I like little Ben. I mean it's almost impossible to be this little and so different from your parents and their lifestyle, but as in Matilda's case, little Ben educated himself not to be vain, even if his parents are described in not so flattering terms.
From the begining it is clear the Ben was feeling neglected, he is often told to be quiet so his parents could watch a tv show or play music in the car, and his opinions regarding his future plans haven't been taken seriously by his parents, they actually tried to convince Ben to do their way by emmotional blackmail:
Quote:
Me and your mother work night and day to give you the opportunities we never had, and this is how you treat us...
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Regarding work I felt a certain irony in describing the jobs of the two parents, and their looks were also ridiculized.
This book is about discrimination, but also about the impossibility to comunicate, mainly between the elder and the young.
Quote:
Granny seemed to find it as hard to speak to Ben as he did to her
The lack of communication might seem very easy to solve, but sometimes seems like a big wall you have no idea how to climb.
In theory is simple, you hate your granny's cabbage soup? She can't know that unless you tell her, you hate scrabble? just tell her, she will think of something else to do. But things are way more complicated. In Ben's case his call in the middle of the night asking his parents to pick him up because granny is boring was a wake-up call for granny. Even if she was hurt, she remembered children need attention and imagination in order to be kept entertained, and she totally changed her ways realising she had taken her nephew for granted.
This book makes children interested to visit and listen their grandparents, and makes parents understand how important it is to encourage a good relation between their children and the grandparent.
I liked how clear was all about grandma's death, even if this was extremely sad for Ben, he managed to see death and disease as a part of life, and he accepted it.
Quote:
you'll always be my Gangsta Granny
I also realized how difficult must be to make up stories while trying to hide your pain or illness. We, adults sometimes forget to dream, and we, children, learn sometimes to late to appreciate all the efforts made for us. It is, indeed true that aging doesn't always come with wisdom or patience, but this is another story...
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