When I planned to visit my son's classroom this spring, I anticipated chaos. Josh doesn't like any kind of deviation from a routine--so I assumed that the drop-by would be tumultuous.
One of our many therapists gave me a deadpan look. "I understand that your role is Mystery Reader, but you are allowed to break the rules. The teacher is not the President of the United States. Just tell your son--tell him in advance that you're coming."
We all sat outside for Tomi Ungerer's "The Three Robbers." This is the most subversive picture book I'm aware of. It's a socialist screed. A band of robbers steals jewels from rich people. One night, the robbers stumble upon an orphaned little girl. She scolds them. She has no issue with robbery. The problem is that the robbers are not *spending* their wealth. Money is useless unless you put it to work. So she prods the robbers; this new family begins using the wealth to build a fabulous orphanage in the hills. Happy children create a small village. After the death of the robbers, three monuments are erected as a tribute.
I have no idea how Josh feels about this book. He is smiling in the photo.
With my daughter, I sometimes read "Extra Yarn"; this is a more recent classic. In the book, Jon Klassen tips his hat to the three robbers; you see these iconic figures making a brief appearance as supporting characters (they pop up quite close to the climax of the story).
Ungerer's Seven Dwarfs watch over our dining-room table; his "Little Red" is attached to one wall in the playroom.
This great writer and artist has been a role model for me--I guess because he was so fearless and wild. I hope to return to Josh's class--with Ungerer's "Emile, The Helpful Octopus"--sometime next year.
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