"Mimi stared at me. Mimi knew the truth.
Mimi was taking the blame.
I wanted to eat my cake, but ...
Mimi stared at me.
I felt so guilty.
I couldn't take a single bite."
I wonder how many of us - young and old - might be able to relate to the situation the granddaughter in this terrific book finds herself in. She has a story to tell about a visit with her Ama and what happened while there. It started pretty innocently. There was not much to do. Feeling bored, she decided to scare Mimi, the cat. Stealthily making her way about the living room, she was finally right behind the chair where Mimi was napping. As she jumped forward to scare her, she bumped a small table where Ama's cup was sitting.
The cup flew up, then down to the floor where it smashed into three pieces. Oh, dear! Feeling immediately full of remorse, she did the only thing she could think to do. She ran. Her mind filled with worry about Ama's reaction; she sat outside on the step until she thought she was safe. It was not to be. Ama found her there and invited her in for tea and cake, saying nothing about her broken mug. In fact, it was gone when they got inside.
The two were sitting to have a piece of cake when Mimi walked into the room. Ama blamed Mimi for the broken cup. Mimi's reaction was fierce and accusational. The child's reaction was one of guilt. She leaves the room and hides in a closet where she plans on staying for as long as it takes. Concerned, Ama soon finds her. The resulting admission is heartfelt and oh, so truthful. Will she be forgiven?
The digitally colored artwork is fantastic. Full of emotion, Mei Mei imagines many different scenarios for Ama's response. Drama is fully evident at every turn. While humorous, the tale is also filled with empathy for a child learning to take responsibility for a mistake. A familiar moment in many lives, young listeners will understand the worry, and the relief that comes when making amends.
No comments:
Post a Comment