Book Review: "Arnie and the New Kid"

Carlson, Nancy. Arnie and the New Kid. New York: Puffin Books, 1990.

Arnie and the New Kid is about Philip, who is the new boy in school. But, because he is in a wheelchair, Arnie makes fun of him. One day, while Arnie is teasing Philip, he falls and breaks his leg. For the first time in his life, Arnie feels what it is like to be made fun of for not being able to get around as fast or do things without help.

This picture book’s message is a good one, albeit somewhat forced. Students without disabilities get a small taste of what it would be like if suddenly they needed other people to open the door for them occasionally or if they weren’t able to walk up stairs anymore. When students learn about empathy and they learn to put themselves in other people’s shoes, they will be less likely to make fun of people they see as “different” from them. The characters in this book are dogs, cats, and rabbits. I wonder if the fact that humans are not featured in this story will make the story seem less realistic, or less likely to happen I real life, to the readers.

Nancy Carlson said on her website that her mission is to teach “kids about themselves with fun drawings and a few good words.” This is certainly what she does with the story of Arnie and Philip and their new friendship.

Here is the link to the author's personal website http://www.nancycarlson.com/