Response to Book Reviews
The review provided by this writer is spot-on. As noted, Chrysanthemum is a book meant for children and it does not disappoint because the plot reminiscences of what happens today in most schools. Chrysanthemum’s parents give her name because they think it is lovely just like her, but her classmates in school keep on teasing her because they think the name is weird. This is something which demoralizes Chrysanthemum greatly, and she does not believe in herself anymore. Instead, she wishes to have a “normal” name just like the rest of her classmates.
Enter Mrs. Twinkle, the new music teacher. Everyone in the class adores her, and wishes to be her. Nonetheless, the class continues to taunt Chrysanthemum because of her unique name. Mrs. Twinkle does not support these actions, and in fact declares that Chrysanthemum is a beautiful name. She even confides to the class that she plans to name her baby girl Chrysanthemum. This makes Chrysanthemum an envy of the other classmates because she now has the support of their favorite teacher. In this book, the point the author intends to put across is that people should pride themselves in their uniqueness, and nothing should demoralize them for being unique. Perhaps, one thing we can ask ourselves is why the book ends at a point where Chrysanthemum makes fun of Victoria, something which seems to be morally wrong.
Maniac Magee by Jerry Little Spinelli
Maniac Magee is the story of a boy who is orphaned at a young age and is forced to move from one place to another in search of a better life. I would like to agree, as the reviewer points out, the novel mainly grapples with the issue of racism. For instance, the fictional city of Two Mills where Manic Magee lives is highly segregated with the whites living on one side while the black people live on another part of the city. The two races live in suspicion and nobody from one race dares to cross the boundaries.
Maniac Magee goes beyond these barriers, and easily shuffles between the whites and the blacks. With time, both sides see Magee as their hero. The role played by Maniac Magee is that of a pacifier, and the author intentionally uses his character to show that racism is an issue that is there but can be resolved if there is will to tackle it. Nonetheless, the author portrays Maniac Magee as homeless, and this can challenges the readers to question why homelessness seems to be another major theme in the novel.
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
As pointed out, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret is a novel that discusses some things which are regarded as a taboo in most families. It is not common for some families to confront issues to do with religion and sexuality, but this is exactly what the author writes about. Margaret’s parents subscribe to different faiths, and she is torn between being a Christian and being Jewish. Whenever she visits her grandparents, the issue cannot be swept under the carpet because they remind the young girl of her connection to Christianity or the Jewish faith -depending on who she visits. This makes the young Margaret to play secretly to God for guidance on her mixed religious heritage.
The young girl also grapples with issues to do with boys, jealousy, the kind of bra to wear and her first period. Without doubt, these are some of the things young girls face, but they might not have the courage to face them. This makes the novel an eye opener to young girls, and some of them can identify with. Nonetheless, the issue of religion is too big for the young girl to grapple, and it is my opinion that the author could have handled it in a better way.
