Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman

First, Happy Anniversary to my wife!  26 years.  Didn’t have much time to read tonight so picked up a children’s book from the RA Favorite list, Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman.  It is a very brief story of Gracie, a young African American seven year old who had a great imagination and loved to play make believe parts.  In class one day, the teacher asks the children, who  would like to play the part of Peter Pan, Gracie immediately tells her friends she would like to do so.  Her classmate Raj says, “you can’t play Peter Pan, you are a girl” while her other classmate Natalie says “you can’t play Peter Pan you are black”.  Later that evening at home she tells her mother and grandmother and they adamantly disagree.  Over the weekend her grandmother takes her to the theatre to watch Romeo and Juliet, cast with an African American Juliet.  The experience reinforced what her mother and grandmother said, that anyone can play any part they want.  The next two days she practices for the role of Peter Pan.  When it is time for the audition, everyone votes for her as Peter Pan!  The moral of the story, don’t let stereotypes and the negative messages of others stop you from following your dreams!  Some great messages about perceived gender roles and issues of race.  Lots to think about in this very short story.  The illustrations add to the story as well.