Children are loved beyond measure by God, who created them. This is the lesson this book teaches. The author, Max Lucado wrote in the dedication, “God couldn’t love you more than he already does.” This is the lesson of the whole story. The genre of this book is Christian children’s story. I often read stories like this in Sunday school and in my early years attending a private elementary school. In my opinion, this book is appropriate for children aged 4-7, but can be encouraging to children of all ages. The topic of which age group this book fits with will be discussed further on in this paper.
Max Lucado is self-described as “a preacher with a storyteller’s gift – a pastor’s heart and a poet’s pen” (About Max Lucado). He has written many children’s stories as well as devotional books for adults. He has co-authored devotional books with his daughter and other inspirational writers. He pastors at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. This story is related to his others works – the main character, Punchinello, has starred in other stories such as “You are Special” and “If I just Had a Green Nose” among others. His stories often revolve around the main character feeling pressured to fit in with the society around them, often to their own dismay. He or she feels inclined to go against what he or she knows is the “right” thing in order to make friends or gain the approval of others. The character then faces a situation which they have no options left; the only way out is confronting their fear; and coming face to face with their creator (or an authority figure).
The back of “You are Mine” summarizes the story this way,
“Boxes and balls. They were the latest thing! Fancy balls. Colorful boxes. All the Wemmicks had them. All, tha...
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...rall, this story is wonderful. It teaches children that they are loved. Teachers, parents and caregivers can use it to teach many important lessons to the children they take care of. God created us in His image and loves us so much – we cannot even comprehend it. This book teaches children that. The artistry that went in to creating this book paid off. It is both esthetical and aesthetically pleasing, in my opinion. “And so that night Punchinello slept on a bed of wood shavings. He slept well. It felt good to be in the house of his maker” (p. 31). One day, we will be in the house of our maker. Jesus is preparing a place for each and every one who believes in Him.
Works Cited
"About Max Lucado." Max Lucado. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014. .
Lucado, M. (2001). You are mine. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc., 31 pages.
Why I Left the Church” by Richard Garcia is a poem that explores the ongoing and conflicting relationship between a child’s fantasy and the Church. Although the majority of the text is told in present tense, readers are put through the lenses of a young boy who contemplates the legitimacy of the restricting and constricting nature of worship. It is a narrative that mixes a realist approach of storytelling with a fantasy twist that goes from literal metaphors to figurative metaphors in the description of why the narrator left the church. The poet presents the issue of childhood innocence and preset mindsets created by the Church using strong metaphors and imagery that appeal to all the senses.
Over this entire novel, it is a good novel for children. It train children how to think logically, and notes people we should cherish our family, and people around us, very educate. Children can learn true is always been hide.
...areness of unjustifiable conditions that are imposed on societies youngest and most powerless members. Intermingled with his convictions of the necessity for equality and justice are portraits of children who display a most astounding amount of hope and courage. It is an essential read for all who have plans to enter the field of education. Those of us who aspire to shape the minds of the future need to be aware that all children possess the ability to love and prosper despite whatever environment they have emerged from. It is our duty to provide all children, without regard to race or economic status, with the tools and opportunities they require in order to flourish and lead the satisfying lives that they so greatly desire and deserve.
...ia J. Campbell. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1996. 39-65. Rpt. in Children's Literature Review. Ed. Scot Peacock. Vol. 82. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.
Although, Chris McCandless may be seen as stupid and his ideals uncanny, he gave up everything to follow his heart he escaped the world that would have changed him, he wrote his own tale to feel free, and he left a conformist world to indulge in true happiness. How many people would just give up their lives, family, material goods, to escape into a world of perfect solitude and peace; not many and Chris was one of those that could and he became and inspiration. “The idea of free personality and the idea of life as sacrifice” (187).
year old, is a boy who most can relate to. The book explores most aspects of
After a four week survey of a multitude of children’s book authors and illustrators, and learning to analyze their works and the methods used to make them effective literary pieces for children, it is certainly appropriate to apply these new skills to evaluate a single author’s works. Specifically, this paper focuses on the life and works of Ezra Jack Keats, a writer and illustrator of books for children who single handedly expanded the point of view of the genre to include the experiences of multicultural children with his Caldecott Award winning book “Snowy Day.” The creation of Peter as a character is ground breaking in and of itself, but after reading the text the reader is driven to wonder why “Peter” was created. Was he a vehicle for political commentary as some might suggest or was he simply another “childhood” that had; until that time, been ignored? If so, what inspired him to move in this direction?
Being different can sometimes be somewhat scary because one may be considered an outcast. Being an outcast can be quite difficult especially when people can be cruel. In the short story “The Salamander,” the narrator is considered an outcast because she is different and does not follow society’s norms. The author from this short story, Mercè Rodoreda, can be compared to the narrator because she too did not follow the norms. Rodoreda’s short story includes some aspects that can be compared to her life, yet many other aspects in her story are inexplicable. “The Salamander” by Mercè Rodoreda can be described as a fantastic story because of the fantastic elements it contains, such as hesitation and liminality. The short story fits well into Todorov’s definition of the fantastic because it creates hesitation for the readers when the narrator experiences rebirth and it includes several examples of liminality. Liminality can be seen when the defined lines between human and animal, and life and death are blurred.
It has always been amazing to realize how well the literature I read as a child has stayed with me through the years. It takes an exceptional writer to compose a narrative that maintains a storyline on the same level of a child's understanding; it takes everything short of a miracle to keep a child's interest. However, that undertaking has been accomplished by many skilled authors, and continues to be an area of growth in the literary world. Only this year the New York Times has given the genre of children's literature the credit it deserves by creating a separate best-sellers list just for outstanding children's books. Yet, on another level, children's literature is not only for the young. I believe that the mark of a brilliant children's author is the age range of those who get pleasure from the stories; the wider the range, the better.
Norton, D. E., & Norton. S. (2011). Through The Eyes Of a Child. An Introduction To Children’s Literature. Boston, MA, 02116: Eight-Edition Pearson Education
Children literature is a term that refers to the texts written for children. The artist uses creative ways to ensure that children are provided with educational books, touching on a variety of themes. This paper will include comparison of two characters from the two texts, “Hana's Suitcase: A True Story,” authored by Karen Levine and “Charlotte’s Web,” written by E.B. White, with the aim of understanding ways in which problems are solvable as indicated by selected characters.
The Family Friendly Church by Ben Freudenburg was an interesting book that I was not entirely sure how I would react to it because I had heard mixed reviews on it from different people; in the end, after reading it, I ultimately liked it. The book talked about a lot of truth in family ministry how it is not that important in many churches. Ben talked about how at one of his first church’s, he and his wife, Jennifer, took on the role of parents in the youth group and once they took another call the ministry fell apart because they had made it all about them and not the actual parents (Page 18). I like that Ben admitted this about his past and got me thinking about my home church’s youth ministry which parents were not prioritized to be involved
A children book is an extremely substantial and significant form of literature. It educates, affects and amuses at the same time. Although its main audience are the small children, the majority of adults in fact enjoy this type of literature as much as children do. This can be explained by the capacity of children literature to deal with great themes and topics that are too large for adult fiction. (Philip Pullman) For its great importance, the style and technique by which it is produced, is a major concern for both of the authors and critics. One technique has a particular impact in the children book, that is to say, illustration. Bearing the visual nature of children in mind, we understand that their books should be delivered with
What kid hasn’t heard of Dr. Seuss? From “One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish” to “A person’s a person, no matter how small” to “From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere”, Dr. Seuss has filled the lives of children with whimsical stories and ideas. (8) Using casual dialect and everyday objects, he was able to spark the imagination of others. All the while, he instilled lessons into his writings. It is not a surprise that Dr. Seuss received an award for a “Lifetime of Contribution to Children’s Literature”. His work will be read and enjoyed for decades to come. All in all, no matter which Dr. Seuss story that the reader might select, his or her imagination will be sparked, and the reader will surely be entertained.
Teaching kids to treat others with respect no matter the differences is great but not teaching children that they can do whatever they want. This is one of the problems that has risen in children's books. The teachings of these books do not tell kids to obey or to respect, instead they teach that children can make their own decisions. This essay shows that all of children's programs and materials are made with the intent on educating and socializing a child at some level. People need to be aware of what they are giving to their children and make sure that it lines up with the teachings they want for their touchline.