Friday, May 11, 2012

Mother's Work Is Never Done, a Tribute to Moms by Richard Scarry


I went looking for a gift the other day, and in doing so found a new copy of What Do People Do All Day? by Richard Scarry.  It was one of my absolute favorite books in the world as a young child.  The artwork is fun, bright, cheery and amazingly detailed as Scarry gave children a peek at the work-a-day world of making clothes, growing food, baking bread, building roads, and more. 

You can see how beat up well-loved my copy is compared to a brand-spanking new book:

What Do People Do All Day, 1968 vs 1979 abrdiged version, at Serendipity Handmade

I noticed that the newer edition is much shorter. I was surprised to find that four five of the chapters have been removed.  My copy is a first-edition published in 1968. The only edition of this book that you can buy today is the 1979 abridged edition.  How mysterious!  Why abridge a rather popular children's book? What could be wrong with it?

To start, the endpapers with some of the character art have been removed.  In it Scarry drew the residents of Busytown.  I agree that children really don't need to see characters like this anymore:

Spinster Susie, from What Do People Do All Day at Serendipity Handmade blog
Spinster Susie is literally a "spinster" of cotton into thread,
in the "Cotton and How We Use It" chapter (also removed)
However, the chapters about coal and electricity, the water treatment plant, and Sgt. Murphy the Busytown policeman were also removed.  Perhaps the technology in those chapters were a little dated, but frankly most (if not all) of the technology in the other chapters is also outdated.

Ok, but why remove Mother's Work Is Never Done, the chapter about a stay-at-home-mom?  SAHMs still existed in 1979 when the abridged version was published, and they were still working very hard.

Certainly more women with children entered the workforce in the late 1970s than in the 1960s when this chapter was written.  I imagine that perhaps it may not have been politically correct in the late 1970s to depict a woman / wife / mother / girls in a traditional female role.  In some ways this chapter does reinforce traditional roles.  Scarry does have Daddy Pig and Harry being served breakfast in this chapter, but later Harry rather un-traditionally for the time helps with the housework.  

Personally, I think Scarry was trying to equalize what was traditionally regarded as "women's work" when he wrote this chapter. Even today it's possible that a chapter like this one can help children (and adults) realize just how hard a SAHM works all day, and that the work is equal to the work that her partner does. 

Mother's Work is Never Done from What Do People Do All Day?

Mother's Work is Never Done from What Do People Do All Day?

Mother's Work is Never Done from What Do People Do All Day?

Mother's Work is Never Done from What Do People Do All Day?

Mother's Work is Never Done from What Do People Do All Day?

What do you think?  Is this chapter too dated for 2012?


Either way, I would just like to say Happy Mother's Day
to all you mothers out there, SAHM or not,
and thank you 
because your work really is never done!

13 comments:

  1. Okay let me first start by saying that my sister growing up was OBSESSED with Busy Town. Literally, she loved it so so sooo much.

    Also, this is a super interesting post, especially what they chose to omit. I can definitely see the need to remove the "spinster" (lol, though it is pretty hilarious). But the working mother thing is totally relevant. If anything, they should add in that the stay at home mom now has a full time job and STILL does all of those things.

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    1. I too was obsessed. Back in the day they made toy sets with the Busytown figurines and I had Dr. Lion and Nurse Nellie's set.

      You're right Clare, often a working mom does it all in addition to her full-time job. There should be an updated chapter dedicated to them too!

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  2. We have a new copy of this book at home. It's a paperback and the electricity story and water one are my son's favourite. We love the book. It doesn't have the characters on the inside cover, but A mother's work is never done, is definitely in there. We love it. I like your blog , just visiting from Pretty little things for you

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    1. The hardback edition does NOT have the SAHM chapter. How strange that the paperback does...I wonder when yours was published?

      I like the electricity story too, but I have to say that the how cotton is used (to make clothes!) and how bread is made chapters are among my favorites.

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  3. Hi Collete, ours is published in 2010 by Harpers Children's Books. I compared your pictures and ours, Mother doesn't wash up, father doesn't give her any money, she doesn't go shopping, do the laundry or cook tea with the children. I feel like I should really search out an old version, as there is nothing on making bread or clothes. I clearly have an edited version, it's good but my son is missing out. I'm off to Amazon / EBay, I wonder if my husband will give me any money, as today is my SAHM day?

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    1. That is fascinating! I'd love to see that version. I wonder why the hardback edition I have doesn't have the 2010 version in it? I need to do some more sleuthing.

      I'd be happy to help you find a vintage copy...I'll email you!

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  4. Thank you sharing this adorable children's book. I love reading the captions.

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  5. Richard Scarry is my absolute fave. I introduced him to my daughters also. Not many kids know his work now-a-days.

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    1. I think we may see a resurgence of the toys or cartoons someday. His books are such classics and what-goes-around comes-around in the entertainment world.

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  6. That revision version has been a hot topic with our family too. Recently I unearthed (in the attic) a copy of the original. My 30+ year old boy with 4 year old son was super happy to have me find that original edition--I guess he'd been disappointed with the later version given to his kid and wanted to share the one he grew up with. So yes, someone needs to get this publisher to restore what is a cherished book to its original condition!

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