Mr. George Baker

By Amy Hest

Illustrated by Jon J. Muth

Candlewick Press, Massachusetts 2004

076361233-2

Historically the concept of a fully-literate community is a relatively recent phenomenon. In Mr. George Baker Amy Hest has paired a young white boy with a 100 year old Black American and is sending them both to school.

Harry runs over to sit on the porch step with Mr. George Baker every school morning and together they wait for the school bus. Harry is fascinated by everything about Mr. George Baker, and describes the clothes he wears - baggy pants held up with suspenders, pockets big enough to hold candy for them both, his crumpled hat, and his crumpled shoes with long shoelaces that don’t come undone, unlike his. Mr. George Baker shows him how to do a double knot so Harry’s shoes don’t come undone either. They both have red book bags, but Mr. George Baker can’t read the book he has inside as he has never learned how to read.

Mrs Baker comes out to give her husband his lunch bag, and he bows and invites her to dance on the lawn, after which she goes back into the house, giving Harry a wink and a wave and telling them to be good.

Harry and Mr. George Baker continue sitting on the front porch waiting for the school bus, and Mr. George Baker starts drumming on his knees – some people say he is a famous drummer man. Then the bus eventually arrives, they climb aboard and drive to school.

Mr and Mrs Baker show Harry that age and race are no barriers to friendship, and we are never too old to learn. What a wonderful message to share with any child.

You can read more about this book at Good Reads

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/305637.Mr_George_Baker 

A similar story is told in the movie The First Grader, which is about an 84 year old man in Kenya who is determined to learn to read and refuses to be denied the right to a free education. This is reviewed on the Rotten Tomatoes website

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_first_grader/