“- I liked this book because it’s funny and has lots of mystery and thrills.”
“- I enjoyed the book because it teaches us a lesson that we can never give up on our dreams.”
“- I learned that no matter where we go, there’s always something to learn and carry with us for the rest of our lives.”
“I liked it because it brought some action during this quarantine, while everyone is locked inside”
(laughter from all of the children).
Overflowing with ideas in a fun and enriching moment of sharing feelings and opinions: that was how Year 3 talked about their reading of the book “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane” by Kate Dicamillo.
Introduced by teacher Idalize Maeda, the book tells the story of Edward, a rabbit who belonged to a girl and was very loved and happy until the day he is lost and forced to go through different hands and situations that, despite challenging, create an opportunity for deep learning.
Teacher Ida – who is very passionate about literature and has been studying this subject extensively in recent years – believes that reading is essential to develop the autonomy of individuals living in society. “Literature has the ability to expand our consciousness. Those who don’t read are bound to the ideas of those who read; so, this practice is very closely related to autonomy. A person can read different authors and texts and apply all of their wisdom in their own lives. A good reader knows how to use texts in favor of their own development.”
During the online class period, the teacher selected three books for the Year 3 class, two of which they have already read. She chose the books based on criteria that she believes are extremely important. “These are books that somehow relate to our current situation and are open to different interpretations. In my opinion, a good book has to allow different interpretations and address a wide range of subjects.
“The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane”, for example, tells the story of a character who lived a comfortable life until suddenly his life turns upside down. It’s easy to see how some of the children could relate to Edward’s experience of having his life changed completely, based on their own experience during the quarantine. “Despite going through very tough times, the rabbit knew everything would end well. He never gave up hope. That is exactly what the book is all about, and we can clearly see the children associating the story to these troubled times we’re all going through right now. It’s also a time where we are lonely, craving human relations and being affected by others. This book talks about human relations; about how others deeply impact our lives and how we impact theirs. A literature that speaks of “affecting and being affected” is very modern. The children really liked it and said they learned a lot from this character.”
The teacher underlines the importance of sharing reading perceptions with others. “Whenever we finish a book, each child shares their interpretation with everyone else. This is a constant practice, because I deeply believe in the role of literature related to the role of listening. When I read a book and have a certain take on it, I talk to someone else about the book and find out they have a different interpretation. By sharing our experiences we are able to build something new, which would otherwise be impossible if I had kept it all to myself. Talking about books is reading them all over again; talking about books with others is all about creating something new.”
Ida adds that discussing and sharing different interpretations is also important to develop in the children the willingness to accept and appreciate others’ opinions. “Even if my friend’s interpretation is different than my own, I can always be open to listen. Promoting the ability to listen and establishing new meanings with others is a crucial role of listening, which can be achieved through reading. I think that in today’s world we really need to listen and learn from others. That is why we always have this conversation after reading a book, where each child can share their opinion and we can work together to build something new.”
Besides “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane”, the children from Year 3 recently read “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” by Liev Tolstoi. “It’s the story of a very greedy man who wanted lots of lands and who gets caught up in a huge conundrum because of his greed. The book suggests the moral that we don’t need much to live. Despite being old, its philosophy speaks to modern times, now that we’re rethinking what we really need, reflecting upon the accumulation of wealth and riches, and how this interferes with and impacts nature,” said Ida.
The next book on the list is “Luna Clara e Apolo Onze”, by author Adriana Falcão. But we’ll wrap up our story here to make sure there are no spoilers. After all, there’s nothing quite like opening a brand new book and diving into the mystery and curiosity of learning more with each page!
Enjoy!
