Comments on: Happy Being Me: Suki’s Kimono

By: Criticism, Confidence and Caring: A Very Unusual Dog

Criticism, Confidence and Caring: A Very Unusual Dog — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:53:14 +0000

[…] Suki’s Kimono […]

By: Katie

Katie — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 01:30:57 +0000

Our daughter who will be three in January adores this book. We read it every night at bedtime. She knows the first three pages by heart and many phrases through out the book. The story line has introduced events, locations, and characters we would not have run into any other way. We now discuss what street festivals are and ones we would like to attend, what kind of bathrooms are availble at street festivals, whether the paper lanterns are drawings of thunder, that calling someone a bat would not be nice to do, Mrs. Paggio would be a fabulous teacher, is that a hat, hair or a wig on Mrs. Paggio’s head, just to name a few.
On first reading our daughter was extremly distressed to see the girls walking to school by themselves.

It is not a favorite but the favorite! Suki’s hairstyle has been seen spotted around our house almost daily for the past few weeks.

What a fortunate discovery at the library! We hope for others from the author.

By: Charlene Hubbard

Charlene Hubbard — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 19:52:00 +0000

I was attracted to this title because in the Embassy Adoption Program we have the country of Japan, but lo and behold it is another book right up my alley, self identity and an unapologetic freedom in being yourself. I would love to see the illustrations because of the discussion of body language drawn by the illustrator to relay either acceptance or rejection by those in Suki’s classroom. Their discussion of the teacher caused me to do a quick check on how inviting am I to student individuality. The teacher in this book visibly showed her position by not only the way she was dressed but in her interaction with the little girl.

By: Just One More Book!!

Just One More Book!! — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 01:46:21 +0000

Donald,

That’s a great story. It’s as though Suki’s Kimono was written for your daughter.

Until you mentioned it, I’d never noticed that Suki didn’t have her umbrella on her way home. What attention to detail.

Thanks for listening and for adding to the conversation,
Andrea

By: Donald Seeley

Donald Seeley — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 00:25:52 +0000

My 5yo daughter loved the book. Her grandma bought it for her birthday this fall because I had brought back a child’s kimono for her on my last trip to Tokyo. She had volunteered (from the audience) to participate in a Japanese circle dance this summer at the Chicago area Japanese Festival. It made it very easy for her to “put herself into the story”. She’s a bit of a ham, so the idea of everyone applauding is right up her alley.

Her first comment when we read the book? “Daddy, Suki forgot her umbrella at school!”

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 17:04:50 +0000

Here’s a thought. I haven’t read this one yet, but its possible from what I heard on the show that the authors were using hyperbole to show that people generally come to accept people who stick to who they are. It may have been illustrated in an exaggerated way, but its an important message, especially when the subject of the story has spent the entire story fending off nay-sayers.

I think its important that children learn that there are positive effects at the end. Yes, its important that they learn to stand up for who they are and what they believe, but its just as important to know that by doing so, you can affect change in the world around you. If Suki had come through the entire story without a positive ending, then it would have taught the readers about the importance of being who you are, but might also have left the impression that by doing so, you put yourself in a position outside of the ability to have friends and relationships.

My two cents. Talk to you soon!

Chris
http://www.answers-for-freelancers.com/