Lecture: How to Play with Picture Books? (Part 1)
Speaker: A‑League
Time: October 12, 2008, 9:30 AM — 12:00 PM
Location: Shenzhen Silver Eagle Second Kindergarten
Link:Graphic version
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Thank you all! The Argentine Primera División is finally here. A few days ago, I discussed some questions with some mothers online. I was very nervous to come here. Director Yang said that the mothers here are very knowledgeable. I’m just an ordinary father, so I was very nervous to come here. So I checked it out online beforehand and discussed it with everyone. During the discussion, some mothers were more or less skeptical. Is this the Argentine Primera División? Is it real? I had to come here to verify it, and it’s the real deal.
Yesterday I went from Beijing to Guangzhou, and today I arrived in Shenzhen. I am very happy to have this opportunity to share with you. My topic today is “How to play with picture books?” “Play” may not sound so difficult. Of course, there are high and low ways to play. We can try it today. If it is not high enough, we can raise it a bit.
Today I will share three topics:
The first topic is: What is the connection between picture books and children’s reading? Why do children’s reading promoters always bring them up? We didn’t read these things as children, but we were fine, weren’t we? Why is it being discussed so heavily today?
The second topic was also specially prepared for today’s lecture — the ten secrets of playing with picture books. Because it is still being refined, it can only be the V1.0 Beta version, just a trial version. I don’t know everyone’s basic situation very well. If you think there are some points in the lecture that need in-depth discussion, or if there are some unclear points, you can interrupt at any time and bring it up for us to discuss together. In fact, it is not important whether a lecture finishes the content or not. What is important is whether everyone can communicate and gain something.
Third, we spent a lot of time talking about how to play picture books. Why do we play like this?
Although everyone knows me to some extent, to be honest, sometimes even I don’t know myself very well, so I have to introduce myself. There are many versions of self-introduction. I have prepared three versions, and today I will tell you two versions. The first one is an allegorical version. Who is Ajia? Who can tell? I don’t know either. I went to my daughter’s second grade class:
“Who are you? Introduce yourself.”
“My name is Li Ziheng.”
“Who is Li Ziheng?”
It’s hard to say. “Li Ziheng is a student in a certain class, studying in Beijing… He’s from Earth, from the Milky Way.”
“Then what are we going to do on Earth?”
He said, “My mother gave birth to me, and I can’t do anything about it.”
“Now that you’re out, you have to find something to do.”
Playing, studying, etc.—what are we all doing? What are we born for, after all this time? I thought my questions were silly, but then I discovered there was someone just as silly as me (Dali B the rabbit). He’s young and strong, except I don’t have his big ears. So, I’d say he’s an “old rabbit.” He’s confused, just like me, constantly wondering, “This is a picture book. How could it be a shame not to read the cover?” First, let’s share some common sense: you must read from front to back. This cover is really interesting, and there’s even a dust jacket.
This is often overlooked. We usually call it the endpapers, or the butterfly pages. The story often begins here, with a silly rabbit living in such a situation. “I Don’t Know Who I Am” is usually called the title page. When reading with children, we often include it—text by (UK) Jon Black, illustrations by (Germany) Axel Scheffler. Why read this? Actually, it’s quite useful. If you’re familiar with picture books, you’ll know that Axel Scheffler (Germany) has illustrated other books you might be familiar with, such as “The Gruffalo,” “The Gruffalo and Little Girl,” and “The Little House Becomes the Big House.” This is the first episode of “Smart Beans.” For those who prefer novels, there’s a book called “Running Pig Lulu,” also illustrated by him.
“I Don’t Know Who I Am”—This image is very strange. Have you ever seen a rabbit like this? It’s sitting on a tree, just like me standing on the podium now. It’s very awkward.
Dali B doesn’t know who he is
“Am I a monkey?” he said.
“Am I a koala?”
“Am I a porcupine?”
I often ask myself, who am I? A father? An expert? Actually, the word “expert” is a bit insulting, because besides reading to children, I can also do groceries and cook. It’s not like I only know one thing, so who am I? Ultimately, we’ve settled on “promoter of children’s reading.” What exactly is a promoter of children’s reading? Neither the Personnel Bureau nor the Labor Bureau can find what that job is, so I’m very confused.
Dali B didn’t know where he should live.
Should I live in a cave?” he said.
“Should I live in a bird’s nest?”
“Should I live in a spider’s web?”
(Only in picture books do you see it living in different places. I also ask myself: Should I live in the countryside? Should I live in a villa? Should I live in a luxurious building or an ordinary bungalow? Or should I live in a tent in the disaster area? In fact, I am sometimes confused. Recently, we made a special trip to the Sichuan disaster area. I heard that the situation there is now even worse. Are we really as certain as we see it?)
Dali B doesn’t know what he should eat.
“Should I eat fish?” he said.
“Should I eat potatoes?”
“Should I eat bugs?”
(Should I eat milk powder? Should I drink cow’s milk? Should I drink domestic milk? I often ask myself, “Would I dare to eat pigs?” Now we find that almost everything is in an inedible state. Things that seem to be very certain suddenly become uncertain. Life is sometimes just like this. But Dali B looks so stupid, and I look just as stupid as him.)
Dali B didn’t know why his feet were so big.
“Is it for water skiing?” he said.
“Is it for mice to sit on?”
“Is it for protection from the rain?”
Dali B saw birds living in trees and decided that he too wanted to live in a tree.
Dali B saw a squirrel eating an acorn and decided to eat an acorn himself. (We are sometimes like this too. When we see others going abroad, we want to go abroad too.)
Dali B still doesn’t know why his feet are so big.
One day, the rabbits in the woods were in a panic and ran under Dali B’s tree.
“You have to get down here, Daly B!” they yelled.
“Jessie D is here!”
“Who is Jessie D?” Daly B asked. (How could it possibly know who Jessie D was if it didn’t even know who Daly B was?)
The rabbits were too anxious to answer.
They spread out across the grass,
Disappeared into the hole.
Jessie D looked up and Daly B waved.
Jessie D started climbing the tree.
The other rabbits stuck out their noses.
Trembling all over.
“Hello.” Daly B said to Jessie D.
“Are you a badger?”
“Are you an elephant?”
“Are you a platypus?”
Jessie D crept closer. “No, my friend,” she whispered, “I am a weasel!”
“Do you live in a pond?” Daly B asked.
“Do you live on the dam?”
“Do you live in a doghouse?”
Jessie D crawled closer.
“No, my friend,” she hissed.
“I live in the darkest corner of the woods.”
“Do you eat cabbage?” Daly B asked.
“Do you eat insects?”
“Do you eat fruit?”
Jessie D crawled over to Daly B.
“No, my friend,” she said in a harsh voice,
“I eat rabbits! Rabbits like you!”
Dali B was very surprised.
“I am…a rabbit?” (Dali B, nearing the end of his life, was still exploring this question of his true self. Socrates said, “Know thyself,” and he finally understood it, stammering. They were discussing philosophical questions very friendly, but Jessie D didn’t give him the time.)
Jessie D nodded…licked her lips…and then jumped!
Dali B didn’t even think about it, he turned around like lightning,
He kicked hard with his super big foot.
Jessie D flew across the sky, far, far away,
Fly to where you came from!
The other rabbits jumped and cheered
And hugged each other,
“You’re a hero, Daly B!” they shouted.
“That’s strange,” Dali B said.
“I thought I was a rabbit.” (I still don’t understand who I am. I knew it a while ago, but now I don’t know it anymore.)
This is a fable, and sometimes fables are more real than our reality.
I’d like to share a real story with you here—I come from Red Mud Village, a village founded in 2000. It’s practically nowhere on Earth, but it’s a place you can find online. There’s a manifesto on a piece of red mud, dating back to the early 2000s: “Mud that can’t be played with by children is not good mud!” When people ask me what it is, I always say it’s mud. Books are also mud. It’s a spiritual product for children to play with. Mud is different from other toys. Most products these days require electricity, or at least batteries, but this one doesn’t even have a spring. Mud doesn’t need that, and you don’t even need to spend money. Just pick it up and, if you’re an artist, you can shape it into a work of art. It depends on who you are, not what it is.
Mud that’s only for children isn’t good mud! — I remember someone asked me, “Does a book just because children like it mean it’s good?” Not necessarily, but if children like it, it at least means it’s suitable for children. And really good mud can be played with by adults too. When I say, “Let’s play with mud,” it doesn’t mean it’s just for children; we adults can play with it, too.
This is Inspector Carrot. We’re brothers. Just to be clear, he studied chemistry, and I studied law. He does chemical transformations, and I do physical transformations. Then we started working with children. Neither of us is a specialist, so don’t worry about who’s better. We’ve also written some books on computers. “101 Books That Will Captivate Children” was published in 2003 and is being reprinted this year. It covers a wide age range, suitable for readers as young as 14 or 15, and of course, people in their 70s and 80s can also read it.
“100 Key Questions About Children’s Reading” was co-authored in 2005 with two teachers from “Parents Must Read.” Most of the questions were answered between 2002 and 2005. I’ve been looking at some questions online these past few days, including those on real estate information websites. Most of the questions are generally common. Particularly interesting questions are those that discuss more specific issues. We need to discuss overly abstract questions in general terms because they’re exhausting. To discuss such a simple question—how to help children fall in love with reading—I wrote a thick book, “Helping Children Fall in Love with Reading.” Many people fall asleep while reading because they’re not reading the book correctly. They insist on reading from beginning to end, but that’s not necessary. Read whatever you find interesting, and skip ahead if it’s uninteresting.
I have been participating in a column called “Reading Time Together” in the magazine “Parents Must Read”. Every year we select the “10 Most Interesting Books”. If you are interested, you can go to the website. Let me reveal here that there are not many people participating in the voting, so the winning rate is very high.
Someone suggested you were a writer, saying you’ve written almost ten books. I said no, I don’t even know who I am. I often participate in review events, including those held by the Press and Publication Administration, but the most fun thing is telling stories, like I just did, with children. (Photos shown) This is in a bookstore, this is in an elementary school, and this is telling stories with elderly people at a children’s literature seminar. The first one is Mr. Jiang Feng, who is over 80 years old. Mr. Jiang also finds picture books very enjoyable. I didn’t plan to share a book with you today, but it’s truly fascinating. It’s called “People of Color.” This is playing with children at the train station. We often can’t find a seat. What do we do? It’s simple: buy a local newspaper for one yuan, spread it on the floor, and sit down to read. Reading is such a relaxing, enjoyable, and comfortable thing. This is in the library, this is in the classroom, and this is at the New Citizen School, a school for children of migrant workers.
This is a photo of my daughter when she was over four years old. Hongniba was born shortly after she was born. One day she proudly told me that she was born at the end of 1999 and she was half a year older than Hongniba.
I really like this place and recommend it to everyone. It’s in Hangzhou, but people who go there don’t necessarily go. It’s called Yunqi Bamboo Path. The whole way there, she was reading this book. It was read to her, not by herself, of course. It was all in traditional Chinese characters, so how could a four-year-old understand? — A tortoise somersaulted on the ground and transformed into a dark, ugly monk. Self-confident about his abilities, he named himself Fahai. Monk Fahai traveled extensively and, when he arrived in Zhenjiang, he saw the magnificent Yangtze River, the majestic Jin and Jiao Mountains, and the grand and solemn Jinshan Temple. He thought it was a truly wonderful place.
I was tired of reading to her, but when she was over 4 years old, she could memorize the entire book, both volumes, and read it over and over again when she liked the part. I think children aged 2–5 have this very special talent, which is the ability to absorb language.
This is the Lei Feng Pagoda, such a beautiful place, a paradise. When you read to her, she enjoys it and becomes immersed in it. How can you help children fall in love with reading? How can you achieve the best results for children? It doesn’t necessarily require a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6… reading routine. Instead, let her enjoy the process while immersing herself in the most beautiful memories. With such a wonderful process, she will surely love reading and become an excellent reader.
Let’s first discuss a few issues with children’s reading. Today, we’re focusing on communication. I’ve seen a lot of messages from mothers online, and I’ve picked out some of the more unique ones to share with you. These mothers are very interesting: their four-year-old child rarely reads on his own; some children prefer looking at pictures rather than words; others, after reading, don’t stick to the book but make up their own, and so on. Each situation is different. Which one is considered normal? In fact, I think they are all very normal. Of course, I can fully understand that as a parent, you sometimes feel anxious, especially when you see other children doing the same thing, and your child is still the same. No one can bear it. But don’t you think that if your child is the same, and other children are still the same, they can’t bear it either.
Every child is different. Personality is what it is. Some children constantly retell stories, speaking fluently, while others can barely manage a single word. Still others are particularly unique. After a long discussion about water, they only manage to say “flow.” This is perfectly normal. Children who can memorize and recite a story word for word may develop the ability to retell it in the future, perhaps becoming actors. Some, after receiving a story from someone else, insist on rewriting it to make it sound just right. This is the gift of a novelist. Others, after finishing a 20,000-word novel, can only manage to say one word: flow. Philosophers. Some, while not necessarily particularly talented, may be diplomats, offering books for exchange.
It’s okay. These reactions are perfectly normal. It’s almost impossible to find a 14-year-old who doesn’t know how to read, let alone a 4‑year-old. But how many of them truly love reading? How many of them can truly appreciate words and pictures? You need to look at the age, not just the 4- or 5‑year-olds. By then, everyone will recognize words. The key is that everyone’s personality and interests are different, so diversity and personalization are crucial.
Regarding topics like how to read well, my experience is in book selection. Children have different personalities, so there’s really no best book; it’s simply a matter of suitability. I only choose books that fit my needs, like “I Don’t Know Who I Am,” which I find particularly appealing. The same goes for children. We understand them and the books themselves, and it’s best to choose the right book for the right child at the right time.
What is the best way to read?
During the discussion, I heard several voices. One said that “Beige Obsession” was so happy, and people gave them a bunch of Giving Tree series and Synergy World Select picture books. Another said that the handwriting in the book was not very good, and that they could edit the language. Actually, that was also possible. There is no fixed way to read picture books, but for especially classic picture books, the Chinese translations have already fully taken into account the reading and listening skills of children of appropriate ages. Reading according to the book may have the best effect. Of course, I dare not say that all books can do this. Some books are very good, and the target age is 4 or 5 years old, but if your child is 1 or 2 years old, he will certainly not be able to listen if you read to him according to the book.
(Unfinished)
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Lecture transcript part 2
Lecture Records Part 3point
