Every Once In A While...

Every once in a while a wonderful book crosses my path that explains complex concepts with ease.

During our cultural study with Mother Goose Time's, "It's a Small World" we are observing peoples, traditions, foods, and clothes of different cultures around the world. It is giving us lots of opportunity to discuss what makes us similar and unique!

"What If The Zebras Lost Their Stripes," by John Reitano deals with the topic of racism with childlike innocence.  One of the things I LOVE about small children is that they don't even know to notice skin tone as something that makes them different from another anyway. They will excitedly relay to us how "My fwiend and me look JUST alike, Ms. Donna!!" because they are both in ponytails or they both have pink shoes.  Small children only "hate" when someone takes their favorite doll or gets to "their" swing first.  "I HATE 'dem, Ms. Donna!"  to which we are able to reply, "You may be upset that you someone took your toy, but let's work together to fix it!" 

Children readily see past the surface and take note of acts of kindness, smiles, and silly moments shared.

When a child does point out someone in a book with features or tones that they consider different than themselves, we discuss it. We then move to the things we have in common with different cultures; because you know what???

If we spend too much time focusing on things that make us different, we fail to see all the unique beauty we each possess that draws us closer to one another.  If we can draw any universal truth from history, it is that we are all in this together.  And THAT is a concept worth teaching.

While searching for new books at a local outlet I came across what, at first glance, was a book about Zebras. 

"Perfect!" I thought as I quickly scooped it into my basket thinking I found a book about African animals.  It was SO much more!  "What If Zebra's Lost Their Stripes," by John Reitano easily explains to my students how silly it is to decide if we like someone by shades of light and dark of a meek shell that embraces the soul.

"What if Zebras lost their stripes, and some lost black and some lost white?  Would they think that it's all right, or would Zebras start to fight?"

The poignant message of this sweet book with beautiful illustrations by William Haines,  and great rhyme and meter, is that the color of their fur is not their doing as it asks "What if they lost their stripes?"  

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"Teach only love, for that is what you are."
​Dr. Becky Bailey

Could you even imagine teaching children anything but love?

"What If Zebras Lost Their Stripes." by John Reitano

By the end we see that Zebras would be far too smart to let their colors "tear them apart!"  

I love CommonWorld's review of this book as they state, "If the zebras lost their stripes and became different from one another, some white and some black, would they turn and fight each other and stop living life as loving friends? 

Very little in today's market addresses issues of racism for children with the rare combination of sensitivity and humor captured in this book. Without being defensive or heavy-handed, this book raises the kind of innocent questions any child might ask then answers those questions in simple, life-affirming ways. Both entertaining and eye-opening, the book allows all readers-young and old alike-to imagine the possibilities of a world without prejudice." - https://www.commonword.ca/ResourceView/2/8790

This literary jewel perfectly illustrates with ease a valuable lesson in seeing people beyond their colors, past their fur, and into their hearts.  

This is one we will be reading for a VERY long time to come.  And for the record, I do NOT receive any funds from reviewing or linking to this book, I simply think it is fantastic...

As always, I wish you well and I hope you get to play today!

-L

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