We'll Paint the Octopus Red
by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen, Illustrated by pam devito
We'll Paint the Octopus Red by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen tells the story of Emma, a six year old girl who learns she has just became a big sister. Emma is told that her new baby brother's name is Issac and she is originally skeptical about how the new baby would change things, after all, she has had her parents to herself for 6 years! To prepare her for the baby's arrival, Emma's dad informs her that she can help change diapers, read to the baby, and play kickball together when the baby is bigger. Emma event starts to think of her own ideas of what she can do with baby Issac: feed calves on Grandpa's farm, make goofy faces at cars when they are in the back seat, go to the downtown art festival and paint a picture with an octopus, and many more. After planning many fun activities to do with Issac, Emma learns that he was born with Down Syndrome. Emma immediately begins to assume that Issac will not be able to play kickball, feed the calves, make goofy faces at cars, or paint the octopus, but her dad quickly tells her that as long as they are patient with Issac, and gave him help when he needed it, there probably wouldn't be anything he couldn't do!
We'll Paint the Octopus Red by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen is great because it breaks the stereotypes of Down Syndrome. Upon learning that her baby brother was born with DS, Emma right away jumps to the conclusion that he will not be able to do the things she hoped he would. This is a thought that many people might have when seeing a child or person with Down Syndrome, but Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen changes this thought process through the father character in the book. When Emma questions what Issac will be able to do, her father goes through the list of activities and explains that Issac should be able to do them, he just may take longer or need help from others. I think that kids who read this book will be able to learn that people who have Down Syndrome can do anything that anyone else can, but that it just may take them a little longer or they may need help from others, but there really isn't anything that they can not do. After the story ends, We'll Paint the Octopus Red also has a section titled Questions & Answers about Down Syndrome that asks questions about DS and provides answers to help readers better understand the disability.
Stuve-Bodeen, Stephanie. We'll Paint the Octopus Red. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House Inc., 1998. Print.
About the Author
-Teacher (has taught junior and senior high school)
-Children's book author
-Peace Corps volunteer, Tanzania, East Africa
-Received many awards for her books, but none for We'll Paint the Octopus Red
We'll Paint the Octopus Red by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen is great because it breaks the stereotypes of Down Syndrome. Upon learning that her baby brother was born with DS, Emma right away jumps to the conclusion that he will not be able to do the things she hoped he would. This is a thought that many people might have when seeing a child or person with Down Syndrome, but Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen changes this thought process through the father character in the book. When Emma questions what Issac will be able to do, her father goes through the list of activities and explains that Issac should be able to do them, he just may take longer or need help from others. I think that kids who read this book will be able to learn that people who have Down Syndrome can do anything that anyone else can, but that it just may take them a little longer or they may need help from others, but there really isn't anything that they can not do. After the story ends, We'll Paint the Octopus Red also has a section titled Questions & Answers about Down Syndrome that asks questions about DS and provides answers to help readers better understand the disability.
Stuve-Bodeen, Stephanie. We'll Paint the Octopus Red. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House Inc., 1998. Print.
About the Author
-Teacher (has taught junior and senior high school)
-Children's book author
-Peace Corps volunteer, Tanzania, East Africa
-Received many awards for her books, but none for We'll Paint the Octopus Red