Why Read the Bargfrosh Boy? Because...
Once upon a time as a small child, fearful of just about everything, we all had to make the decision to take a chance and explore the unknown. Not many can recall that very first venture, but every one of us has crossed that threshold. When we try to help young children find their own ability to explore the unknown, trust fate, stand firm in their own feet, and confidently move forward, we often struggle for the right words to help them. We need struggle no more. The Bargfrosh Boy perfectly illustrates the path toward confidence and trusting ones own abilities to seek, search, and survive.
The Bargfrosh Boy is a beautifully written children's story with brightly colored pages of exquisite artwork depicting the venture of someone quite small who embarks upon a very large adventure into the unknown. Its classic literary theme of flexing one's fortitude invites a dialogue between adult reader and child that is specific enough to address the fears of a strange noise or of the dark, yet broad enough to encompass all of a child's much deeper and more serious survivable fears. These little listeners, as well as the children old enough to read The Bargfrosh Boy on their own, will be drawn into an adventure that will enable them to associate cause and effect, identify the disparity between fact and assumption, assess both the danger and strength of their own curiosity, recognize the comfort and appreciate the necessity of having, or creating, a soft and safe retreat from which they gather the essential energy to survive whatever comes tomorrow, and they will be given a deep-thinker attitude regarding new and possibly fearful situations. They will come to understand, as does the Bargfrosh Boy, that they already have within them the ability not only to function in spite of fear, but to learn and grow from past experience, and to enjoy a meaningful and enlightening life by looking forward to the discovery of the next possible adventure. Once upon a time, we all had to make a decision to explore the unknown. The Bargfrosh Boy offers a wonderful insight for children aged two to one hundred and thereby is an equal opportunity gift of one size fits all --- for any who wish to live happily ever after. Submitted by M. Miller, retired teacher. |
Instructional Coordinator of Language Arts Recommends Teaching with Bargfrosh Boy Book
Kerin Mcclure is the Instructional Coordinator of Language Arts in St. Vrain Valley Schools in Colorado. She writes: "Teachers receiving The Bargfrosh Boy book are a lucky bunch! One thing that really struck me (besides just being totally delighted by the story) was what a beautiful example this is of a complex text that is accessible to students. In this phase of implementing the CCSS/CAS [Common Core State Standards/Colorado Academic Standards], we are working hard to make sure that our students are exposed to text that is appropriately complex for the grade level. With its multiple layers of meaning, use of playful language and characters that are seemingly simple, but provide depth, this [The Bargfrosh Boy Book] is a great mentor text for students of any age! I can't wait to start using it as a model text with teachers. The fact that it will be engaging for our boy readers is icing on the cake. It also reminded me of the way Dr. Seuss weaves in those big human truths in stories like Horton and the Lorax."
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