A “Curious” Visit at Friedel
By Annette van de Kamp-Wright
On Wednesday November 28, Louise Borden and Allan Drummond, authors of “The Journey that Saved Curious George” came to Friedel Jewish Academy. Thanks to the efforts of Beth Seldin Dotan, Director of the ADL’s Institute of Holocaust Education, Friedel students, together with visiting staff and students from Omaha’s St. Cecilia Elementary school, were given a first hand look at what it takes to create a unique children’s book. Dotan says: “The story of the Rey’s escape from war-torn Europe is another example of a ‘lost story’. Through stories such as theirs, we are continually reminded of what was good, and what was lost because of the Holocaust. Curious George is such a cultural icon. The way the authors put this book together is such a balancing act. They managed to take the readers on a journey, and we all get to see the story unfold itself.” Dotan is also pleased with how well the book lends itself to being integrated into the entire curriculum: “Friedel is not just using this as part of the Jewish Studies agenda. It is equally helpful in teaching geography or general history.” Dotan has been instrumental in bringing the students and staff of St. Cecilia on board; sixth grade teacher Milly Garcia, for instance, has visited Israel through project Interfaith: “ Teachers at St. Cecilia have been through the “Bearing Witness” training, which focuses on the relationship between Jews and Catholics”.
Allan Drummond, who illustrated “Journey”, insists that the most important thing children should take away from the story is curiosity: “It should motivate them to ask questions, about history, and about the world around them.” Drummond is well aware of the international dimensions of Jewish communities everywhere: “Only because the Reys’ world was so much bigger than the country they lived in, were they able to escape. For most Jews today, this is no different. Many Jews have a variety of international connections.” Drummond himself is familiar with the concept: originally from the UK, he has lived in France, and currently works for the Savannah College of Arts and Design in Savannah, Georgia.
Borden and Drummond walked the students through their book with the help of a series of slides, accompanied by a running commentary. They explained to the students how a picture book is created, and also shared that “Journey” did not come about easily. Louise Borden in particular had to do an enormous amount of research. She traveled to France more than once, and, according to Drummond, “even rode a bike around Paris as part of her investigation”. She spent considerable time at the Grummond Children’s Literature Collection at the University of Southern Mississippi, where the Reys’ papers are housed. Researching the Journey of Hans and Margret Rey send Borden on a journey of her own. She asked the sort of questions that children would ask: “How many kilometers did Hans and Margret ride on their bikes when they escaped? Where did they go? What happened to the things left behind?” Questions like these teach children “to pay attention to details”, Borden says, “We tend to think about the past in black and white, but these people lived their lives in color. We need to remember that”.
At Friedel, the story of the Rey’s escape from war torn Europe, and their subsequent success as the creators of Curious George has been placed in a multi-disciplinary context. Denise Bennett, who teaches the upper grade students at Friedel, says: “ I read two Curious George books to the 4th, 5th and 6th graders recently. They were enthralled. I plan to teach the students about the history and geography involved in the story of the Reys’ escape. We will take a closer look at Europe and South America, since the Reys’ wartime journey took them to Brazil before they ended up in America. Possible topics that the children can focus on are countries and their capitals, learning words in different languages, dates and events related to WW II history, and countries and their money, to name but a few. The possibilities are endless.”
Diana Zeman, who teaches Kindergarten at Friedel, is equally enthusiastic: “The Kindergarteners will be learning about the difference between ‘wants’ and ‘needs’. We will also discuss the journey that the Reys made, and how their manuscripts saved their lives. The children will be experiencing this unit by reading and listening to stories, using the Internet, doing projects, building vocabulary, and making their own books, among other things.” Curious George has inspired many journeys, from the Rey’s arduous travels to Louise Borden’s research trips to France. This time, George landed himself at Friedel; it looks like he may stay for a while. He can remind the kids that education, when done right, is a journey in and of itself.
Allan Drummond’s and Louise Borden’s visit to Omaha was made possible through the generosity of the H. Lee and Carol Gendler Charitable Fund; Gloria and Howard Kaslow; the Esther K. Newman Memorial Fund, and an anonymous donor. The Jewish federation of Omaha and the Plains State Regional Office of the ADL also provided support.
