Customer Reviews

Hope (Picture Books)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ms. Monk tells a storey (that is beautifully illustrated) about a question that many children ask their parents, relatives, friends and or teachers. What is mixed? She answers it in a positive way fit for 4 to 8 year old readers. The storey might be sweet, sentimental and syrupy to adults; but so what. Adults need to be reminded of the way things SHOULD be. There is no harm in letting a child know (adults most of all)that there is HOPE. FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR AND THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN [Hebrews 11:1].

As the parent of a multirtacial child, this is one of my favorite books about multiracial families. It provides a good children's story as well as a positive multicultural message. I am bored by books that just say the equivalent of "You are special!" "I love you!" with no story behind them. Other reviewers have criticized the book for the larger-than-life language that is used at the end, but I think the words provide more inspiration than everyday words, the same way Martin Luther King and other great speechgivers do.
One minor caveat about the book: several of the characters speak in a more colloquial manner ("Baby, don't pay her no never mind," "She doesn't favor a soul in your family," "mama," "folks.") Since no one in my or my husband's family speaks this way, sometimes it feels stilted rolling off my tongue.
The author of the book is a professional actress in Minneapolis, where I used to live, and this was her first children's book, which may explain the dramatic language. Her second book about the character Hope is called "Family" but isn't nearly as good.

Every single child should have this book-- it teaches about different cultures and race in a positive way. The different language and sayings teaches us that we are all different, yet the same. Whether you have a multi-racial child, or just child, why not buy this book and enjoy something different. while possibly celebrating the differnces we have in culture, language, color, etc.

One reviewer called the language overly dramatic. I think this just shows how different we are with different backgrounds . Although I have never heard anyone actually speak like this, it doesn't mean someone is less intelligent.

Racism is so sublte and rampant in our society...what better way to start an opening than with a story read to a child??

This book is so amazing. I didn't remember what it was about when I was going to read it to my daughter before bed time. Then I started reading it and when I got to the spot were her Aunt is telling her the story I lost it and starting crying. My daughter is bi-racial and it is hard for me to find books that help her understand how special she is and this book does it. I asked my mom to read it to her and she started crying also. This is a great book and I recomend it to anyone who wants to read a good story.