Araboolies of Liberty Street

Rating:
Summary: Dangerous and Irresponsible!
Review: An Army general rules his neighborhood, enforcing order and quiet. When a family moves in that doesn't conform, he calls in the Army, which sends in hundreds of men and bombs and helicopters and which ultimately, tears out a house and a family is never heard from again. Awful, stupid and ignorant nonsense, particularly during a time when our armed services are defending the rights of all individuals. The book is simplistic, full of guile, disingenous with pretty illustrations and seemingly good messages. One of the worst books ever marketed to children -- what were the publishers thinking?

Rating:
Summary: Araboolies of Liberty Street
Review: I hope this book goes back in print because it is a good book to teach tolerance of cultural differences. The Araboolies are a colorful people who like to have fun. Yes they do shake up the neighborhood and push limits of conservative decorum, but they represent the change in our communities to more multicultural neighbors. Fun illustrations and a good story!

Rating:
Summary: This book is an excellent resource to study diversity.
Review: I recently had the opportunity to hear Sam Swope read his book to a room full of children and their parents and everyone loved it! This thoughtful book should be required reading in every grammer school in America. Mr. Swope proves that teaching tolerance can be fun!

Rating:
Summary: The Araboolies
Review: I thought this book was a good influence to kids because it teaches them it's the person on the inside, not the person on the outside, that makes them who they are.

Rating:
Summary: What fun!
Review: Mr. Pinch kept the neighborhood children inside their quiet homes with a threat and bullhorn. "I'll call in the army!" he bellowed when anyone got out of line.

Until the Araboolies moved in, that is. Armed with elephants, walruses and barumpusses, this colorful family moved into the backyard in a giant bed while the animals had their way inside. They painted the house in red zebra stripes and when Mr. Pinch made his threats, they only stared wondering what he'd said and why he was so loud. They do not speak English or remain the same color from day to day. When a ball pounds Mr. Pinch the belly after sailing through his window, he's had enough.

He calls in the army.

What happens next is hilarious and well deserved. Needless to say, the fun loving kids of Liberty save the day and the Pinches are never heard of again. My kids loved it.

Rating:
Summary: Making a difference
Review: This book offered a wonderful way for my third grade students to reflect on what can happen when there is a dictatorship who condemns diversity. They loved the Araboolies, and enjoyed both the text and the illustrations. After reading the book, I asked the kids if they thought there was a message in the book. One child answered quietly, "like Joy, each one of us can make a difference." Others piped in, "like Harriet Tubman, Like Rosa Parks, like Abraham Lincoln" and the list went on....naming people who chose to make a positive difference in this world.

Rating:
Summary: How fun to read!
Review: What a great book to start off the school year! I'd even recommend it for up through eighth grade.

Liberty Street is a quiet street where the residents live in fear of upsetting the General. Everything is the same, same, same. Each house is the same, everyone follows similar schedules... ho-hum boredom!

Until... the Araboolies move in. See what they do to change an everyday ho-hum street into a street that is worth living on.

This book not only examines the differences in people and life (which make the world a not-so-boring place!) and actually celebrates them! A great way to start off the school year.

Rating:
Summary: Start off the year right!
Review: What a great book to start off the school year! I'd even recommend it for up through eighth grade.

Liberty Street is a quiet street where the residents live in fear of upsetting the General. Everything is the same, same, same. Each house is the same, everyone follows similar schedules... ho-hum boredom!

Until... the Araboolies move in. See what they do to change an everyday ho-hum street into a street that is worth living on.

This book not only examines the differences in people and life (which make the world a not-so-boring place!) and actually celebrates them! A great way to start off the school year.

Rating:
Summary: How fun to read!
Review: What a lovely book! Both my children have adored this book and grew to understand the message of tolerance, creativity and fun. Critical to the success of childrens' books is the meld between the illustrations (which are wonderful) and the words which are fun to read out loud and fun to read on your own. Funny there should be a negative review posted here (which prompted me to write this one). While there are social implications in this book, I think there is no political agenda at play. But then, many things we are taught as kids are sadly lost as we grow older.