Herb, the Vegetarian Dragon...hmm, what can I say about Herb...he was definitely an original character. And he definitely had a lot to teach us. Unfortunately, I'm just not totally sure what it was he meant to teach. The further I read, the more complicated Herb's story got until in the end I was left wondering whether I was supposed to learn that diet is a personal choice, about the democratic process (and that doing mean things could potentially be ok as long as they are voted on fairly), that you aren't what you eat (haha), or that we should always take the peaceful route. However, the story's definitely cute (and sometimes clever...Herb, get it?) and the illustrations (by Debbie Harter) are quite whimsical. The complexity of the story might just cause it to be a versatile tool in the classroom. I kinda liked the story line and found myself really involved at the climax (Herb faces beheading for crimes he didn't commit!) which I suppose is the hallmark of good story telling. I just really didn't care for the way it was summarized so simply in the end.The book is a part of a series published by Barefoot Books which specializes in works from authors of other cultures. Oddly enough, the author is Jules Bass of Rankin and Bass who are the production company responsible for classics like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frost the Snowman, and The Little Drummer Boy.
I checked out the Barefoot Books site--interesting. I'm curious about how multiculturalism get implemented institutionally...what do they look for? local cultural stories? authors from many different countries? I'm always skeptical of these claims (and how they are realized/not realized), but I think I'll check more on this site.
ReplyDeleteAs for Herb...well...I guess a few grains were offered despite some other strangeness. I like that (from your description) it didn't sound too didactic.