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The editor insisted on inviting me to write a few words for “What to Do When You Grow Up,” which is included in the “Golden Children’s Books Famous Writers’ Selection.” I read this lovely picture book carefully and couldn’t help but smile. I guess I guessed the editor’s intention, because this book really seems to be written for fathers like me.
Who exactly are these “dads like me”? Simply put, they’re people who view being a father as a career. Just like the little bunny in this book, when his father raises the question, “What will my baby be when he grows up?” the whole family offers suggestions and guesses. And what a large family! Besides mom and dad, there are brothers, sisters, grandpa, grandma, uncles, aunts, cousins… Their guesses range from police officers, clowns, cowboys, pilots, firefighters, train drivers, animal trainers, candy store owners, pediatricians, farmers, and so on—literally, everything. If the family were larger, they’d probably list all 360 professions. But the little bunny has his own ideas. In his mind, even the most exciting professions pale in comparison to his ideal—being a good dad!
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Obviously, “dads like me” are no longer bunny boys, but rather burly men with some success in their chosen professions. So why do they empathize with this bunny boy? The reason is simple: it’s the way it should be. Being a good father doesn’t conflict with one’s profession, but as a human endeavor, being a good father is incredibly important and should be a required course for every man’s development. This is the message that the creators, the Scarrys, attempt to convey in “What to Do When You Grow Up.”
“Golden Books” is a super-selling brand of American children’s book illustrator Richard Scarry. This short book, first published in 1955, is one of his early works and the product of a close collaboration with his wife, Patsy. Scarry was born in 1919. His childhood and adolescence coincided with the Great Depression, but this seemed to have no impact on his development. He had a very happy family. His parents owned a store and were both devoted to their children, creating a relaxed atmosphere. Raised in an atmosphere of love, care, and respect, Scarry infused these values into his picture books. His son, Richard Scarry Jr., also grew up to become a picture book illustrator.
The post-Great Depression era in the United States last century also marked a golden age for American children’s literature and education. When overheated people cooled down, they perhaps came to realize that life’s happiness wasn’t simply tied to economic prosperity, and that excessive material desires only led to restlessness and confusion. Roland Wilder’s “Little House on the Prairie” series was published during this period. Its depictions of pioneer family life on the prairie delighted children and prompted profound reflection among adults. Between the 1940s and 1960s, the United States experienced a baby boom, with over 70 million babies born, accounting for approximately one-third of the U.S. population. Naturally, the “golden books” published during this era, with their clear and concise narratives and heartwarming illustrations, which extol the joys of happy and fulfilling family life, were immensely popular. Today, in 21st-century China, we reread these works and find them equally insightful.
I often hear people say that the greatest strength of classic foreign children’s books is that they contain little or no preaching. I don’t think that’s necessarily true. This book, “What to Do When You Grow Up,” has quite a few didactic elements. For example, the story features various family members, teaching children to distinguish between family members. Furthermore, the story not only teaches young readers about the various professions, but also about treating everyone equally, regardless of status. It even outlines several requirements for being a good father:
1. Feed the babies and don’t let them go hungry;
2. You should enjoy playing games with your children;
3. Give children gifts on their birthdays;
4. Tell them stories before going to bed every day;
5. When it’s time to go to bed, carry the children to bed.
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Look how specific these requirements are! They’re all just sermons, but they’re said in an interesting and fun way. No one will refuse a fun sermon.
As the creator, Scarry simply wants to tell adult readers this truth through such stories: educating children is fundamentally about cultivating a sense of happiness, and creating a happy and harmonious family atmosphere may itself be the most perfect education.
This kind of preaching resonates with me.
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