This is a very wise book and I wish I'd had it as a child. It's about how, if someone who doesn't know you very well but for no apparent reason seems to insult you, it might be that they might not mean what they say or what you think they mean. The truth might be that they might even like you and be so shy about it that they don't really know what to say to you. Or, for example, if someone is acting snobby to you, the truth might be that they might think you look down on them. It implicitly encourages a child to assume such things might be the case and not be fooled by them and to reach out and make friends anyway instead of being put off and hurt. It's a brave, fun book and deals with an issue extremely useful for a child to consider and have a chance to think and talk about. It's a gem.
I couldn't totally figure out where I landed on this one. I wholeheartedly agree with the idea of exploring the fact that people often don't manage to say what they mean, and that a lot of disagreement comes from misunderstanding of words or intent. That said, that whole idea of "he teases you because he likes you" has always made me uncomfortable (because it kind of gaslights kids who are actually being teased in a mean-spirited way. This book walks on both sides of this line I think, which for me leaves it as something worth reading but just with the idea that some discussion might be helpful too. Great book as a conversation starter on a few fronts.
Lost a few points for me with the random (and I thought unneeded) switch to the dog's perspective at the end. Also, as much as I loved the unique idea of this book sharing the concept that people may not be trying to be mean when their words are hurtful, I wondered if it went far enough in helping a kid who doesn't have a magic bubble want to figure out how to practically do this. But kudos for even broaching the topic!
But a very creative story, both in content and in execution with the mixed media of the bubble blowing wand working really effectively throughout. My three year old enjoys the story, and hearing all the interior thoughts of the characters. Definitely worth a read
One day Nora comes home from school upset, a boy told her she had flamingo legs. Her mother tells her that “people don’t always say what they think, or say what they think they are saying.” Sometimes the message is confused and unintentionally harmful. But how in the world do we figure out how to interpret what people say to us? Nora’s mom has a magical object that when Nora looks through it she can hear what they are saying and see what they are thinking. So while the boy says “flamingo legs” he is thinking her pink outfit makes him think of flamingos—and not in a bad way. You can see from his book that he is interested in the natural sciences and later you can see that he is interested in Nora.
What an awkward stage that never actually ends.
Nora is determined to say what she is thinking, what she means, and it is nice, but we still have to figure out the people who do, do not, and are of that category of “don’t always say what they think they are saying.” There is a cute sequence of a boy thinking he wants chocolate and the conversation with his adult going very differently, but oh so familiar-like. He had a one-track mind but a whole arsenal of ways to ask/steer his adult toward it. Orit Gidal plays out all kinds of scenarios from dog checking out dog, to friends, to flirting. As the story progresses, Nora grows more confident, no longer needing her wand. And it is reassuring to see that the parents’ speech bubbles match their thought bubbles there at the end.
Illustrator Aya Gordon-Noy creates lively scenes using mixed-media. (I checked out her site and got sucked in for a good 30 minutes.) Nora has this awesome crayon scribbly hair using different colors, her dress with a few strokes of thick paint. Some of the pages have text from the original language inked into the background paper. Gordon-Noy’s use of dimension and a lovely sense of humor proves a perfect match for Gidal.
The subject is so smart, to say nothing of relevant, and Orit Gidal and Aya Gordon-Noy carry it through brilliantly. Check this picture book out!
When Nora returns home from kindergarten she’s sad because a boy called her “flamingo legs.” Her mom attempts to cheer her up by giving her a magic wand that shows Nora what people are really thinking. The power of the wand shows Nora that people’s thoughts get garbled when they try to translate them into words. Once she understands that their intentions are good, Nora responds to those instead. At the same time, she makes an effort to be honest and forthright with others.
Nora is a very perceptive little girl and the author/illustrator team does a wonderful job of presenting multiple examples throughout the text of how people’s words come out wrong. This will give young readers and listeners lots to think about and help them understand that “people don’t always say what they think, or say what they think they are saying.” A good introduction to the concept of reading people and being aware of viewpoints apart from one’s own.
Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between the things people say and what they really mean. Nora the Mind Reader by Orit Gidali is a picture book, translated from Hebrew, in which the main character learns to pay attention to the motivations behind people’s words. After Nora is insulted by a playmate, her mother gives her the gift of grace in the form of a “magic” bubble wand. Eventually, Nora is able to counter negativity with kindness, on her own. This book is ideal for a lap-sit teaching moment between a caregiver and child. Little is lost in the translation of the story but children would benefit from stretching the climax with discussion. Although the text and illustrations get cluttered at times, the combination of hand-drawn word bubbles alongside photographed thought bubbles is unique and worth checking out.
My almost-five-year-old son picked this book out from the library last week. I think he chose it because of the bubble wand on the front cover.
I don't know of any other children's book that deals with the topic that people don't always say what they mean (or mean what they say); at least not in a picture book form. The concept was wonderful and it was well-executed. The text was straightforward enough for an almost-five-year-old (or Kindergartener) to understand. The artwork was nothing short of delightful, and suited the story perfectly.
I am not so in love with this book that I have to buy this book right away; however, if (or when) my son encounters this issue, I will know exactly where to look for the right book.
My 6 year old (Nora) loved this book, read for the first time today. It has a great moral story line about understanding why people might say "mean" or "bad" things and provides insight into why people might say things they don't mean. My disappointment is in the ending, where the story oddly shifts to a dog's perspective. This seems out of place and would have been more appropriate for the "magic wand" to be passed on to another character in the book (like Harry) - the first person who "insults" Nora. Shifting to a dog, who then just says "bow" unfortunately did not emphasize the moral of the story.
After having her feeelings hurt by a boy's comment at school, Nora turns to her mother for help. Nora's mom lends her a magic wand that allows her to see the thoughts and true intentions of other people's words.
Artwork is a real treat and consists of drawings, paintings, found objects (the magic wand is a bubble wand), and mixed media in a collage (backgrounds have Arabic writing that peeks through).
Difficult subject to introduce to this age group, but done well and with fabulous artwork!
Every parent should have this book. Written by a mom for her six-year-old daughter, this deals so well with the difference between what people say and what people are thinking; sometimes the hurtful things that come out of a person's mouth are NOT what they are trying to say. They do not mean to be hurtful. It is a valuable lesson in putting yourself in another's place. The illustrations are wonderfully done and creatively show the concept.
After being called “flamingo legs” by another child at Kindergarten, Nora receives a magic wand that helps her to see people don’t always say what they think or mean what they say. The author presents this important message in an imaginative way, which is enhanced by the creative mixed-media collage illustrations. I really enjoy how the magic wand is actually a plastic bubble wand expertly weaved into the two-dimensional artwork. The original artwork and sweet message weave a memorable tale.
Originally published in Hebrew, a clever book that introduces children to the concept that people don't always say what they're thinking. Nora, after being told that she has flamingo legs, through the help of her quick-thinking mom, learns some lifetime lessons--especially that responding in kindness can make a very big difference...
The illustrations have a unique style combining line drawing, collage and paint. A very unique and appealing look...
This can teach children about understanding their friends and that people don't always say what they are thinking. Excellent! Interesting mix of illustrations with real photos of a bubble wand.
Nora is given a magic wand that lets her see what other kids are thinking. She starts to notice that kids say mean things even when they aren't thinking of mean things.
Love the illustrations in this one - it was originally published in Hebrew and the illustrations have a sort of watermark/wash of Hebrew words as part of their background.
Noora elindeki düşünce okuma aletiyle insanların söyledikleri şeyler ile gerçekte söylemek istedikleri şeylerin her zaman aynı olmadığını fark ediyor. Çocuk kitabı deyip geçmemek lazım, bunlar derin meseleler.