Germany's template for diversity in children's books??

 Let's look at the text for this picture book that was originally published in French in 2003. The German translation was published in 2016 under the title 'Alles lief gut'. Author, Franck Prevot

                                                        Everything was going well...for whom?

Alles lief gut...

...als etwas sonderbares ankam!

es bewegte sich nicht, es blieb einfach da, es war anders! 

es kam näher, bedrohlich, bereit, unseren kleinen zu verschlingen. 

es sprach zu unserem kleinen. 

und unser kleiner lachte. komisch! 

Wirklich! komisch!!! 

Wir haben es irgendwo hingetan, wo es nicht störte. 

dann sind andere gekommen, fast gleiche 

eines tages kam es heraus.

wir haben es überwacht (the three small black buttons are in the centre of the circle of red scattered buttons)

und dann haben wir nicht mehr darauf geachtet. 

es ist gewachsen und alles lief gut, im grunde 

alles lief gut... (now the print is both red and black and the buttons are mixed around the page)

...als ETWAS sonderbares ankam! (the ETWAS is a black and silver button)

(END OF TEXT).

Summary of text

A homogeneous group of buttons are comfortable, safe and happy until a strange black button appears and threatens to disrupt their space. The red homogenous community of buttons is distrustful, suspicious and wary so they ignore and try to separate the black button(s) from the red buttons. This takes place after they see a small black button speaking to one of the small red buttons and the latter being receptive. Although they take pains to separate and keep watch on the black buttons, they soon let their guards down until it's too late..the black buttons have managed to mix in with the red buttons, disrupting their homogeneity. Nonetheless, everything was going well...until another STRANGE button (black with a grey centre) shows up. And the reader is left to imagine the same process of first shunning, being wary and suspicious, pysically trying to separate the intruder from the community until they somehow manage to slip out from the space they are restricted to..and mingle with the rest of the buttons.

For a white reader accustomed to these dominant representations of self (white, middle class) and other ('coloured', usually from a lower class so they are less threatening with no power or agency), it comes as no surprise that the book has been praised and eagerly introduced in preschools to teach acceptance and diversity. For a disempowered person or someone who rarely sees themselves represented in children's books, this picture book is disheartening, arrogant, pretentious and promotes the negative stereotypes and prejudices associated with being an outsider in any community.

It maddens me to see such words and images appearing in association with a newcomer (physical separation, suspicion, distrust, xenophobia) because it reinforces these feelings in the reader even though in the end, all turns out well. The damage is already clearly done and the minority is left without a voice, having all these negative representations piled on him/her.

I have seen too many books following this format...with its arrogant eurocentricity and power to stuff and stifle the representation of difference into a small place that is tolerated but left under suspicion and not completely trusted because after all, 'they are just too different and can never be like us'.. this paternalistic view is corroborated over and over in picture books - we (white, middle-class) are tolerant, accept the outsider and charitably welcome them and they in turn, know that their place is not really beside us, but under us, accepting our charity and goodwill.

In the following post, I will look at the renowned children and youth writer Paul Maar, known for his fantasty-full fictitious character Sams and see how he handles the refugee influx in Germany and in the school system. Another disappointing example that fits the 'alles lief gut' model!

Seeing the world from the eyes of a dog

Calling things by their name. Hello, Dachshund Tom, by Bette Westera and Noelle Smit (original in Dutch)

'Your legs are way too short, laughs the cat

Not at all, retorts Dachshund Tom, the box is just too tall'

Dachshund Tom cuddles in the warm woollen blanket with his other dog siblings and mother, it smells of comfort and security and of his mama, who has just come from outdoors. The doorbell rings, Mama Mira rushes out of the box and Tom's world is changed forever. After looking at all the pups, the men choose Tom. She is put in a strange, cold box without a warm woollen blanket and taken away. 

But Tom is no ordinary dog- he is cheeky, brave and curious.

'We'll take him', says the strange man. 'what's his name?' 'You can choose a name yourselves', says his owner. 'What? But my name is Tom', thinks Dachshund Tom. 'You do know that.'

The adventure of his new life with a new family is about to begin. Pablo and Paul arrive home and present Tom to their daughter Sophie. She is ecstatic and the confused Tom must quickly orient himself in this new world. The men tell Sophie she can choose a name for her new friend, but Tom thinks, 'hey guys, I already have a name'.

With warmth, humour and innocence, Tom adjusts to his new owner and family and with Sophie by his side, he is suddenly less lonely and ...at home.

It's wonderful to view the world from the eyes of a dog about to have his life catapulted into the unknown. Not any dog, but a little sausage one, with short legs, a stubborn determination and a healthy curiosity..a dog who knows his name and holds on to it. He snaps at the stranger who has come to upset his new world with his siblings and mother and woollen cosy blanket. He insists his name is Tom and wonders why the family picks up his poop or are surprised by his wee - 'Do you really find that strange?', he thinks.

Just like this baby dog who has to slowly learn to understand the world of people and have himself understood in it, a child will relate to the confusion, fear, frustration and curiosity of Tom, the dachshund.

A wonderful book that carries you on a little journey that forces you out of your comfort zone, invites you to see the world from the eyes of another and to remember who you are. 

Small Actions that Make a World of Difference: Peter Reynolds: The Dot and Playing from the Heart.

 'Just make a mark and see where it takes you', the Teacher tells Vashti

Sometimes in life, we are lucky enough to find an adult in Institutions who believe in us and invite us along a path towards self-discovery and empowerment. We all know the huge influence adults have in shaping the lives of children in their care, whether directly or indirectly. Children look up to them in their formative years, believe in and hang on to their every word - whether harmful or healing. Of course, there are countless cases of children defying the negativity transmitted by adults to prove they cannot be placed in a box and labelled FAILURE. 

This book emerges from the trendy, hugely popular American strain of empowerment books for kids. Kids need to be motivated, kids need to be encouraged, kids need to see light when they are in the dark...and when they do, they will spread this light to others, making our world a better place. What a lovely message..and the dot, a little black mark on a white page can become and assume the dimensions we give to it..if only we dare to try, if only we are given the first nudge in the right direction. 

'Well, maybe I can't draw, but I CAN sign my name', thinks Vashti

Little Vashti is hopeless at art. Her teacher believes in her student and encourages her through kindness and support. It's up to Vashti to discover her skill and the teacher  is ready and waiting to showcase it to..everyone. Meanwhile, Vashti is now convinced that art and any other talent is there to be discovered and appropriated...yes, by anyone!

'Hmmph! I can make a better dot than THAT!'

...

'If I can make little dots, I can make BIG dots, too.'

A feel-good book, playfully and colourfully illustrated. The drawings stay away from explicitly identifying and limiting the work to ethnicities and skin colour..and the name Vashti is able to free itself from any /foreigner/ethnic undertones. In this sense, the book appeals and reaches out to all kids, without falling into the trap of 'immigrants'=underprivileged or  'immigrants'=disadvantaged, and therefore needing the benevolence of authority and institutions to patronise them. 

A simple message that is cleverly illustrated which helps it to soar across and make borders more porous.

When one person is inspired, it never stops there, in fact, we never know where it will end and what it will spiral into. So leave your mark and ...sign it, tells us Peter Reynolds.

Afterthought - This is a simple book introducing kids to colours, frustration, patience, motivation, hard-work and reward. The underlying message is we all have the potential, we just need the nudge and encouragement to explore it or find it. There are so many kids who succumb to pressures of all kinds - class/social inequalities, unrealistic, demanding expectations from adults, peer pressure, etc and who never get the chance or opportunity to find their true calling, if there is really something like that. In this light, the book is a celebration of the free spirit and pays hommage to teachers and adults that encourage children to find their own path.

However, in all honesty, although the message is quite inspirational, the book itself lacks real creativity and this is something that is very common in children's books - creativity becomes a hostage to a message we think kids desperately need - a message of hope, of love, of caring, etc. In other words, while it pays hommage to this one child's creativity, it actually does so in an ...uncreative way-

Children do need positive examples and role models, they do need to see positive self-representations reflected back at them...but I wonder if that's enough, if we are selling them short...

Playing from the Heart - Peter Reynolds

'Could you play a song for me?'

'these notes reminded him of zoo animals peering through bars...wanting to escape'

On the back cover, there is a note from the author, which I reproduce here:

'When I wrote this story, I hoped it would resonate with those who are looking to be reminded to be playful, to channel joy- not perfection. Then it took on new meaning when my father suffered two strokes. Seeing him in discomfort, I wanted to see that sparkle in his eyes again. there were no words. Just feelings. Like music'.

Here we have a writer who comes close to losing his father and explores the use of music as a way to connect people in times when words or actions may seem futile. 

A boy named Raj slowly grows up and has all but forgotten the love and passion with which he played the piano. The piano, this instrument sitting in the living room, this connection of joy in silence, without words, between father and son. The son moves out, has his own successful life and receives a call one day informing him that his father is sick. He immediately leaves in the pouring rain to see his old man. Will music - that one thing that stood long ago as a symbol of their bond - be able to revive their connection?

'His father heard the dreamy music floating through the house. He was amazed that his son was playing beautifully without ever having taken a lesson'

... 'Although Raj played better and better he got more and more tired...until the day that even looking at the piano made him exhausted'.

Playing that song without a  name

What do you do when you think you see a talent in a child, you invest a lot to nurture this talent, the child goes along, having fun, probably wanting to please you, and after the child has also invested a lot of time and energy and patience and is doing well, (s)he suddenly gets tired and then...stops altogether?

How easy is it to accept this, not label it as resignation, failure, lack of discipline, laziness..and trust that the child has the right to follow the path (s)he has chosen?

Having expectations, becoming disappointed or frustrated or even angry and violent when they are not met, dealing with all these emotions in a healthy environment and trusting that passions are things that never die, they just lie low sometimes, ready to burst back out when we least expect it. Killing or stifling or deforming this passion is one of the great harms we adults can sometimes do to kids, even with the best intentions. 

'Finally, Raj closed the cover over the keys. He was finished. The piano was silent'.

Years later, 'Raj found the sustain pedal and dove into a place he had not been in many years. The notes emerged whispery and sweet'.

Afterthought: I like the idea of having a close but silent relationship between a father and a son, one characterised by loneliness and emptiness...which is suddenly filled with music..only to become silent and lonely again. Life drags on, kids grow up, everyone goes their separate ways and then suddenly, this relationship which we have taken for granted, suddenly threatens to rupture for good. Is there still a chance to revive it and how? We are all given little intangible gifts from our parents, some of them we never manage to discover but that doesnt mean they arent in us. Sometimes these gifts (trust, free spirit) rest close to our hearts and come out just when we need them, sparking and reviving something in us.

I respect this book as a hommage to the author's father and the serenity the characters found in music. However, as a story, I think it reads a little flat and the idea of following your passion without the pressure of perfection (the father loved the song with 'no name') could have been more playfully and creatively explored. 

The Wolf in Underpants. Wilfrid Lupano (text), Mayana Itoz and Paul Cauuet (illustrations)

Nothing is as it seems but the creation of fear can condition how we see things and therefore, how we choose to live and behave. 

The Wolf in Underpants (Le Loup en slip) was originally published in French in 2016. Meanwhile, four further parts have been released, three of which are available in English. The graphic novels are humorous, clever and critical, endearing the reader to the wolf and the other forest animals - the squirrel, hedgehog, etc who all assume different social roles.

The animals in the forest are in for a surprise when they are confronted with their biggest enemy and fear - the Wolf. It turns out that the Wolf isn't what they have imagined and so, little by little, they are waking up to a new questioning of things and their role and place in the forest.. but are they really ready to confront the contradictions that lie within them and open their eyes to the machinery of manipulation they are trapped in?

There are not that many books that manage to charm both adults and children. This graphic novel series is one of them with a fun mystery for kids to solve and deep underlying social questions that need urgent answers or at least reflection of how our societies are constructed and the manipulations we are all subjected to, sometimes willingly or complacently. the many graphic scenes allow the kids to follow different trails and take different paths, while the common thread of the wolf and his interaction to the forest dwellers lend unity and complexity to the story. 

The choice of the starring wolf..in underpants to booth, lends a light note to the story and subverts this classical baddie figure. The wolf remains mysterious..after all, he is still a wolf..but it is no longer solely the villain but a complex figure that invites both young and old to reflect on their prejudices or preconceived ideas and distance themselves from the status quo...things are never simply black vs white, the complexity and ambiguity lie in each and every one of us, capable of harming and being harmed. 

A funny graphic novel with a sharp, critical social message and an invitation to confront our fears and dare to think differently. Intelligently and wittingly done to attract both kids and adults!

Volume 2 . The Wolf in Underpants freezes his buns off (Le Loup en slip se les gèle méchamment)

This follow-up to the Wolf in Underpants was published one year later , in 2017. It is equally witty and mysterious, inviting the reader to follow the forest dwellers in their quest to find out why the wolf is in such a bad mood, what they can do to keep him from turning wild again and who is actually freezing.

It's now bitterly cold in the woods and business is in full swing - coats to keep you warm, fondue and bread galore to keep you stuffed and lots of pleasure for those with the means - sauna, ski, etc. But all of this comes at a price...and not everyone can get their hands in or near the coffers. Once more, a  - machinery is in place - cheese factory, bakeries - and it's up to the wolf to open the eyes of the forest dwellers, blind to the inequalities and injustices which have taken root.

While trying to solve the mystery, the useless anti-wolf brigade is once more called in (after all, they pay a lot of money to feel and be safe) after the dwellers' efforts at appeasing the wolf and his coldness (hat and socks are knitted for him by the Independent Owl) prove futile. Together with all the scared, curious dwellers, they march up to the wolf's house on top of the cliff, demanding to know who or what exactly is freezing.

In this second volume, critique on social inequality is much more starkly underlined. The social message is clear - if you don't share, you are all doomed..sooner or later and the forest can be a much better place if we step out of our little worlds and observe how our actions and lifestyle affect those around us..

the Elk Professor (read purveyor of capitalism) however doesn't see why anyone needs to feel bad about their hard-earned and therefore well-deserving wealth...to which the Wolf holds up a STOP sign.

He reminds all the dwellers that the cold 'can make you look frightful, with fangs like ice picks...'

We can never be safe and contented with our well-deserved wealth if there is suffering and misery in our midst..they feed off each other..so the dwellers had better learn or watch out..

Is this a lesson we want to and are ready to face?? Too big a question for one book to answer. 

This volume is a welcome introduction to discussing many environmental and social topics in an easy, fun and friendly way.  With small changes, the system can be mended..but what if it's the system that is the problem???? 

WHY WE ARE HERE; THE BIG QUESTION BY WOLF ERLBRUCH

 Die große Frage, Wolf Erlbruch. Finding out just why you are here

Accepting yourself just the way you are..because you are special

Erlbruch is an internationally acclaimed German writer and illustrator who has received numerous awards and praise for both his drawing style and books. He is perhaps most known for his 'the story of the little mole who went in search of whodunit'. In this post, I will briefly discuss 'the big question', a children's book which was published by the German Peter Hammer publishing house in 2015. Erlbruch has suggested that the moral of his stories is that people should regard themselves from a distance and accept even what is not so beautiful about themselves, but what is special.

the brother says: you are in the world to celebrate your birthday

the cat says: you are here to purr...if anything, to catch mice

 the pilot says: you are here to kiss the clouds

the grandmother says: of course you are here so that I can spoil you rotten

the bird says: you are here to sing your song

the fat man says: you are here to eat

and so on..the number 3, the soldier, the dog, the captain, Death (you are here to love life), the Stone (you are here to be here), the father, the gardener, the Blind Man, the Baker, the Duck (I have no idea), the sister (to love yourself), the rabbit, the boxer and finally the Mother all speak to the Reader, engaging him or her to the multiple beauties and experiences of life, from the perspective of each animal, person or thing. They all tell you why YOU are here, but in reality, it's the reason THEY see themselves and their purpose here. In the end, no one can really tell you your purpose...you have to seek it out yourself, combine the reasons, question them, go on your own journey of self-discovery.

the collection of figures is indeed strange and quite unique, from a stone to Death to the Number Three. It's light philosophical twist, it's endearing message, the string of professions (Baker, Gardener, Pilot, Captain) and people (Father, Mother, Brother, Sister) give both young and old something to contemplate on... a very BIG question, namely why we are here! There is no one answer just as their is no one template for any thing or person. We are all different and we mostly see the world and understand our place in it from our own immediate experiences and surroundings. The little book about this big question invites the reader to step out of himself and experience our place in it...from quite different angles. 

A nice little reminder about our diversity, about our small but significant existence in this immense and the beauty that comes from the interaction between and among us all.

The book ends with a few blank pages to fill in when you discover more reasons for why you are here in the world.

Compare The Big Question with another book Maybe from Kobi Yamada and Gabriella Barouch (illustration).

The book opens with the same question - Have you ever wondered why you are here?

The answer, that will be repeated and explored throughout the book, comes on the next page - 'You are you. There has never been anyone like you and there never will be. There is so much potential in you.'

These inspirational trendy books target both children and adults, encouraging them to embrace their individuality and explore it without fear or restraint. But the sentences ring hollow, despite the wonderful, free-spirited illustrations and one has the feeling that the words are just too superficial and big to resonate in the mind and body of a child...The images alone tell a wonderful story of flight, experimenting, exploring and determination that the words somehow drown in them. 

'Maybe you will discover something that no one has yet seen, maybe you will build things that will soar in the sky, your life is yours, try out as many things as you can...wherever you go, take your hopes with you, pack your dreams with you, and don't ever forget - you will discover things when you travel'.

'Maybe you will help others see the beauty in each day, maybe you will infect people with your enthusiasm..'

'Let love be your guiding force, follow your heart and see where it leads you'

And reminiscent of Erlbruch's Big Question, 'maybe you are here to bring light to places that have been for too long dark? Maybe you will raise your voice for those who can't themselves speak?'

'Maybe you are here to help in a way only you can?'

'On this discovery path, you will meet travails but this world needs all your talents and skills and ideas'.

'If you are at the beginning of your journey, and haven't yet discovered or chosen your path, then you should know that you have all you need inside of you..if you are still in doubt, maybe the world has been waiting for someone just like you to come along'.

Here is a comment by the illustrator about the bird head-piece worn by the girl protagonist:

Interview Question: The detail in the artwork is exquisite. The bird headpiece worn by the young girl particularly enamors me. How did you come up with the idea of a headpiece made of leaves? It’s breathtakingly special.

Gabriella (Illustrator): It was actually Kobi’s idea, a part of his vision for the girl—a child that creates her own adventures. The bird hat represents her dreams and creativity for me since she made it herself.

I especially felt connected to the sewing leaves part, since my grandmother used to tell me that when she was young they used to play in the woods, collect leaves, and sew them into dresses. That’s what they had back then, and I find that to be charming. I was lucky enough to draw it in the book.

Afterthought: Both books invite the reader (young and old) to position and question their place and purpose in the world. The first - The Big Question- doesn't hope to inspire, persuade, encourage, it  just simply recognises and celebrates the differences that we are and the passion each one carries in them, all in harmony (pilot, stone, duck, number 3). 

Maybe... this little word that could be the start and trigger to discovering what lies in you, soaring, excelling, helping, discovering. Encouraging words that we will be confronted with throughout life. Trendy messages that hope to resonate with the reader - you are smart, you are beautiful, you are unique, you have talents and gifts...all abstract words imposed and heaped on children from a very early age.

Let's complement the above mentioned books with another one by the German writer and illustrator Katrin Stangl 'Does Bread swim in Milk?' (Schwimmt Brot in Milch?)

The book consists of a series of questions which invite the reader to .....yes, question things, wonder at things we take for granted, explore, experiment and yes...we learn when we are having fun, when we try new things out, when we free up our bodies and our minds.

The book is also a little poetic ode to children and their world of imagination - how often must teddy bears bathe? does the colour red taste better than blue? Can all the children come to my birthday party? How many raisins are in the muesli cereals?

It also references all the rules (kann man, darf man...) that are imposed on children at a very young age. Of course, rules are necessary but questioning them is equally so.

This book pays tribute to kids' curiosity, experimentation and indirectly encourages them to never stop asking questions.