Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
Through this beautiful story, the reader truly feels the emotions of 12-year-old
Douglas Spaulding during a very profound summer. If this book were a movie, the
camera angles would mimic The Florida
Project movie---low to the ground, the camera shooting from a child’s eye
level. This book almost physically causes you to bend your knees and look at
the world from the perspective of a boy who has just discovered he is alive.
Douglas’ outward behavior may appear puzzling and irritating
at times, but he has elaborate, specific (childlike) reasons for his actions
and he needs the kindness and understanding from people who can patiently sense
what he is feeling. I still remember how gently Doug’s father responded to his
sensitive, emotional son who appeared to have stolen the arcade witch. My first
tendency would be to pronounce judgment on the child’s actions, but Doug had a
whole list of reasons why he felt he needed to take the witch, and he needed
someone to withhold judgment and respond with gentle questions and warm
empathy.
I realized that I had forgotten how much one feels and notices as a child. This book
gently taught me to empathize with children, reminded me to withhold my snap
“adult” judgments, and invited me to notice, wonder, and to feel.
When one of my dearest friends gave birth to her first child,
a son, I sent her this book. I can’t think of a better gift to give a parent,
teacher, or anyone who works with children. I need to read it again.
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