Don't Laugh, Joe Book

Growing up, we learn when we can mess around and when we should take things seriously. In the book Don't Laugh, Joe!, Joe's mother tries to teach him how to protect himself from enemies. Joe and his mother are both possums, who have to be aware of their surroundings at all times. While reading this book I observed how they made real life scenarios for children to relate to. While Joe's trying to learn how to protect himself, he always seems to giggle and make a joke out of it. One connection I thought of was when I was training to become a camp counselor. I was told many times how children go up to different adults (after one says no) in hopes of getting something they want. I didn't truly believe this and brushed it off until it happened to me one day. I was very embarrassed when I realized I didn't take the advice seriously. One question I had while reading the book was, is this book showing kids that if you complete a task you always get a reward? At the end of the book, Mother Possum gives Joe a pie to congratulate him for playing dead. Will children also expect this rewards after tasks? I was surprised on the ending of the book. A bear came which caused joe and his mother to pretend to be dead. Instead of wanting to hurt them, the bear just wanted Joe to make him smile. I believe this book is a very good learning lesson to young children. It gives them the opportunity to learn about the dangers of the world without the content being too scary.