Horton, Get a Clue

Today, I would like to share a post from a feminist book lover and blogger named Marie. Marie is a mom, and she is none too pleased with the movie version of Horton Hears A Who. She writes:

As the feminist mother of sons, I'm often torn between wanting my children to have characters they can relate to and wanting them to see strong female characters who don't follow the virgin-whore stereotypes (known in children's lit and media as princess wimps or evil stepmothers). Nearly all of the characters in Winnie the Pooh, Sesame Street, and other childhood teams are male. Thank goodness for Dora the Explorer, Peanuts (love that Peppermint Patty!), and the androgynous teletubbies. Last weekend I took Chris to see "The Water Horse," and even though the main character, Angus, was a boy longing for his father, his older sister was pretty cool too.

So imagine my chagrin when I just read this article posted on a wonderful blog called Feministing, with a link to an article on the NPR web site by the wonderful Peter Sagal (host of one of my fave radio shows, "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!" He took his daughters to the Horton movie and discovered that the movie playwright had added a new subplot--the mayor of Whoville has 96 daughters and one son, and guess who saved the day? Wait, wait, don't tell me! What a surprise.

You can read the rest of her article titled Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me! Sexism in Another Children's Movie? at her blog, Every Day is a Miracle. I would also recommend her post on Trying to Raise Nonviolent Boys

You might also wish to check out her wonderful recipe for Spicy Mulligatawny. If you are looking for something to read, then click on her Top Reads for 2007.

Out here, we've got the first warm, sunny, dry day of the year. Or, as I like to say, 70 degrees and gardening. So please excuse me, the dog wants a walk, and the plants are calling.

Inch by inch, row by row
Gonna make this garden grow
All it takes is a rake and a hoe
And a piece of fertile ground
Inch by inch, row by row
Please bless these seeds I sow
Please warm them from below
'Til the rain comes tumbling down

Pulling weeds and pickin' stones
We are made from dreams and bones
Feel the need to grow my own
'Cause the time is close at hand
Grain for grain, sun and rain
Find my way in nature's chain
To my body and my brain
To the music from the land

Inch by inch, row by row
Gonna make this garden grow
All it takes is a rake and a hoe
And a piece of fertile ground
Inch by inch, row by row
Please bless these seeds I sow
Please warm them from below
'Til the rain comes tumbling down

Plant your rows straight and long
Thicker than with pray'r and song
Mother Earth will make you strong
If you give her love and care
Old crow watchin' hungrily
From his perch in yonder tree
In my garden I'm as free
As that feathered thief up there

Inch by inch, row by row
Gonna make this garden grow
All it takes is a rake and a hoe
And a piece of fertile ground
Inch by inch, row by row
Please bless the seeds I sow
Please warm them from below
'Til the rain comes tumbling down

'Til the rain comes tumbling down

Sia

Related Articles:

The Princess and the Medusa: Musings on Women's Power

Gender Inequity in Whoville

Stop Making Movies About My Books! (the Onion)

Poem/Song: The Garden Song. My favorite version of this is sung by Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie and their entire audience on the album Precious Friend. You can see a video of Guthrie doing the song, here.