http://landaishu.zhongwenlink.com/home/upload20083/201167205415263.jpg
What are you doing?
Are you reading?
I like to read. (I like to read.)
Do you want to hear me read? (Do you want to hear me read?)
Now what are you doing?
Writing?
I like to write.
Do you want to see me write?
…
Reading the above text, you might think you’re learning English. How could you imagine it coming from an excellent children’s literature book? Such text doesn’t seem literary at all.
However, this is indeed from an excellent picture book, “A Super Friend,” which competed for the Caldecott Medal when it was published. Although it lost, it did win an honorary Dr. Seuss Medal, commonly known as the Silver Medal. Therefore, we need to re-examine the text through the lens of picture books and the images.
http://landaishu.zhongwenlink.com/home/upload20083/201167205136750.jpg
There are two characters in the painting: a bear and a goose. The bear lies on the ground, quietly reading a book, while the goose happily scampers towards him, stepping over his body. The goose knowingly asks, “Are you reading?” and then snatches the book away to begin reading. The bear stops reading and turns his back to writing, but the goose again approaches, asking, “Are you writing?” and then snatches the book away to begin writing… and so the story unfolds.
http://landaishu.zhongwenlink.com/home/upload20083/201167205459848.jpg
http://landaishu.zhongwenlink.com/home/upload20083/201167205524219.jpg
http://landaishu.zhongwenlink.com/home/upload20083/201167205555835.jpg
Combined with the visuals, the story introduces two characters with strikingly distinct and symmetrical personalities: the bear, enormous, somewhat clumsy, and quiet-loving, full of grievances but too lazy to express them, preferring to sulk on his own; and the goose, relatively small, with exaggerated movements, a lover of bustle and activity, unable to hold back, and a penchant for chattering nonstop. How could two such creatures possibly get along? Yet, as we read on, through the deft handling of their contradictions, they unexpectedly become close friends, each calling the other a “superb friend.” Upon closer inspection, while unexpected, it also makes sense. This is the literary richness of the work.
http://landaishu.zhongwenlink.com/home/upload20083/201167205631546.jpg
The author and artist Suzanne’s storytelling is ingenious and admirable. After reading the story, we not only found it quite plausible but also deeply amusing, enriching both adults and children. For example, from an adult’s perspective, the story of the goose and the bear may well remind us of people around us, even ourselves. The anecdote between the goose and the bear, and their ultimate relationship, offers valuable insights, reminding us to be adept at and courageously express our emotions, so as to connect harmoniously with our peers. I cited this story in my book, Helping Children Fall in Love with Reading, as a brilliant example of interpersonal communication.
But then again, the brilliance of this picture book does not diminish its value in language learning. Instead, it has become an excellent introductory reading material for English. The Dr. Seuss Award was established to reward children’s books of this type.
Both the Dr. Seuss Award and the Caldecott Medal are awarded by the American Library Association. The Caldecott Medal is older, having been established in 1937. Chinese picture book enthusiasts are well aware that it focuses on children’s book illustrations and is typically given to picture book illustrators. According to participants’ explanation of the 2006 Caldecott Medal selection process, “A Super Friend” was not selected for the award primarily due to a flaw in the image. On the fourth-to-last folio, the artist had somehow colored the bear’s eyes blue, a detail that didn’t match the preceding image! This detail demonstrates the strict criteria for the Caldecott Medal.
http://landaishu.zhongwenlink.com/home/upload20083/201167212414611.jpg
Why did the painter forget to add the eyes to the bear on this page?
The Dr. Seuss Award was established in 2004 and was first awarded in 2006. This award is specifically given to children’s books that are particularly helpful for beginning English readers. The content and format requirements are as follows: the subject matter must be engaging; the content may or may not be divided into chapters; the introduction of new vocabulary should be slow to maintain children’s reading enthusiasm; word repetition should be frequent to facilitate retention; sentences should be simple and clear; the book must have at least 24 pages but no more than 96; the illustrations must facilitate comprehension of the story; the book must provide a successful reading experience from beginning to end; and the plot development should create a dynamic effect as the pages turn. In short, this award primarily focuses on the enthusiasm of beginning children to read and emphasizes language learning, while also examining the work’s inherent value. Works that receive the Dr. Seuss Award are often excellent children’s English learning materials that children can read independently with simple adult guidance. Therefore, I recommend that when translating and importing children’s books that have won this award, it is best to retain the original English language.
So, how were the aforementioned award criteria determined? In fact, these so-called criteria are almost entirely pre-existing, arguably drawn from the characteristics of Dr. Seuss’s works. This renowned American children’s book master rose to fame in the mid-20th century. He wrote and illustrated numerous picture books, most notably “Green Eggs and Ham” and “The Cat in the Top Hat.” His illustrations and text evoke a sense of madcap madness and laughter, always making people laugh. Although his stories often seem absurd, children are captivated by them, and even adults with a more reserved disposition enjoy them quite a bit. But what surprises many adults even more is that Dr. Seuss’s works are incredibly easy for children to read on their own, and the vocabulary is carefully designed to be highly suitable for children’s English learning. Later, the US Department of Education even designated Dr. Seuss’s books as supplementary reading materials for English language learning. Over half a century later, despite his passing, Dr. Seuss’s reputation in the United States remains unwavering. The official White House website lists him as one of the representatives of America’s children’s literature dream team. During the 2010 Easter celebration, President Obama read “Green Eggs and Ham” to adults and children on the White House lawn.
Dr. Seuss has had a profound influence on the American children’s book world. Besides his own creations, as a children’s book editor, he personally nurtured many outstanding children’s books by others, including the super-seller “Baby Bear” series. The creators of Baby Bear, Mr. and Mrs. Bodin, recalling their early days writing and editing, remarked with deep emotion that Dr. Seuss approached their playful children’s stories with the same rigorous approach as he would a great literary classic! Indeed, this spirit and attitude are Dr. Seuss’s most precious gift to the world. In Dr. Seuss’s view, children, no matter how young, have the same needs as adults: they need to laugh, to be challenged, to be entertained, and to be happy!
It is probably best to let children learn through highly entertaining literature.
