Gulliver and Ramona

One of the classes I'm teaching this year is one where I introduce a novel, give a plot outline, and then just read. I came up with this format first because I enjoy reading books out loud, and second, because I firmly believe hearing good literature is one of the best educational tools there is. By reading the first couple of chapters, students will get a feel for the book, and hopefully become engrossed enough in the story to pursue reading it on their own. 

Today's book was Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift. As I was reading, I couldn't help but think about the Ramona books by Beverly Clearly. This isn't as random a leap as it would seem. 

Ramona is one of my favorite characters in children's literature. Beverly Clearly nailed what it is like to be a child. As a parent reading them, you can both remember what it was to be that age,  it also commiserate with the adults who populated Ramona's world. 

I'm not sure which book it is, but I'm pretty sure it's the one where Ramona is in kindergarten. The teacher is reading Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel (also a popular title here), and tells his Mike and his steam shovel, Mary Ann, can dig the basement of the new town hall in a day. Ramona interrupts the teacher to ask where Mike Mulligan went to the bathroom. A question that immediately piqued the interest of the other kindergartens. Ramona points out that stories often leave out important details like this.

Ramona would have loved Gulliver's Travels if the teacher had chosen to read it instead. After Gulliver ends up the captive of the Lilliputian, there are two different parts where he describes both needing to pee and have a bowel movement. You know, I don't remember any of the children's movie versions of the book including these details. It's not graphic, but Swift also leaves the reader in no doubt about what is going on. And even without detail, actually paints a rather vivid picture. 

Which is why I found myself thinking about Ramona today. Because who doesn't love to be caught off guard reading about bodily functions out loud to a group of teens? 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Making bias tape... otherwise known as the Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway

Image
( Sorry, the contest is now closed .... though you're welcome to leave a comment if you like.) [This picture has absolutely nothing to do with this post, but is here solely to give Blogger a different photo to post in the thumbnail.] It's Sew, Mama, Sew Giveaway time again.  I love bias tape.  It is so useful and so easy to use... finishing edges ... finishing seams ...  And while the pre-packaged stuff has it's place and I use it often, I really like to have patterned bias tape as well.  Enter one of my favorite little tools: the bias tape maker.  This one make 3/4 inch bias tape and I will be giving one away at the end of this post.  But first, I thought some of you might like to see what it does if you've never used one before. I don't have a rotary cutter, nice cutting mats, or even a proper cutting table (I cut-out things on my floor), so if I can do this, so can you.  Here is my admittedly quirky method. Step 1:  Lay out the fabric and fold a corner ove
Read more

An uncomfortable post

I hope it comes as no surprise to my readers that when I vote early next week I will be casting my ballot for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Being in a blue state this feels as though it is a very little thing in the effort to bring our country back past the brink of no return . I'll be honest and say that I am feeling such stress and fear about this election that I can't listen to any news or look at social media for very long. The radio is pretty firmly set on our classical music station even though they are in the middle of a pledge drive. The pledge drive is preferable.  But for those of you who are supporting the other side, if there are any of you left who continue to visit my blog, here is what I need to say. When I drive around and see signs in people's yards supporting that man, I treat it as an early warning system. The people who live in this house are not safe for my family to be around. This is far more than a difference of opinion. That worked for all the preside
Read more

Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway

Image
Sew, Mama, Sew! is hosting another giveaway day , the day where many bloggers giveaway things they have made or supplies to make things or both.  It is great fun to visit a lot of blogs and try to win cool stuff.  So fun that I thought I would participate this year. I had great hopes of making a set of coordinating mother/daughter aprons.  But reality reared its ugly head and I came to terms with the fact that my time is not limitless.Instead of aprons,  I must continue to spend quality time with yards and yards of red plaid flannel.  What am I making?  Well, as I tell my children, it is the season not to ask questions... I will be able to let you know sometime after the 25th. Instead of making something, I went to my favorite thrift store and found some supplies in the form of sheets and pillowcases (some of my favorite raw material).  I'm giving away three pillowcases and one twin flat sheet. I decided to go with bright, springy colors, because if you are anything like
Read more