|
|
 MangaChat: With The Light: Raising An Autistic Child v5
Written by Park Cooper
Well, continuing our/my big push for Yen Press’ WITH THE LIGHT: RAISING AN AUTISTIC CHILD, we have here an interview of me with an American educator, one who has read a few manga, but mostly is very, very much a part of what I call the Casual Audience—one who is not a hardcore fan as such in the least little bit. I’ve called on her before to get a clear perspective of just what the average American who isn’t a fan of hardly anything geeky (except the TV show BIG BANG THEORY) might think of a given comic book or manga, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to call upon her, as she is a vice-principal at an elementary school but has also been a teacher and assistant superintendant in the past. I lent her my review copy of WITH THE LIGHT volume 5. And so, my discussion of WITH THE LIGHT volume 5 with someone who serves as a perfect example of an endorsement of this series and what it can offer educators and other Americans, because if she can read it, you can read it: my mom.
me: I saw your email about finishing the book
Let's talk about it a bit
DPC: Yes, it's well done.
me: What did you mean by "a little confused about the characters and the repeating"
DPC: I identified with the mommies and the asst. principal.
me: I can guess about the characters, but what did you mean about the repeating?
DPC: Well, every now and then things would be repeated.
me: Okay I think I know what you're talking about... I think those are between chapters, right?
OR do you mean the characters would repeat things?
Hikaru repeats things a lot...
or someone will say something, and he'll repeat it back to them... is that what you mean?
DPC: It's not drawn the same, but the words are almost the same.
There were many characters and it was hard to keep them straight.
me: Okay, that's probably a chapter break...
Understood. You came in in volume 5, after all.
DPC: But I decided that if it was originally published in chapters, they might have to catch everyone up to what had happened last.
me: The only really important people are Hikaru, his mom, and his teacher...
DPC: Like a tv serial show.
Yes.
me: Yes, that's it. manga often appears serialized in magazines first. so the books are like if they stuck the tv shows end to end to make a movie... every 30 minutes they would say things again to catch people up.
DPC: I was just confused by the Japanese stuff. Kind of like visiting a foreign country. The little boy sang a song about spores... that seemed odd.
me: Well, they're a little more interested in mushrooms over there, it's true... shiitake and all those...
DPC: Yes.
me: But let's get back to the autism... volume 5 is the only non-library copy I have, so it was the only one I could give you.
But even so, do you feel you have a better understanding of autism now? Tell me about that.
DPC: Well, yes. I think the disability is different with different children in severity. Some are more challenged than others.
And that's true of them. Certain days they can do things that surprise you, all right.
And they all like textures and need their space.
me: Uh huh. Do you agree with me that (preferably from the beginning, not jumping in at vol 5) educators must be made aware of With The Light?
DPC: Yes. I plan to get it ordered in our libraries for teachers and for older students.
me: Okay good!
It'll be on amazon... and the ISBNs will be available there.
Barb and I plan to push it hard at MangaLife...
DPC: That's a good thing.
me: Besides the fact that you came in late, and that Japanese culture can have some rather unexpected things in it sometimes, would you say the text itself was pretty easy to read?
DPC: Yes. Sometimes I wasn't sure I was reading the right box, but I more than got the idea.
me: Let's talk about the key characters. Start with Hikaru.
DPC: He was a sweet boy, but I’m not sure what to say about him... He didn't speak much, which is normal... I love the way he was drawn.
me: Okay, let's switch to Hikaru's mom
DPC: She was very apologetic for him. She didn’t want to cause anyone trouble. She was worried about what would happen when she got old and died. It was all very realistic.
me: Okay, now, his main teacher. I know his teacher is a very frustrating person... you should have seen the problems they had with the lady teacher before him, the one who retired... but I felt like the teacher really made progress throughout the book
DPC: Hummm. But not enough to make me sympathetic to him...
me: Heh. How did you feel about the end of volume 5, where it stopped?
DPC: He never liked playing with the kids like the assistant principal did.
I liked the part about handing down the yellow hat and the backpack.
That was so sweet... but I was surprised that the little boy wouldn't really allow that. I felt surely he would still have his sentimental attachment to his old things...
DPC: All the extra info is really good.
me: Yes
DPC: At the beginning and at the end.
me: Anything else that you would add? any unanswered questions? I can maybe explain anything cultural...
DPC: Do you think little kids really fold all that paper? Origami? How do they know how?
me: They teach each other
DPC: I....guess.
me: Kids did paper shuriken (look like throwing stars) even when I was in school (in texas!).
DPC: Yes...did you call them that?
me: Although I never really learned how to do them right, myself.
No we called them throwing stars.
I've just picked up the Japanese word for it. That’s just how it is when you read as much manga and watch as much anime as Barb and I do...
: :
|
30 August 2010
MangaLife: On Culture
Share 25 August 2010
Words of Truth and Wisdom: I Put A Spell On You
Share 11 August 2010
Words of Truth and Wisdom: Filters
Share 6 August 2010
Maybe You're Not Using It Right :On Japanese Load Words
Share
|
