by Helen Bannerman
(Original Review, 1981-01-07)Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, anyone?The whole notion of "tainted classics" gives me the creeps. "Tainted?" Sez who? But changing them to make them more PC is even creepier. Read on...This is a true story, although it's hard to believe. In the 1980's I was perusing the selec...
Gorgeous illustrations. Historical Racist Connotation. This book tries to "correct" the damage done by the American racist version of Little Black Sambo. I learned from the back notes the whole historical aspect and how society (with the help of a lot of people before my time) helped turn a beautifu...
I tried to read this book in school when I was very small. It was violently seized from my hand and I was given a very severe corporal punishment by the principal for having a copy of this very charming tale. I believe my torture was worth it. I would happily go through it again for such an amazi...
Three Cautionary Tales About EtymologyWhen you work with language, you soon learn to be sceptical about apparently obvious explanations for where words come from. I was reminded of this fact earlier today. In the shower, I had what I fondly believed to be a minor eureka moment concerning the origin ...
As a kid I loved this book, and I had no idea that it was racist in tone. But that was back in the 50s. I think the tone is a result of how a parent reads the story to the child. In addition, it is how a child is raised that teaches or does not teach racist values.
On many levels, this isn't my favorite version, I prefer Sam and the Tigers: A Retelling of 'Little Black Sambo'. the most interesting thing about this book is that other people seem to believe it has long since gone out of print due to publisher's concerns about racism.
As an adult, I understand that this is a very hot button book.However, I remember loving the book as a child, wishing that I could be as clever as Sambo and go on the kinds of adventures that he did.So, I am rating this book based on my love of the story as a child and the way that it affected how I...
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