What is the origin of the owl folktale in Child of the Owl?
That’s based on Chinese folklore about owls. They’re disrespectful of their parents; they’ll kick them out of the nest, and even eat them. It’s also based on a folktale about filial duty and a son who makes sacrifices and is rewarded with a bird wife. Do you think it’s important for children’s books to have a lesson? I don’t think you can do it from the top down. I don’t think you can start with the moral first. If the story is true to human experience, I think a lesson emerges. For instance in the book about the massacre in Rock Springs, Wyoming, in 1885, I began to understand the point of view of the American miners who were upset with the Chinese. I don’t approve of the murders, but I understand some of their motives now. So the whole story changed from a horror story to a tragedy. Do you think the attitude towards people of Asian heritage has changed? Oh, yes, I’ve seen it all around me. When I was a kid in the 50s, I got spat on if I went into certain areas of San Francisco. Now t
Related Questions
- Does a district have to provide transportation to a homeless student who is attending school in the district (the childs school of origin is in the district) but who lives in another district?
- What happens if a child chooses to attend the local school, and soon after decides that she would rather attend the school of origin?
- What is the origin of the owl folktale in Child of the Owl?
