Customer Reviews

Zinnia and Dot

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

 

 

Plotline: 2 hens in a henhouse fight and squabble over who's eggs are better. Mr. Weasel raids the henhouse, steals the eggs, upsets the nests. One egg is left. Who's is it? The hens fight over it, each claiming it as their own. They ultimately share the egg-warming duty, and, when the weasel returns, team up to fight him off to save the last remaining egg. Sorry if that gives away the whole book, but I don't think spoilers apply to preschool books.

I felt compelled to write something good about this book after reading other reviews that felt that this book promotes lesbianism. How ridiculous! I'd say that those people who choose to read into it that way should get their minds out of the gutter, but that would imply that there is something gutter-worty of lesbianism.

I've owned this book for years, have read it to all my children, and have always just felt it as a wonderful book of, "Hey, look how amazingly strong the power of a mother's love can be for her child". I'd like to think that, as a mom, I would find the strength to "fight off the weasel", or whatever threat came my children's way. It's nice for the kids to see a book that reinforces just how strong that protective mom love is.

If there is any kind of message, perhaps you can see the 2 hens as a "biological" parent and an "adoptive" parent. Does one love the child more? Of course not. There's your message.

This book deserves to be put on a core literature shelf for all schools and on the shelf of all homes. I am a credentialed relief/substitute teacher and I always turn to this book if teachers do not leave any plans for me. Zinnia and Dot generates language, conversation, and thinking. A writing lessons can be easily incorporated if you choose to further the pleasure of this delightful book.

I read this book to my Kindergarten class, we did a lot of activities such as writing a birth announcement, learning to problem solve, and finnaly they concluded that sharing is better than fighting, and it shows caring for others.

I agree with the mother above that mentioned the hidden message. My child brought this home from the school library and I reviewed it prior to reading. I do think the message of 2 mothers at the end is subtly promoting lesbianism to children. I will be returning the book to the school with my concerns. This was the one thing that concerned me with sending my child to public school. Parents beware :)

This book could have taught children about being "good losers" since not everyone can be winners. But instead the last couple of pages point to two mothers raising one child together. Now, I've heard the arguement from the author herself that is this is a great way for kids to learn about sharing and differences, I've heard other moms say that it's a great way to teach kids about lesbianism. But I would like to point out that the book is intended for ages 2-6 and while at age two a child would not get that, a 6 year old may since children are bombarded with sexual images and words everywhere. I think this is a clever way to plant a seed in a young child's mind to be accepting of lesbianism at a young age. And I suppose it's more startling that my daughter, who loves the chickens on Grammy's farm, chose this book from a local library. I will be making a call to the school about this.

We borrowed this book from the library. Yes, most of what previous reviewers said is true. However, I think the book may be portraying a deeper hidden message. Everything is fine throughout the book until the last 2 pages. I had to say "whoops" when reading this to my child. The chick, whom the chickens had been fighting over, turns out to be a "combination" of both the mother hens. Both of the mother hens love the chick. So the baby chick then receives "two mothers" at birth. This book could be a setup for an appetence of lesbianism. I say that due to the fact that at the end of this "lighthearted tale" an okay attitude is given in the concept of 2 mothers.

Parents, be careful and read it yourself before reading to youngsters.