A Critical Children’s Book Review: Rajin atau Malas
Rajin atau Malas is a children’s book by Fadila Hanum with illustrators Bella and Gigih, and the publisher is Tiga Ananda. This entire book informs children to be diligent and do their job as quickly as possible and not be lazy. The stories are written in the correct order, and there are 12 pages in this little book. When we open the book, there are guidelines on how to read the book correctly which is a good thing the author does because this book is aimed at children. Apart from that, the author has provided scraps of excellent moral values here and there in this book. Hence, it is an effective book for children. The book is impressive; therefore, I would like to state three reasons why this book is thought-provoking.
First up, I like the idea of a book that reminds children to be hard-working, and being lazy isn’t a good thing. The whole book aims to motivate children to be enthusiastic and also take responsibility for their assignments. The author also shows young readers the impact of being shiftless. The first example is when the boy’s mother goes out to visit her aunt and tells him to clean up his room, yet, he always puts it off, until finally the mother comes home in the afternoon and he hurries to clean it. The second example is when the boy is focused on playing the game; he forgets that he has homework but he continues to play it. Due to his laziness, he had to stay up late until midnight to finish his task because he had to hand it over tomorrow. On the other hand, when the boy managed to be diligent and never put off work, he paid close attention to details and did homework on time given he knew it would lead to impressive accomplishments in the end. Not only causes him to achieve his goals but also makes a good impression on others, especially his mother. In these two examples, children will learn from this book which behaviors are good to follow and which are not. I am sure that children will choose to be responsible on behalf of it will benefit them, not only in their youth but when they become adults too.
Moreover, the book has a simple storyline and language that is easy to interpret. What I found in this book, the language is incomplex and clear. The material is presented efficiently and can be understood. Moreover, it does not contain difficult words or sentences that baffle the children. Since the language in this book is smooth, it is easy to figure out what is going on. For example, when his mother said that she wanted to visit Arin, the boy’s aunt, the mother reminded him to tidy up the room by saying, “Remember your promise to clean your room.” Another example is when the boy finishes his homework and says, “Yes! Finally, my assignment is complete. Hmm, my room looks cozy. I took cardboard and stationery. Then, start doing the homework.” These examples show the reader that the author uses simple sentences for children to apprehend.
Finally, the whole book contains pleasing illustrations. They are a collaboration of words and images, both of which are equally important in telling stories and communicating directly with children. It is necessary to give children picture books as it will help them understand what they are reading. For instance, a book cover is an illustration of a boy holding cardboard at his desk. Illustrators also draw the boys’ fabulous facial expressions throughout the book. Apart from that, the illustrator also draws every situation entirely. According to Norton (1987), in picture books, as in all literature, the setting is used to establish the situation of a story in time and place, create moods, clarify historical backdrop if fundamental, and emphasize symbolic meaning. Accordingly, this book depicts all the little things starting from the surroundings of the boys’ room, facial expressions, feelings, and the appearance of each character in the book that is well described.
In other words, I think this book will be fruitful for children. It teaches them to be eager and attentive. When we always put off something that has to be done right away, we will get pressure as a result of we don’t know what work to do first. The more duties we postpone, the more task that we have to complete will accumulate, and it will have an impact on us, where all the work is neglected. Likewise, when the children finish reading it, it will give them two choices; being studious or lazy. This book motivates them to never postpone any assignment and gives them lessons to be responsible for completing a task as well and as immediately as possible without having to be delayed too long.
