Quotes about COOTIE SHOTS

“Cootie Shots teaches and preaches without being ‘teachie’ and ‘preachie.’ It gives children some beautiful lessons about our diversity and sameness before our society teaches them otherwise.”
Rev. Robert B. Allman, H.R. Presbyterian Minister, Savannah Georgia Presbytery

“I think that Cootie Shots is an incredibly useful tool for teachers, educators, theater makers, community-based artists, facilitators — anyone working with K-8. This book will spark thinking and conversation, during early development, around important and challenging issues such as race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, physical ability, and the feelings that come along with being ‘different’! I applaud Norma and Fringe Benefits for believing that young children CAN handle these topics and deserve to have them presented in a way that is artful, professional and inspiring. Good work!”
Dani Bedau, Director of Youth Arts Programs
National Conference for Community and Justice – NCCJ/LA

“Cootie Shots is an excellent opportunity for young audiences to explore difficult issues they are confronting in their everyday lives. Themes such as name-calling, stereotypes, feeling like an outsider – for whatever reason – are experiences all children share. Cootie Shots provides a fun, thought-provoking and creative forum for children to recognize what they can do to treat others – and be treated – in a more equitable manner.”
Julie Flapan, Project Director, A World of Difference® Institute
Los Angeles Project, Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith

“I love this book!”
California State Senator Sheila Kuehl

“I learned that you need to treat people the way you want to be treated, even if they are different than you.”
Robert, Grade 6

“The school learned more about loving themselves and respecting each other because, on the yard, the kids aren’t fighting.”
Hailey, grade 3

“I learned you shouldn’t tease. You should try to defend your friends, try to help them get used to the school.”
Kyle, grade 5

“I learned that however you look, never, I repeat, NEVER call a person names or judge them by the color of their skin.”
Alex, grade 3

“I learned not to put people down because it makes people sad.”
Lucas, grade 2

“Stick up for your friend. Even if they’re not your friend, they could be.”
Jenny, grade 4

“I would like every body to be treated equally, whether they are popular, unpopular, short, tall, different, smart, not getting good grades, believing in things, not believing in things, ugly, pretty, cool, not so cool, glasses, braces, rich, poor or in between.”
Ariane, grade 5

“It does not matter who you are on the outside. It matters who you are on the inside.”
Siena, grade 3

“Just because someone is disabled doesn’t mean they can’t understand us.”
Dan, grade 5

“My favorite part is when they said sorry because it makes me happy when people say sorry.”
Maria, grade 2

“In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and other great civil rights leaders, our school assembled to acknowledge the many esteemed people who dared to make a difference. But it was the inspired content of Cootie Shots that lit up the eyes and opened the hearts of parents and children alike, as the magic of our young performers brought to life stories of the beauty of variation, crooned inspired songs of change, blessed us with loving and poignant themes encouraging us all to seek the truth and be kind to one another along the way.”
James Ward, Los Angeles

“I think much of the pain that children experience growing up comes from how children act toward each other as they become aware of differences. Cootie Shots helps me open dialogue with my children and normalize their feelings while empowering them to stand up for who they are and celebrate the differences that make us all unique. It is great to see my children advocate for themselves and others in the face of discrimination and prejudice.”
Laura Travnitz, Pasadena

“My daughter saw the production of Cootie Shots last year at her elementary school, and she came home a completely different girl. Once she was reticent of people who were different from her but now she truly does treasure what makes people special, whether they have a different religion, color of skin, home situation, etc.”
Laura Greenfield, Fairfield

“My youngest daughter saw Cootie Shots: Theatrical Inoculations Against Bigotry and my wife attended at San Ramon the day the theater troupe was there. They both liked it very much and to this day talk about the value of that program especially prior to middle school where so much bullying and name-calling occurs.”
Jim Bartee, Novato

“It goes beyond tolerance and stresses inclusion. I may be an exception, but personally I think tolerance should be the last-ditch thing, a bare minimum – I think people should go further.”
Jeff Towne, Fullerton

“Programs like Cootie Shots and ‘Theatre for Social Justice’ promote tolerance and acceptance by bringing issues out for discussion that otherwise might not be addressed.”
Sonja Berggren Seaver, Long Beach

“Having witnessed the power of Cootie Shots to open hearts and minds, I am eager to spread the word! I have seen how these interactive plays afford youth an extraordinary opportunity to use their imaginations to develop and rehearse constructive solutions to the myriad of challenging situations they face.”
Joanne Woodward

“My theatre company has been asked to do a production for our city’s 1 year anniversary of 9/11 which will celebrate diversity and promote peace. Although our company does not specialize in children’s theatre, this is a family event, and I can think of nothing more fitting to present than your fabulous play.”
Gene Fouche, Maryland Ensemble Theatre

“Cootie Shots is an exhilarating celebration of diversity! Challenging us to go beyond stereotypes and appreciate the similarities and differences in us all. Cootie Shots is a truly life-affirming collection of work.”
Olympia Dukakis, Actor

“What a wonderful way for kids to safely and creatively explore issues of diversity. And to see that differences can be a positive thing. I have just one question, ‘Where were you when I was growing up?’”
Joan Lipkin, Artistic Director, The DisAbility Project, St. Louis, Missouri

“Entertaining, intelligent, and essential for contemporary living, Cootie Shots sets children on a fun-filled journey to discover values and identities for the 21st century. I’m eager to share this collection with my own five year-old.”
David Henry Hwang, Playwright

“Sweetly told stories about race, gender, death, family, and God — the big themes! — from writers on the frontlines of these and other social issues. These fun, hip, fresh plays and poems should awaken the natural desire in all young people to step into the shoes and think with the minds of others.”
Jose Rivera, Playwright

“For me, this book represents the essence of artistic spirit. It could only have come from these artists, in this time. It is a daring adventure and it exists purely because of the unique, obsessed, driving spirits of Bowles and Rosenthal, doing their very best, relentlessly, to make the world a better place. It is an American art trophy.”
Linda Frye Burnham, Art in the Public Interest