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The Actualized Dragon

Imagining the world’s most politically correct children’s book

by
Marjorie Ingall
August 03, 2009

Author’s note: A friend recently directed me to Berkeley Playhouse’s “content preview” for its current production of Peter Pan. It warns concerned parents about the show’s “emotional intensity” and “anguish expressed through acting and song,” and points out that the pirates make “poor choices” and many characters “use weapons.” I actually think it’s good to talk about problematic characters and scenes in classic children’s literature. But I started to wonder: What would an absolutely politically and socially perfect modern-day children’s book look like? Perhaps something like this.

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Marjorie Ingall is a columnist for Tablet Magazine, and author of Mamaleh Knows Best: What Jewish Mothers Do to Raise Successful, Creative, Empathetic, Independent Children.

Marjorie Ingall is a former columnist for Tablet, the author of Mamaleh Knows Best, and a frequent contributor to the New York Times Book Review.