At our school we use the Cambridge text, "Playway to English" which is actually a really good resource for both us and the kids. There are plenty of activities, heaps of great songs and colouring exercises, and it exposes the kids to a number of different accents which is always a good thing. Lately, however, I've noticed the toll that edutaining has had upon the book's main character - Max. Gather round, little 'uns, and let me tell you of the sad, sad story of Max, the puppet come to life.
Our tale begins when Max was but a puppet on what seems to be a popular television show. Two young kids, Linda and Benny, are watching Max indulge in his most popular addiction - eating flowers. It is not too long before Max attracts the attentions of a local dog (which sounds something not unlike this scary beast) and in fear Max jumps at the TV screen only to crash through onto the laps of the two surprised children.
At first, life is good for Max as he bonds with the kids and they teach him the ways of the real world. It is not long before he learns the names of fruit, vegetables, the toys in their room and a number of other common nouns. It all starts to go wrong the day that Max was juggling apples by the side of the road as he sang "Apples, Apples, I like Apples". Linda and Benny tried to warn their Pinocchioian friend, but sure enough an apple fell in front of a car leading Max to try and chase after it. It was only through the quick reflexes of Benny that our hero was saved.
By now they were in their second year together and their relationship had become tense. Linda and Benny had started to berate Max and tell him off if he ate the flowers he so used to love, they would deny him treats if he ate too much or if he refused to assist with the household chores, and maybe most damningly they had started to refer to Max as "stupid".
It is not known where any adults were at this stage, but it was becoming obvious that Linda and Benny's attempt to raise Max was slowly killing him.
By the third year, little is seen of Max, and now a much older Linda and Benny mostly play with new friends. Real friends. Not a poor old puppet who voice actor seems to have aged terribly in the last couple of years, now sounding tired, sad and weary of this non-puppet land.
Next year is the last Playway to English, and I'm almost afraid to find out what happens to this misanthropic fabric figment.
- Daniel
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