CHILDREN’S BOOK REVIEW AS A WRITER AND A READER

Title: Thank You, Mr. Falker
Author: Patricia Polacco
Illustrator: Patricia Polacco
Genre: Children’s Story Book
Target Audience: 8-12-Year-Old

Do you believe in angels? They are always around us in the faces of doctors, nurses, and teachers. They sometimes come in the form of strangers, also. Everyone has at least one encounter with angels, whether realised or not. Angels rescue us from situations that seemed impossible to escape.

Patricia Polacco met with her lifesaver when she was 10 years old. Known for writing stories influenced by her life, Patricia is showing her gratitude to her teacher Mr. Falker, through this book.

Thank You, Mr. Falker is a story of a girl named Trisha who struggled to read until grade 5. Mr.Falker found that children were teasing her to the extent that she hid under the stairwell during break hours to escape mean comments. One day, he asked her to use a wet sponge and write letters on the board that he said out loud. Trisha assumed that she had made Mr. Falker believe, like every other teacher, that she could read. And he, on the contrary, was understanding the depth of the problem to support her, the mark of an angel.

With this, Trisha’s journey of transformation began. He taught her after school and used special strategies to teach her to read and stand up against bullying.

Trisha is Patricia’s real story, woven in bitter-sweet experiences related to her school. The book shows her techniques of protecting herself from children and teachers for years. Some might mistake her survival instincts for cleverness, but they are the signs of deep fear and coping.

From where I see, as an adult and as a teacher, it shows her smartness and desperation to keep her safe. Children can’t think about the long-term effects of their actions, their motive is to escape from daily problems. They are often guided by their immediate needs, seeking comfort and safety in the moment, without understanding long-term consequences. Sometimes adults calculate their gestures as manipulative. For children, what matters is the current moment. They are the best teachers for showing us how to live in the present. This is beautifully illustrated through the story.

Patricia started her writing at the age of 41 and went on to publish 115 books. She is now in her 80s. Even though she started late, she managed to make a mark in the book-writing industry. There were so many stories hidden within her, which she attributes to her big family set-up. Her grandparents told her stories, and she got the chance to continue with them.

When I reflect on my school days, I can name a few of my classmates who were willing to do more and were trying their best, yet they couldn’t score good grades. Teachers kept lecturing without going deeper into the root cause. Only if we have more teachers like Mr. Falker, who could look deeper and beyond and understand the real problem instead of blaming the child for not doing their best. I can give more credit to the newly developed awareness among parents and teachers that they are now more supportive towards children.

Mr. Falker’s efforts developed Patricia’s love for her school and knowledge.

“I saw Mr. Falker again some thirty years later at a wedding. I walked up to him and introduced myself. At first, he had difficulty placing me. Then I told him who I was and how he had changed my life so many years ago.

He hugged me and asked me what I did for a living. “Why, Mr. Falker,” I answered. “I make books for children…Thank You, Mr. Falker. Thank You.””

Patricia’s story and her storytelling style will move you to the core. I recommend reading this book to children to open up a discussion on how they are coping with their daily challenges. 

In the end, angels come with a purpose. By letting them help us, we support them in accomplishing their purpose, that is another way of saying, Thank You. 

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