Happy Ever Afters - disability awareness in children's storybooks - based on the book Happy Ever Afters.
DICSEY Example - a picture book for older readers
Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne
1998 Doubleday ISBN 0-385-40858-7 Designed by Ian Butterworth
This superb picture book for older readers is a masterpiece of imagery both in illustration and text. Its profound symbolism will repay close examination. Anthony Browne's ape characters tell of four different perspectives to visiting a park. Opposites of social status, gender, attitude and mood are highlighted by use of colour, shadow, shape and subtle changes between different pages of the same scene and their backgrounds.
Among many other topics, this book shows Image as the main DICSEY element, but Disability, Control, Society, Enable and Young carers are also relevant. The use of image in creating attitudes could be explored. The apes behave like humans with the children being drawn into, but still able to make decisions independent of the adults who are trapped in their appearence based experiences and expectations.
A well-to-do lady and her son meet an out-of-work man and his daughter.
Question: Why is neither adult working? Answer: The woman's clothes and house are represented as wealthy, the man's as utilitarian. He is portrayed as dispirited but open to suggestion. Her remarks and facial expressions suggest she is proud and exclusive, effectively disabled by her expectations, unable to relax when in the park. She has the image of a person with independent money. He might have an invisible disability, a medical condition which prevents him working, but there could be other reasons why he cannot get a job that suits him and he is not in control. He is disabled by not having a job, whether or not he has a medical condition as well. Society's response to uneven distribution of money could be discussed.
The park is open to all.
Question: What effects does open space have on most people's moods? Answer: If it is suitably managed by society, open space reduces stress, provides fresh air and enables freedom of movement. Question: What features can enable disabled people to use open spaces like everyone else? Answer: smooth reasonably non-slip paths, wide and flat enough for wheelchairs, some scented plants and raised flower beds, safe play areas for children with suitable equipment, adequate well spaced and securely fastened seats, accessible toilets, reasonably close car parking and public transport access, active litter and animal waste management.
The man and woman both live with their children.
Question: What caring relationships are there and how do they work? Answer: The man provides for his daughter in frugal physical conditions, but is able to allow her freedom to explore emotionally within supervision. She helps to raise his spirits, making him a nice cup of tea, a symbol of life being satisfactory. The woman provides for the boy physically but is unable to extend this to emotional growth, and they return home across a barrier of rough sea. The children care for each other, initially with reserve but then discovering their common play preferences.
Above all, let children enjoy the book!
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© K. Saunders 2000/2001