Monday, September 22, 2008

Pleasant to contemplate

With all the bad news in the newspapers this morning, it's pleasant to read a N.Y. Times review of the Babar exhibit at the Morgan Library in New York. The story of Babar and the unforgettable pictures of the ungainly elephant linger in the minds of many adults and still bring pleasure to children. Even though the books have been criticized for their simplistic picture of the benefits of bringing civilization to undeveloped societies, there is something charming about the story. Just as Babar has to learn to cope with the rules of society, so do children have to adapt to rules at school and at home. Something is lost as well as gained in the process. It's too bad this exhibit will not travel to other cities, but many libraries will no doubt purchase the catalog and thus allow those of us far from the East Coast to see how Babar came to life.

No comments:

Post a Comment