
I Will Not Wear Pink by Joyce Dunbar
ABOUT THE BOOK
RaisingMom.ca Rating: 2.5 out of 5 Stars
From the Publisher:
“When Plunkett the pig gets an invitation from Priscilla Pig he is excited, until he sees the dress code: WEAR PINK. Plunkett sets out for the party adorned in the pink outfit Priscilla has sent him, but very soon flings away the prescribed party gear in favor of his own favorite colour – his own skin, which also happens to be pink! A glorious romp in celebration of personal freedom and choice.”
My Experience:
My almost 3 yo was engaged as I read it to her, though she asked a lot about some of the words she did not understand. It was a great opportunity to introduce the concept of local idiom and talk about other countries. She tracked along with the story, but did not fall in love with it, and did not ask for it to be immediately read again (a sign of a favourite!). The message of the book (personal freedom, choice, and self-esteem) was not immediately apparent to her, but with some coaching, she seemed to understand. It is best suited for kids 3+.
Why/How Use it with kids:
- discussion of things that the child likes best about themselves or what makes them feel special (appearance, character traits)
- introduction of self-concept and self-esteem and why it is important to be true to yourself
- exploration of a favourite colour
- design an invitation to a celebration that features the special colour
- design an outfit using that colour for party guests to wear
About the Author/Illustrator:
Joyce Dunbar grew up in an industrial town in Lincolnshire and currently lives in Norwich, in Norfolk, UK. She began to go deaf at the age of five. After school, she got a degree and trained to be a teacher. She was told she was too deaf to teach the deaf, so she taught Shakespeare to the hearing for 20 years instead. Joyce has written more than eighty books, which have been translated into 20 languages. Some of her favourite things are animals, gardening, art, theatre, cinema, reading, walking, cycling, and gazing out of the window.
Polly Dunbar (the author’s daughter) was born in the Cotswolds and grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon. She completed a foundation course at Norwich School of Art and then went on to do a degree in illustration at Brighton University. She is co-founder of Long Nose Puppets, an award winning theatre company. Polly lives in Brighton with her partner and their little boy.
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