Customer Reviews

See You Tomorrow, Charles

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1 star:		(2)

 

 

While I applaud the dedication of the anonymous school psychologist who criticized this book for its lack of moralizing, let me offer this: a work of literature is more elusive and subtle than a sermon, its value potentially far more powerful -- for spoonfed values, anyone can read to children from The Book of Virtues and bore them silly. Miriam Cohen's gift is in being able to present with subtlety and wisdom a situation fraught with conflict that can lead to a moral discussion, without providing obvious consequences and answers. Books such as this are a blessing to parents who read to their children and cherish listening to their reactions and guiding them as they sort out moral issues for themselves. If they start thinking about these lessons through books, they will already be on the right road when similar issues come up in the classroom.

If all books were judged by the standards of this reviewer, there would be no Cat in the Hat (chaos is fun, no consequences suffered), Mulberry Street (lying is okay), Where the Wild Things Are (obstreperous behavior rewarded by a hot meal). Let literature and children breathe.

As a school psychologist, I ordered several books to use with primary grade school children to aid in sensitizing them to children with special needs. I was disappointed in this book because the author discusses actions of the characters, that while socially undesirable, were not addressed as such. For example, the text begins,"It was the third week of school. Danny was being a prizefighter. He ran around yelling 'Knock Out!' and punching people. But he didn't punch the new boy..." who is visually impaired and from that point it is stated that he shouldn't punch the viusally impaired child because he couldn't see him...the impression left is everyone else is fair game. Another example concerned a description of the activity engaged in by the children on the playground. One child is described as running around biting the girls sweaters (pretending he's a shark), yet no mention of consequences or discussion of the fact that this is unacceptable behavior follows. Finally, an incident takes place where one of the boys teases his girl classmate about being "in love" with the viusally impaired child (because of her protective nature over him) and then it is said that the girl wanted to hit him but didn't because the teacher was in the room! Nothing more! I encourage educators and parents not to purchase this book.

Blind people can do far more than find their way in the dark. They have much more talent and ability than guiding you through a dark basement. Charles, the blind student in the story, does not even engage in dialogue until the last couple pages of the book. The children in his class speak for him, condescend him, and assume he is useless, until they are trapped in the dark basement. Some students even waited to let him finish his math first, yet when it was time to help him find his seat (a legitimate need) the teacher discouraged it. Where was she when the prizefighter was doing his thing! This book was so offensive to both my husband and I that I refused to read it to my first grade class. I give it one star for motivating me to write my own children's book addressing blindness.