Because of Tootie Pie



Tootie Pie and I just finished "Because of Winn Dixie", our first book with no pictures.  The author used a literary device where India Opal's father told her 10 things about her mother, who abandoned her when she was very young.  She cherishes these 10 things as a way to hold on to the memory of her mother, whom she can barely remember.  But, at the end of the book, when Winn Dixie goes missing, India Opal creates a list of 10 things about her dog so that she can put these ten things on a "Lost" poster.  She realizes that you cannot get to know a dog, or a mother, or anyone from a list of ten things.



An even better metaphor!

Still, though, the ten things about India Opal's mother and Winn Dixie were nice lists.  I want to make my list of ten things about Tootie Pie, not so that you will know her, but so that when she grows up, she will know something about herself at six years old. 

Ten Things About Tootie Pie

• She has never given anyone any trouble
• She jumps up and down and squeals when she's excited, which is often
• She loves to dance and sing, and does both very well
• She sings German and Mandarin songs with no detectable accent
• She loves to learn and make connections
• She will hold hands with special friends and relatives
• She will invent funny stories and even speaks her own language, called Carrot language
• She is loved by all who meet her
• She has made my life more rich and fantastic than I ever thought possible
• She has a great sense of humor and makes people laugh

Growing Up Open-Minded in the 2010's

Oftentimes I am sad for my daughter growing up in today's crazy world.  She doesn't know why people put paper in water in the dark to magically make a picture, and she could look at a typewriter forever and not understand why there are keys and no screen.  Her peers are plugged in and dumbed down, but, there are advantages to having never known the 20th century. 

Tootie Pie and her crush.

I wouldn't say that my daughter does not know color, but I would say that it is a non-issue in her world.  She's only ever known "Baba Babama" as president.  There is no plurality in her class, whereas I grew up in a wonderful neighborhood, but our idea of diversity was Italian versus Irish.  Tootie Pie's first crush was an Asian boy, and the current object of her affection is black.  When she first drew him, he had peach-ish skin, but then she pointed out how his skin is brown and redrew their (her?) love. 

What do you think the cartoonist was
trying to say?  I don't think it was that
all presidents have been men, but that
is certainly a pattern that has yet to
be broken.

She has no preconceived ideas about homosexuality, religion, or foreigners, either.  Perhaps this is a product of where we live, but I'll take it.  Now, if only we could equalize the perception of women in this society.  In her lifetime.