dung Ho’s astonishing illustrations create a profound effect:
My eyes crinkle into crescent moons
and sparkle like the stars.
Gold flecks dance and twirl
while stories whirl
in their oolong pools,
carrying tales of the past
and hope for the future.
Perfect for EYFS and KS1 children, this very important book would hugely support the development of children’s ability to ‘draw upon the language of reading’ in their own writing.
Posted in: Literature Review
