Mr. George Baker by Amy Hest illustrated by John J Muth (2004) is a book I read several years ago. I thought it was quite clever at that time. The end surprised me, as I suppose it was meant to. But as I read it now, I have too many questions. I want to know where a white boy lives next-door to a black family. I want to know more about the history of Mr. George Baker. While it's adorable that he and his wife dance on the porch, I'm left wondering where they danced when they were younger. The story teases us by suggesting that George Baker is a famous drummer. Maybe he’s someone I’m supposed to know. The ending puzzles me now when I look at the other (light skinned) people in George Baker‘s adult classroom. I jump to the conclusion that they're learning English as a second language while Mr. Baker was denied the opportunity to read. I suppose this book has all information a young child needs to know, and I’m responding as an adult.
