Xiao Bai goes swimming

Author: (French) Floury / (French) Bouvнал / Mei Sifan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: Xiaobai and Dad go swimming. He changed into swim trunks and put on a life jacket. SPLASH! He jumped into the swimming pool! Xiaobai is so great! Practice a few more times, and you’ll become a real champion. Happy arrow Xiaobai is a little rabbit. But as we see, he is actually a child. So this series of stories about a little rabbit is basically a story about a child. Children’s stories are always everyday and simple—eating is a story, sleeping is a story, being happy is a story, being angry is a story, walking is a story, falling is a story, missing Mom is a story, walking up and down the train aisle is a story, singing "La-la-la" is a story, wetting the pants and bed is also a story.
When Xiaobai wets his pants or bed, Mom just says, "Oh! There was an 'accident.'" Dad is even more relaxed and knowledgeable: "Don’t worry, dear. Everyone has gone through such things. Me, Mom, Grandpa, Grandma—we’ve all had them." The next day at school, Contant also wet the bed during nap time. Xiaobai comforts him: "Don’t worry, Natalee teacher used to wet the bed too." Natalee says, "Yes, teachers used to wet the bed when they were little. Contant, change your clothes first, then we can play together." So in Xiaobai’s stories, we see the wisdom and composure of the "Big Whites," and we see how they deeply understand the innocence, naivety, and awkwardness of childhood, appreciating its precious simplicity, mischief, and poetry. Of course, they know that every day of childhood is heading toward a certain direction—growing up. Some truths are like road signs, with arrows pointing the way, but they understand the right way, the right words, and the right tone, which surprises and moves us—it’s almost like an aesthetic experience! We can’t help but regret that when our Xiaobai was young, we didn’t have the chance to read such stories and books, so we lacked fresh inspiration when participating in their stories. When pointing the direction of the road signs, we weren’t humorous at all. Otherwise, the feeling of growing up and the nostalgia would have been even more joyful, and the brilliance we see in our personalities would have been even greater!
We think such books are perfect for children to explore and read, but in fact, they are especially worth adults reading and reflecting on. Adults with children can read Xiaobai stories together—with the book in the child’s hands or the adult’s hands. Reading aloud or softly telling the story works either way. The child finds their own joy and reflections in Xiaobai’s stories, while adults find their own likes and touches. Unexpected inspiration naturally becomes tomorrow’s wisdom and composure. In Xiaobai’s future stories, in every story that follows, the ease and fun will never be the same. Many years later, Xiaobai’s memories and your own will also be bright and sunny, with bright moods.
Slowly, I began to understand that for a person, many small things and many big things—eventually, what you truly want is the brilliance that remains. Having it is already wonderful.
These books were translated by my daughter. I read her translations, filled with joy and emotion. She took these French stories and told them to us in Chinese, to many small Chinese children, and to many adults with small children. Her French is excellent. She will soon go to France to study new courses and pursue a higher degree. I’m amazed at how quickly my child has grown. I’ve always felt guilty and blamed myself for not being a wiser and more composed father, so concerned about her childhood yet so lacking in inspiration, in ways, and in so much patience. As a result, her childhood didn’t have enough joy. I always want to say to my little rabbit, "Forgive me!"
I believe that because of my recommendation, many children will finally get the joy they desire. Then they will leave behind more brilliance. That would be wonderful!