Minn and Jake Blog #1

So far, I have enjoyed this book. I feel like Wong has really captured the perspective of a fifth grader. The issues and subjects that matter to Minn and Jake are some of the same that I had when I was their age. In the beginning chapters of the book Minn is self conscious about her height because she is the tallest girl in her class; her head was even cut out of the class picture because she is so tall! I had a similar experience except I was the shortest and smallest in my class for almost every year in elementary school. I can relate to Minn in the sense that it seems like such a big deal at the time but everyone kind of evens out in the end and height and size aren’t as big of a deal as you think it is in elementary school.

I also loved how the walk home from school becomes an adventure with a map, selected resting/playing spots, and a designated time allowance! In my fifth grade year I walked home from school every day with my friends and siblings and we would stop by our makeshift fort underneath a bridge that stretched over a small dried up creek bed.

Wong has even captured in Minn and Jake’s thought processes the spirit of being ten years old. Like when Minn calls Jake to offer him lizard catching lessons and in her mind is congratulating herself for being such a good person. Although she is ultimately doing a favor for someone else she can’t help but think how wonderful she is for doing something for someone else.

Wong, Janet S. Minn and Jake. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, NY: Frances Foster Books, 2003