Jack and Annie are ordinary kids who travel in a magic tree house throughout time and history, visiting other cultures. They quibble with each other and have insecurities and fears. But they also love to help others. They love learning new things. They have great respect for other cultures. They rescue people from earthquakes, blizzards, floods, forest fires, volcanoes, and tsunamis. They also celebrate the natural world and try to save endangered species.
I’m amazed that children identify with Jack and Annie in so many countries besides the United States –in Ghana, Japan, Korea, China, Latvia, Brazil, Germany, Turkey, Iran, Israel, Italy, Serbia, the Czech Republic. The books are available in 35 countries that I know of.
To me, the fact that all these children from so many different countries identify with Jack and Annie means that there is one children’s world, a world where small people are inherently the same: They all value compassion, curiosity, and courage; they have respect for the wonder and beauty of nature and respect for the inherent dignity of all members of the human family.
I can tell you from this small United Nations of readers that our future is in good hands. Children everywhere are ready and eager to meet the challenges that are being discussed at this conference.
