Review of Make a Difference
Posted: 15 Dec 2021, 18:36
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Make a Difference" by David Nix.]
Make a Difference by David Nix is a children’s story about racism told through the eyes of dogs.
Ellie Mae is a tan and black dachshund who comes down with a fever of 103 degrees. Her sister insists that she immediately go to the hospital for treatment. Ellie Mae puts on her protective mask and heads over to the hospital. When she arrives, she immediately notices how clean and pretty the hospital is. However, when she tries to enter the hospital, she is confronted by two big white guard dogs who refuse her entrance due to the color of her fur. Ellie Mae is forced to go to the other side of the hospital, which is run-down and dirty. When Ellie Mae returns home, she tells her sister, Maggie, how horrible she feels at being turned away and forced to go to the dirty side of the hospital due to the color of her fur. With the help of their pastor, Pastor Cudlow, Maggie and Ellie Mae realize how many dogs have been suffering due to this mistreatment and concoct a plan to have a peaceful protest outside the hospital. All dogs, no matter their size or color, should have the freedom to bark and be treated the same.
There are so many different levels to this book that I almost do not know where to begin. I like how the author makes a point of showing the readers that Ellie Mae put on a mask before leaving the house and heading towards the hospital. I am not sure if the author was intending to draw attention to the COVID issue or simply good hygiene in that one should wear a mask to prevent others from getting sick. Either way, parents and teachers can use this as a teaching moment regarding germs and hygiene.
The main theme of this book centers around racism. I like how the author used dogs to convey this message, mainly because most children love dogs. This makes it a very approachable topic between parents and their children. Especially as there are very few dogs that are just one color, like white, black, or tan. Racism is a difficult subject, and the more children can relate to and understand the issue, the better the future will be.
The book is titled Make a Difference, and that is exactly what the dogs tell each other to keep themselves and their friends motivated to make a stand. Many times throughout the book, Ellie Mae and her sister tell each other that they "can and will make a difference." As the story progresses, the author uses more terms in this phrase and capitalizes them as the dogs gain confidence in what they are doing.
Finally, when the dogs go to protest the racist treatment they receive at the hospital, they stress how important it is to make a change through peace and kindness. Hate and bullying have no place in change. This is another wonderful teaching point for parents and teachers to go over with children. Hate will get you nowhere.
One aspect of this book I did not like was the portrayal of Hank, the brother of Ellie Mae and Maggie. He was sick and went to the hospital, but just like Ellie Mae, was turned away because of the color of his fur. While the author did not go into detail, it was strongly implied that Hank died because he was turned away from the hospital. I thought this was a little dark for a children’s book, especially one trying to present a theme of peaceful change.
This was a beautifully written story regarding how it is possible to make a change when you work together peacefully. Other than the one issue I identified, there was nothing I disliked about this book. Additionally, I did not find any spelling or grammatical errors in this book and believe it to have been professionally edited. This book has earned 4 out of 4 stars. I almost wish I had children so I could share this story with them. I would recommend this book to children under the age of 10. It is simply written and easily understood.
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Make a Difference
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Make a Difference by David Nix is a children’s story about racism told through the eyes of dogs.
Ellie Mae is a tan and black dachshund who comes down with a fever of 103 degrees. Her sister insists that she immediately go to the hospital for treatment. Ellie Mae puts on her protective mask and heads over to the hospital. When she arrives, she immediately notices how clean and pretty the hospital is. However, when she tries to enter the hospital, she is confronted by two big white guard dogs who refuse her entrance due to the color of her fur. Ellie Mae is forced to go to the other side of the hospital, which is run-down and dirty. When Ellie Mae returns home, she tells her sister, Maggie, how horrible she feels at being turned away and forced to go to the dirty side of the hospital due to the color of her fur. With the help of their pastor, Pastor Cudlow, Maggie and Ellie Mae realize how many dogs have been suffering due to this mistreatment and concoct a plan to have a peaceful protest outside the hospital. All dogs, no matter their size or color, should have the freedom to bark and be treated the same.
There are so many different levels to this book that I almost do not know where to begin. I like how the author makes a point of showing the readers that Ellie Mae put on a mask before leaving the house and heading towards the hospital. I am not sure if the author was intending to draw attention to the COVID issue or simply good hygiene in that one should wear a mask to prevent others from getting sick. Either way, parents and teachers can use this as a teaching moment regarding germs and hygiene.
The main theme of this book centers around racism. I like how the author used dogs to convey this message, mainly because most children love dogs. This makes it a very approachable topic between parents and their children. Especially as there are very few dogs that are just one color, like white, black, or tan. Racism is a difficult subject, and the more children can relate to and understand the issue, the better the future will be.
The book is titled Make a Difference, and that is exactly what the dogs tell each other to keep themselves and their friends motivated to make a stand. Many times throughout the book, Ellie Mae and her sister tell each other that they "can and will make a difference." As the story progresses, the author uses more terms in this phrase and capitalizes them as the dogs gain confidence in what they are doing.
Finally, when the dogs go to protest the racist treatment they receive at the hospital, they stress how important it is to make a change through peace and kindness. Hate and bullying have no place in change. This is another wonderful teaching point for parents and teachers to go over with children. Hate will get you nowhere.
One aspect of this book I did not like was the portrayal of Hank, the brother of Ellie Mae and Maggie. He was sick and went to the hospital, but just like Ellie Mae, was turned away because of the color of his fur. While the author did not go into detail, it was strongly implied that Hank died because he was turned away from the hospital. I thought this was a little dark for a children’s book, especially one trying to present a theme of peaceful change.
This was a beautifully written story regarding how it is possible to make a change when you work together peacefully. Other than the one issue I identified, there was nothing I disliked about this book. Additionally, I did not find any spelling or grammatical errors in this book and believe it to have been professionally edited. This book has earned 4 out of 4 stars. I almost wish I had children so I could share this story with them. I would recommend this book to children under the age of 10. It is simply written and easily understood.
******
Make a Difference
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon