Would you believe me if I told you that someone has been able to replicate Winnie the Pooh to satisfaction without copying it? Well, you shouldn’t. Teddy & Co. certainly does not attain to A. A. Milne’s level, but then again, whoever could?
Despite its lack of achievement in surpassing one of the greatest children’s characters of all time, it is still enjoyable and extremely reminiscent of the silly old bear created back in the 20th century. Teddy, the protagonist of Cynthia Voigt’s lovely little children’s book, is a teddy bear who loves to think and come up with new ideas.
A colorful cast of fellow-toys join Teddy on his adventures, ranging from a muffin-loving snake to an antisocial penguin who hides in his cave most of the time. Through all of their adventures, the toys learn about each other and the world around them.
I think this book would be an excellent read for young children, its intended audience. I am not a parent, but I have been a teacher, and I can see many important lessons that could be imparted to children through the adventures that it recounts. Whether it’s how being inquisitive can lead to new adventures, how overcoming our fears to learn something new can be exciting, or how being kind and humble is the key to having good relationships, there’s something for everyone: even adults.
I think when C.S. Lewis said, “some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again,” he meant more than just high-seas adventures or stories about dragons. I think there is something to the concept that the simple innocence of a small child or a children’s story can teach us a lot. And this book certainly does.
Besides the lessons that it teaches, another aspect of Teddy & Co. that I appreciated was the representation of personalities and characteristics. First, the physical qualities are diverse. Not only do a snake and doll roam the island, but so do a wooden penguin and a teddy bear with no legs. Teddy rides around in a little red wagon because he can’t walk. It’s not a major point of the story like the protagonist's disability in R. J. Palacio’s Wonder, but it’s a part of Teddy’s day-to-day life and he has to deal with it.
Second, I appreciated the diversity of personalities. Peng the penguin is socially reclusive, while Mr. B the bunny barges into people’s houses unannounced. This shows the vast differences that manifest themselves in people, bringing the application back to the real world once again.
Finally, the diversity of character flaws was excellent. Clara the doll has a penchant for controlling everything, while Zia the pig has a tendency to worry too much. These flaws round out the various toys and make them full of life and important to the reader. Without these detailed and different qualities, they would not feel as real.
Now, I’m not hung up on the liberal agenda of making everything inclusive and diverse for the sake of inclusivity and diversity. I’m talking about the importance of teaching children about differences in real people they will encounter. There’s a difference between saying, “everyone needs to be equally this,” and saying, “some people are like this.”
Teaching children (and re-teaching ourselves) that some people will have disabilities is important to living in the real world. Additionally, discussing varying personalities and flaws prepares kids for the reality that everyone acts differently and conflicts happen. The toys in this book do clash. But eventually, they figure it out.
Learning to resolve conflicts in a day and age when people increasingly cannot have civil conversations is important. Some teach their children to think one specific way, but I submit that kids should be able to think outside the box to solve a problem. Never should we compromise values for peace, but finding a way to be kind in disagreement can be learned by everyone. That’s a pretty valuable lesson to learn from a teddy bear.