The word "parent" is not just a noun. It's also a verb.
Moreover, although Cordell has handsomely captured the feel of the Mister Rogers brand (yes, brand) he has not captured the Rogers spirit. At times the pages suffer from “too much going on,” perhaps an attempt to compress a life well-lived into 40 pages.
Oftentimes, I find myself in a classroom of English Learners having to explain how many different sounds the letter “A” can make in the English language. I see their eyes roll into the back of their heads, I’m left to explain: “there is no rule, it’s just English.” This book, ostensibly a children’s book, can teach everyone a thing or two.
Alexa, how go friend house and not germs?” My heart sank. My incredibly resilient, almost four-year-old had had enough of sheltering in place.
Pink Monster teaches us that with some work, you can transform your surroundings into a place where you feel comfortable. With some work, you can surround yourself with people who value you. Those are lessons that are never too early to learn.
Now, I want you to stop and think about all the pressure that we are currently under; these pressures are not ordinary pressures—these are not ordinary times. When you get into an argument—and we all get into arguments—ask yourself: if I had done this dumb thing, would I want to be forgiven? Is this thing so massive, that it’s worth holding on to? I’ll wait.
I am not, by the way, advocating free Get Out of Jail cards. What I am advocating is grace. It’s all about degrees. Don’t set a standard for your partner that you’re not willing to set for yourself. Don’t set too high a standard for yourself either.
Oftentimes the concept of kindness is hard to grasp for young minds. If you need proof, look no further than adults who don’t understand the concept. This book goes a long way in helping to explain kindness to everyone.
Kelp we are told, was born deep in the ocean and looks remarkably similar to his friends–similar that is, yet different. There is this odd (but charmingly drawn) bubble around his head, and his body isn’t shaped exactly the same way as everybody else’s. He doesn’t like the same foods and doesn’t excel at the same things his friends do either. The great thing is though, nobody cares! His friends, all narwhals, love him just the way he is.
The book does a great job of capturing a snapshot of the past, and encapsulating it in a timeless fairy tale. And that’s, why this book is on my bookshelf.
On this site, I strive to introduce books that we should keep for the long run, not a flavor of the week.