My family, Carl, Grace and myself, were in the bookstore yesterday and I decided to see if they had a copy of "Horrible Histories" on the shelf so Grace could peruse. I tromped back to the kids' section and politely asked the woman there for some help locating these books. When she could not find any in store, she said she'd have to order them used. I said that was because they are British to begin with, and I asked if there might be any other "funny" History books on the shelf. ( She had been very thorough with the people ahead of me...so I thought) Well...
She informed me that "History is NOT funny and the *WE* , here in AMERICA, don't write FUNNY HISTORY. How can you make the HOLOCAUST FUNNY??"
I was stunned speechless. (Excuse Me??? We in AMERICA?!?!)
Then she went on:
"I am a teacher, and I believe in writing the dates on the blackboard. I write the dates and THEY ( students) memorize the dates. End of Story!!!"
I then picked up a copy of Susan Wise Bauer SOTW and said," Then you must be a fan of the Classical method" (tongue-in-cheek, all you S.W.B. fans;) ) and she actually said ....wait for it...
"What's that? I JUST LIKE IT WHEN THEY MEMORIZE..."
I was pretty offended by her first comments, but I very carefully and hastily disentangled myself from the encounter. Meanwhile, DD was in the next aisle, reading a combo of Island of the Blue Dolphins, Garfield, a Manga book and Prince Caspian;) I wonder what she would have had to say about THAT particular stack?:)
Forte
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10 comments:
Oh, for Maude's sake! Come down to the Barnes and Noble by me. We have the loveliest woman in the children's' section, Linda (she's knowledgeable about all books, really). We've been attending weekly storytime there since Charlotte was in utero and she's been terribly helpful.
I haven't seen one, but I looked it up on Amazon and they remind me of the Magic School Bus. The shipping looks like it would add up quick because they are used.
It really wasn't her business and it was rude of her. Maybe she was having a horrible day? However, a person unfamiliar with the books, might think something like that. But she was out of line to give you a sermon when she hadn't seen the books. If she really cared she could of shown you or told you about some books she thought were great for teaching history.
Bethany,
I quite agree that we are switching booksellers permananently. This certain bookstore has strikes against it any way! ;)
Mariposa,
They do! If you look for excerpts though, you quickly find out that these are a bit more 'involved" than a Magic School Bus book...meant for different age groups;)
That was just the point! SHe didn't show me any other books and indeed *couldn't*, as far as I can tell...Maybe she was at that job because she'd been fired from teaching? Who knows?
Forte
That really is scary. One can only hope she was fired from being a teacher!
It's funny, our public library shelves are crammed with the Horrible Histories books,and it annoys me because I think history could be written in an amusing and engaging way that dignifies the reader more than this series does. (Just read some of the books at Baldwin Project, for example.) But I'm a book snob ;-) I have certainly been accused of being so!
The funny thing is, Haven, I never said to the woman that these are the pinnacle of History Learning! LOL She didn't even know what they were, and decided to attack off-the-cuff. What If I had asked instead for the Susan WB book and said, "Hey ! I need this really great, warm, story-like telling of Ancient History?" I am convinced within myself that she would have responded the same way.
I am sipmly curious as to teh content of the books, because I've had them recommended by a few folks with over-the-top kids. Grace has a heck of a funnybone for puns and word play! I thought she'd like it!
Forte
Oh my!Some people should just be kept away from the public.
I hope you find a nice replacement shop!
Oh my gosh your story blows me away! (And we found a Horrible Histories collection at B&N)
Oh the subject of HH -- we got into the Murderous Maths, which are great, and that led us into Horrible Histories. I have mixed feelings about them, but at this point Violet has read several.
We all have kind of dark, twisted senses of humor in our family -- not something to be proud of, but probably nothing to be ashamed of either. I think it's part of how we cope with being highly sensivite people.
And I can't believe a teacher would cop to being so intentionally dry, boring, and basically Irrelevant!
Like I say, I'm a dreadful book snob, but really there is nothing wrong with Horrible Histories so long as you don't use them as your history curriculum- reading them for fun is great though. Grace would probably enjoy them! This woman sounds like she has a bee in her bonnet but no brain in there with it.
LOL I think I agree with YOUR assessmet, Haven;)
Hugs,
Forte
psycho...
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