Spotlight on Traditional
Tales
A Cloak for the
Moon retold by Eric A. Kimmel and illustrated by Katya
Krenina
A
tailor decides he must make a cloak for the moon. Can he find the magical thread to accomplish
this grand task? Let’s shine the
spotlight on this retelling:
Summary
This story is said to be
based on a traditional tale by Rabbi Nachman, an 18th century Jewish
spiritual leader. In this retelling,
a tailor named Haskel is amazed by the moon’s beauty. He dreamt the moon was cold and promised to
make a shiny, silver cloak for her. His journey
to find out where he could gather the materials and make the cloak is
difficult. His uncle said no one can
make it. His uncle’s apprentice tells
him of a garment made with beams of light that stretches and shrinks to fit
whoever is wearing it, but he doesn’t know where to find it. Haskel is determined to make the cloak. His journey takes him to China where a
Persian trader sends him to a city called “The Roof of the World.” When he arrives, he learns of dress made with
beams of light belonging to a princess who is set to be married. But, the dress is coming unraveled and as
this happens, the thread disappears.
Haskel tells the queen he can mend the dress. As he works to mend it, he figures out the
secret to making the thread spin using a magnifying glass to guide a beam of
moonlight. He presents the perfect dress
to the queen for the princess. The queen
asks to repay Haskel for his work and he asks for a small bit of thread in
return. He uses this thread to keep his
promise to the moon and sews a cloak for her.
He climbs a ladder made out of moonbeams to place the cloak on the moon and wraps
himself up with her.
Discussion
This
is a beautiful retelling of a magical story where the words and art enhance one
another. Children will be drawn to the
colors and details in the illustrations, as well as the story structure. As Haskel thinks he is getting closer to a
solution, he faces another set back.
Children will be hanging on the words of the story to find out what
happens next. Parents and grandparents
will appreciate Haskel’s determination to keep a promise.
Cultural influences are
present in this retelling because it is based on a traditional tale written by
a Jewish spiritual leader. The story
takes place in one of Israel’s smallest cities called Tzafat. Tzafat is also Israel’s highest city and
therefore, it’s coldest. The layers of clothing and head coverings worn by the
characters in the book are traditional in this location. The names in the book, Haskel and Ephraim,
reflect Hebrew origins. Ephraim is still
known as a common Jewish name.
Krenina’s illustrations are
made with gouache paint. This
type of paint is much like watercolor, but finishes off more opaque. The illustrations feature an amazing use of
color. Colors are blended and
contrasted. One the first page, we see light blue, light green and dark green
blended on Haskel’s fabrics. Dark and
light colors are used throughout the illustrations, with whites and silvers
reserved for illustrations of the moon and the magical thread. Shadows and light play against each other,
especially in the landscapes.
Krenina shows her
attention to detail in the various patterns and textures she uses in all
illustrations. This detail can be seen on
the clothing of the characters like the cloaks, dresses and head
coverings. It can also be seen in the settings
like the windows, bricks, stone and curtains.
A hallmark of Krenina’s illustrations is the ethereal borders included
on many pages. These borders outline one
page illustrations or text and scenes over two pages. The borders mostly include flowers and vines,
but some borders include details to match the text at that point of the story.
The story structure
features multiple struggles for Haskel.
He is a strong, determined character who is not willing to give up. He faces dual struggles in helping the
princess and keeping his promise to the moon and he is the hero who conquers
both! The language chosen by Kimmel
expresses Haskel’s changing emotions clearly, like “deeply disappointed” and
“struggled through” to “trembled with excitement” and “astonished eyes.”
Overall, the strength of this book is in the way Kimmel and Krenina worked
together. The illustrations enhance the
story and the story illuminates the illustrations.
Awards/Reviews
Eric
A. Kimmel has won various awards for his work like the Caldecott Honor Medal
and the Sydney Taylor Picture Book Award.
He has also won the National Jewish Book Award twice.
Here are samples of a few reviews for A Cloak for the Moon:
“This unique, beautifully written story is enhanced by vividly
colored, luminous gouache paintings of equal quality.” – School Library Journal
“Expertly pacing the story, Kimmel (previously paired with
Krenina for The Magic Dreidels)
embroiders his prose with graceful details, writing of ‘radiant satins [and] silks
like colored water.’ The exotic trappings will lure readers, replacing Haskel's
determination to keep his promise as the central theme of the work.
Intermittently embellished by borders and spot art featuring delicate flower
motifs, Krenina's gouache art effectively depicts the Middle and Far Eastern
settings of the tale, as well as its timeless sensibility.” – Publisher’s Weekly
“Gouache paintings and intricate borders that echo Chinese
and Persian design have an exotic richness. Impossible dreams and magical
desires fulfilled by persistence and unwavering belief underlie this lovely
narrative.” - Booklist
Teacher’s Tools
This book could be used when studying traditional tales. Other books featuring authors who are
retelling a traditional tale could be shared.
Teachers could use this
book when focusing on characters’ emotions.
Students could track the changing emotions of Haskel throughout the
story.
Teachers could use this
book when focusing on questioning while reading. Students could write questions they develop while
reading and record them on a Post-it note to share with the whole group. A sentence frame like “I wonder…” could be
used.
Teachers could
incorporate Eric A. Kimmel’s website (www.ericakimmel.com) into their classroom. His site
features a section called “Hear a Story” where teachers can click on one of
Eric’s books and hear him read it aloud.
Bibliographic
Information
Kimmel, Eric A., retell.
2001. A Cloak for the Moon. Ill. By Katya Krenina. New York: Holiday
House. ISBN 0-8234-1493-0.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
The Three Little Pigs by David Wiesner
Spotlight on Traditional
Tales
The Three Little Pigs by David Wiesner
The three pigs working to build their new houses, the wolf and his huffing and puffing…we know the story. But, you haven’t heard this one! Let’s shine the spotlight on this creative version:
Summary
This version of The Three Little Pigs is a fractured fairy tale. It starts with the familiar “Once upon a time” and the first pig building his house out of straw. But, when the wolf huffs and puffs, he blows the first pig out of the story. The words of the familiar fairy tale continue, but the wolf knows this story is not going the way it should. The first pig gets the second and third pigs to join him outside the story. They escape on a paper airplane made from pages of their fairy tale. They make their way through a familiar rhyme, “Hey Diddle Diddle,” and pick up the cat and the fiddle. Then, they rescue a dragon from another fairy tale. After seeing one of the pages from their book, the three pigs go “home” and take their new friends with them. The dragon scares the wolf away…and the dragon, the cat and the three pigs all lived happily ever after!
Discussion
The pigs are in charge in this reimagined version of the classic fairy tale. At first glance, the familiar pieces are in place. But by the third page, the story is setting off on a new path. Children will enjoy the creativity of this book. The page layout with the fairy tale pages and the animals moving around outside of those pages will maintain their attention. Parents and grandparents will have fun moving between reading the traditional text and the talking bubbles.
Distinctions are made between the traditional fairy tale pages and the fractured version. The text from the traditional fairy tale is displayed in one font, while the text in the talking bubbles is written in another. The rhyme and additional fairy tale featured in the fractured version also make use of alternative fonts for their text.
A unique point playing with font occurs towards the end of the story when the dragon makes his way into the traditional fairy tale. His head and horns seem to knock down the text on the page and scatter the letters from the traditional version. Wiesner takes the fractured fairy tale literally and fractures the words at the end of the story! A few pages feature letters jumbling in the air and landing on the ground. The second little pig can be seen trying to gather the falling letters. The end of the book shows the letters in the final words teeter-tottering along a straight line, with the second little pig putting the letters back together in the words. He has the letter e and letter r from the word “after” in his hand to complete the traditional ending “And they all lived happily ever after.”
There is variety in the style of illustrations, too. The traditional fairy tale is drawn with solid outlines filled in with color and sharp detail. The fractured fairy tale makes the animals look more life-like. The details of the pigs pop against the white background in the middle of the book. Shadows and light are used to enhance the illustrations of the pigs throughout the fractured version. On the pages featuring the rhyme, solid, bright colors are used. On the pages featuring the additional fairy tale, illustrations are outlined in black and white.
The most interesting illustrations include a hybrid of styles used when the animals are shown halfway in a page and halfway out. These occur when the pigs make their escape from the traditional fairy tale and when the pigs, cat and dragon make their way in and out of each story.
Throughout the book, the illustration boundaries change. Some are limited to one page and others work across two pages. The illustrations of the pigs taking flight on their paper airplane against the white background in the middle of the book are unlike any other two page scenes.
Overall, the strength of this book is in the way the familiar story takes an unfamiliar twist and the distinctions made between the traditional fairy tale and the fractured version.
Awards/Reviews
David Wiesner has won the Caldecott Medal three times. The Three Little Pigs was a Caldecott Medal winner in 2002.
Here are samples of a few starred reviews:
“With this inventive retelling, Caldecott Medalist Wiesner (Tuesday, 1991) plays with literary conventions in a manner not seen since Scieszka's The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (1993). The story begins with a traditional approach in both language and illustrations, but when the wolf huffs and puffs, he not only blows down the pigs' wood and straw houses, but also blows the pigs right out of the story and into a parallel story structure. The three pigs (illustrated in their new world in a more three-dimensional style and with speech balloons) take off on a postmodern adventure via a paper airplane folded from the discarded pages of the traditional tale. They sail through several spreads of white space and crash-land in a surreal world of picture-book pages, where they befriend the cat from "Hey Diddle Diddle" and a charming dragon that needs to escape with his cherished golden rose from a pursuing prince. The pigs, car and dragon pick up the pages of the original story and return to that flat, conventional world, concluding with a satisfying bowl of dragon-breath-broiled soup in their safe, sturdy brick house. The pigs have braved the new world and returned with their treasure: the cat for company and fiddle music, the dragon's golden rose for beauty, and the dragon himself for warmth and protection from the wolf, who is glimpsed through the window, sitting powerlessly in the distance. On the last few pages, the final words of the text break apart, sending letters drifting down into the illustrations to show us that once we have ventured out into the wider world, out stories never stay the same.” - Kirkus Reviews
“David Wiesner's postmodern interpretation of this tale plays imaginatively with traditional picture book and story conventions and with readers' expectations of both. . . .Wiesner explores the possibility of different realities within a book's pages. . . . Wiesner may not be the first to thumb his nose at picture-book design rules and storytelling techniques, but he puts his own distinct print on this ambitious endeavor. There are lots of teaching opportunities to be mined here—or you can just dig into the creative possibilities of unconventionality.” - Horn Book
“Artwork explodes off the page and the layout pushes bookmaking convention as the porcine siblings and their pals explore new literary territory.” - SLJ Best Books of the Year
Teacher’s Tools
This book could be used to compare to other versions of The Three Little Pigs. A double bubble map could be used to compare and contrast different versions of this traditional tale.
Students could also study perspective between this book with the pigs guiding the storytelling and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, with the wolf telling the story.
The genre of “fractured fairy tales” could be studied using this book as well as books like The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and The Stinky Cheese Man, both of which are by Jon Scieszka. Students could work as a whole class or in small groups to try their hand at creating a fractured fairy tale using the foundation of a familiar fairy tale as their guide.
Bibliographic Information
Wiesner, David. 2001. The Three Little Pigs. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0-618-00701-6.
The Three Little Pigs by David Wiesner
The three pigs working to build their new houses, the wolf and his huffing and puffing…we know the story. But, you haven’t heard this one! Let’s shine the spotlight on this creative version:
Summary
This version of The Three Little Pigs is a fractured fairy tale. It starts with the familiar “Once upon a time” and the first pig building his house out of straw. But, when the wolf huffs and puffs, he blows the first pig out of the story. The words of the familiar fairy tale continue, but the wolf knows this story is not going the way it should. The first pig gets the second and third pigs to join him outside the story. They escape on a paper airplane made from pages of their fairy tale. They make their way through a familiar rhyme, “Hey Diddle Diddle,” and pick up the cat and the fiddle. Then, they rescue a dragon from another fairy tale. After seeing one of the pages from their book, the three pigs go “home” and take their new friends with them. The dragon scares the wolf away…and the dragon, the cat and the three pigs all lived happily ever after!
Discussion
The pigs are in charge in this reimagined version of the classic fairy tale. At first glance, the familiar pieces are in place. But by the third page, the story is setting off on a new path. Children will enjoy the creativity of this book. The page layout with the fairy tale pages and the animals moving around outside of those pages will maintain their attention. Parents and grandparents will have fun moving between reading the traditional text and the talking bubbles.
Distinctions are made between the traditional fairy tale pages and the fractured version. The text from the traditional fairy tale is displayed in one font, while the text in the talking bubbles is written in another. The rhyme and additional fairy tale featured in the fractured version also make use of alternative fonts for their text.
A unique point playing with font occurs towards the end of the story when the dragon makes his way into the traditional fairy tale. His head and horns seem to knock down the text on the page and scatter the letters from the traditional version. Wiesner takes the fractured fairy tale literally and fractures the words at the end of the story! A few pages feature letters jumbling in the air and landing on the ground. The second little pig can be seen trying to gather the falling letters. The end of the book shows the letters in the final words teeter-tottering along a straight line, with the second little pig putting the letters back together in the words. He has the letter e and letter r from the word “after” in his hand to complete the traditional ending “And they all lived happily ever after.”
There is variety in the style of illustrations, too. The traditional fairy tale is drawn with solid outlines filled in with color and sharp detail. The fractured fairy tale makes the animals look more life-like. The details of the pigs pop against the white background in the middle of the book. Shadows and light are used to enhance the illustrations of the pigs throughout the fractured version. On the pages featuring the rhyme, solid, bright colors are used. On the pages featuring the additional fairy tale, illustrations are outlined in black and white.
The most interesting illustrations include a hybrid of styles used when the animals are shown halfway in a page and halfway out. These occur when the pigs make their escape from the traditional fairy tale and when the pigs, cat and dragon make their way in and out of each story.
Throughout the book, the illustration boundaries change. Some are limited to one page and others work across two pages. The illustrations of the pigs taking flight on their paper airplane against the white background in the middle of the book are unlike any other two page scenes.
Overall, the strength of this book is in the way the familiar story takes an unfamiliar twist and the distinctions made between the traditional fairy tale and the fractured version.
Awards/Reviews
David Wiesner has won the Caldecott Medal three times. The Three Little Pigs was a Caldecott Medal winner in 2002.
Here are samples of a few starred reviews:
“Wiesner has created a funny, wildly
imaginative tale that encourages readers to leap beyond the familiar; to think
critically about conventional stories and illustration, and perhaps, to flex
their imaginations and create wonderfully subversive versions of their own
stories.” - Booklist, ALA
"Children will delight in the changing perspectives...and the whole notion of the interrupted narrative...fresh and funny...Witty dialogue and physical comedy abound in this inspired retelling of a familiar favorite.” - School Library Journal
“As readers have come to expect from the inventive works of Wiesner, nothing is ever quite as it seems in his picture books. This version of the pigs' tale starts off traditionally enough —warm, inviting watercolor panels show in succession the tiny houses, their owner-builders and their toothy visitor. But when the wolf begins to huff and puff, he blows the pigs right out of the illustrations. Though Wiesner briefly touched on this theme in his Free Fall (fans may note a strong resemblance between the dragon in that volume and the one featured in these pages), he takes the idea of 3-D characters operating independently of their storybooks to a new level here. The three pigs land in the margins, which open out onto a postmodern landscape hung with reams of pages made for climbing on, crawling under and folding up for paper airplane travel. Together the pigs visit a book of nursery rhymes and save the aforementioned dragon from death at the hands of the knight. When they get the dragon home, he returns their kindness by scaring the wolf off permanently.
Even the book's younger readers will understand the distinctive visual code. As the pigs enter the confines of a storybook page, they conform to that book's illustrative style, appearing as nursery-rhyme friezes or comic-book line drawings. When the pigs emerge from the storybook pages into the meta-landscape they appear photographically clear and crisp, with shadows and three dimensions. Wiesner's (Tuesday) brilliant use of white space and perspective (as the pigs fly to the upper right-hand corner of a spread on their makeshift plane, or as one pig's snout dominates a full page) evokes a feeling that the characters can navigate endless possibilities —and that the range of story itself is limitless.” - Publishers Weekly
"Children will delight in the changing perspectives...and the whole notion of the interrupted narrative...fresh and funny...Witty dialogue and physical comedy abound in this inspired retelling of a familiar favorite.” - School Library Journal
“As readers have come to expect from the inventive works of Wiesner, nothing is ever quite as it seems in his picture books. This version of the pigs' tale starts off traditionally enough —warm, inviting watercolor panels show in succession the tiny houses, their owner-builders and their toothy visitor. But when the wolf begins to huff and puff, he blows the pigs right out of the illustrations. Though Wiesner briefly touched on this theme in his Free Fall (fans may note a strong resemblance between the dragon in that volume and the one featured in these pages), he takes the idea of 3-D characters operating independently of their storybooks to a new level here. The three pigs land in the margins, which open out onto a postmodern landscape hung with reams of pages made for climbing on, crawling under and folding up for paper airplane travel. Together the pigs visit a book of nursery rhymes and save the aforementioned dragon from death at the hands of the knight. When they get the dragon home, he returns their kindness by scaring the wolf off permanently.
Even the book's younger readers will understand the distinctive visual code. As the pigs enter the confines of a storybook page, they conform to that book's illustrative style, appearing as nursery-rhyme friezes or comic-book line drawings. When the pigs emerge from the storybook pages into the meta-landscape they appear photographically clear and crisp, with shadows and three dimensions. Wiesner's (Tuesday) brilliant use of white space and perspective (as the pigs fly to the upper right-hand corner of a spread on their makeshift plane, or as one pig's snout dominates a full page) evokes a feeling that the characters can navigate endless possibilities —and that the range of story itself is limitless.” - Publishers Weekly
“With this inventive retelling, Caldecott Medalist Wiesner (Tuesday, 1991) plays with literary conventions in a manner not seen since Scieszka's The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (1993). The story begins with a traditional approach in both language and illustrations, but when the wolf huffs and puffs, he not only blows down the pigs' wood and straw houses, but also blows the pigs right out of the story and into a parallel story structure. The three pigs (illustrated in their new world in a more three-dimensional style and with speech balloons) take off on a postmodern adventure via a paper airplane folded from the discarded pages of the traditional tale. They sail through several spreads of white space and crash-land in a surreal world of picture-book pages, where they befriend the cat from "Hey Diddle Diddle" and a charming dragon that needs to escape with his cherished golden rose from a pursuing prince. The pigs, car and dragon pick up the pages of the original story and return to that flat, conventional world, concluding with a satisfying bowl of dragon-breath-broiled soup in their safe, sturdy brick house. The pigs have braved the new world and returned with their treasure: the cat for company and fiddle music, the dragon's golden rose for beauty, and the dragon himself for warmth and protection from the wolf, who is glimpsed through the window, sitting powerlessly in the distance. On the last few pages, the final words of the text break apart, sending letters drifting down into the illustrations to show us that once we have ventured out into the wider world, out stories never stay the same.” - Kirkus Reviews
“David Wiesner's postmodern interpretation of this tale plays imaginatively with traditional picture book and story conventions and with readers' expectations of both. . . .Wiesner explores the possibility of different realities within a book's pages. . . . Wiesner may not be the first to thumb his nose at picture-book design rules and storytelling techniques, but he puts his own distinct print on this ambitious endeavor. There are lots of teaching opportunities to be mined here—or you can just dig into the creative possibilities of unconventionality.” - Horn Book
“Artwork explodes off the page and the layout pushes bookmaking convention as the porcine siblings and their pals explore new literary territory.” - SLJ Best Books of the Year
This book could be used to compare to other versions of The Three Little Pigs. A double bubble map could be used to compare and contrast different versions of this traditional tale.
Students could also study perspective between this book with the pigs guiding the storytelling and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, with the wolf telling the story.
The genre of “fractured fairy tales” could be studied using this book as well as books like The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and The Stinky Cheese Man, both of which are by Jon Scieszka. Students could work as a whole class or in small groups to try their hand at creating a fractured fairy tale using the foundation of a familiar fairy tale as their guide.
Bibliographic Information
Wiesner, David. 2001. The Three Little Pigs. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0-618-00701-6.
The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
Spotlight on Traditional Tales
The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
ROAARRRR…Squeak, squeak, squeak. Can the king of the jungle and a meek rodent become friends? Let’s shine the spotlight on this classic retelling:
Summary
This story is an adaptation of one of Aesop’s fables in a unique wordless version. Two opposing characters, a lion and a mouse, are brought together. In the story, a mouse accidentally stumbles upon a lion, who snatches her up. After a moment of contemplation, the lion lets the mouse run free. The lion takes a walk into the jungle and gets trapped in a poacher’s net. The mouse can hear the lion’s roar and comes to his aid, freeing him from the net. The mouse’s debt has been repaid to the lion.
Discussion
This is a classic fable where the roots of traditional literature are on display. The features of reading a wordless version make this book even more intriguing. Animal and jungle noises are noted on many pages to draw in children’s attention. On some pages, the sounds are repeated and on others, they are only noted once. Children will surely use their best attempts to make the noises throughout the reading. Children will love the details in the illustrations, which move the story along. Children will also enjoy the way a smaller, weaker character helps a bigger, stronger character. Parents and grandparents will be excited to share this story to see how children’s creative thinking takes off as they tell “their” story to match the pictures.
The illustrations will keep your eyes moving across every page in The Lion and the Mouse. The cover art will be the first illustration to grab children’s attention. Pinkney takes advantage of the front and back cover by placing a close up picture of the lion on the front. His eyes are looking towards the back cover, where a close up picture of the mouse can be found.
The inside covers are also used to tell part of the story. The jungle is on full display on the inside front cover. Two pages provide a scene of the landscape, with giraffes, zebras, ostriches, elephants, birds and more! The lion and his family are introduced on the inside front cover. The illustrations on the title page introduce us to the mouse sitting in a footprint from the lion. The final scenes of the book take us back to the families behind the main characters. The mouse is back with her babies on the last page, but the true end of the story is found when turning to the back inside cover. Here, the lion can be seen walking with his family, carrying the mouse and her family on his back.
Throughout the story, some illustrations continue to set a scene over two pages. Others take up one page and some have a border set up around them. The illustration colors and sharp details make the setting and the animals seem life-like, from the lion’s mane and whiskers to the blades of grass, weeds and brush, to the mouse’s fur. Pinkney does not miss a detail! Dark and light colors create shadows and light, as well as blended colors.
Pinkney places a unique vantage point in the middle of the book. In this view, looking down from the trees, the reader can see the poacher’s trap has been set. The lion can be seen walking through the jungle, unaware of the trap. A close up on the following page shows the lion’s paws getting caught up in the rope.
Overall, the strength of this book is in the way the illustrations capture and maintain your attention to tell a story of loyalty and friendship between two unlikely characters.
Awards/Reviews
Jerry Pinkney has received numerous awards for his artwork. He has received the Caldecott Honor for five of his books. He has also won the Coretta Scott King Award five times, the Coretta Scott King Honor three times and was nominated for the Hans Christian Anderson Award.
The Lion and the Mouse was a Caldecott Metal winner in 2010. Here are samples of a few starred reviews:
Teacher’s Tools
Teachers could include this book as a read-aloud when focusing on illustrations in picture books. Students could be asked to add words to the book using Post-it notes.
This book could be used to compare to other versions of The Lion and the Mouse. Teachers could engage students in a discussion about helping and how smaller, weaker characters help larger, stronger characters. Teachers could help students make connections to real life with younger children helping older children or adults.
Jerry Pinkney has been honored for many of his works. Various books he retold and illustrated could be collected for an author/illustrator study, like Little Red Riding Hood, The Little Red Hen and The Ugly Duckling.
Bibliographic Information
Pinkney, Jerry. 2009. The Lion and the Mouse. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN 978-0-316-01356-7.
The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
ROAARRRR…Squeak, squeak, squeak. Can the king of the jungle and a meek rodent become friends? Let’s shine the spotlight on this classic retelling:
Summary
This story is an adaptation of one of Aesop’s fables in a unique wordless version. Two opposing characters, a lion and a mouse, are brought together. In the story, a mouse accidentally stumbles upon a lion, who snatches her up. After a moment of contemplation, the lion lets the mouse run free. The lion takes a walk into the jungle and gets trapped in a poacher’s net. The mouse can hear the lion’s roar and comes to his aid, freeing him from the net. The mouse’s debt has been repaid to the lion.
Discussion
This is a classic fable where the roots of traditional literature are on display. The features of reading a wordless version make this book even more intriguing. Animal and jungle noises are noted on many pages to draw in children’s attention. On some pages, the sounds are repeated and on others, they are only noted once. Children will surely use their best attempts to make the noises throughout the reading. Children will love the details in the illustrations, which move the story along. Children will also enjoy the way a smaller, weaker character helps a bigger, stronger character. Parents and grandparents will be excited to share this story to see how children’s creative thinking takes off as they tell “their” story to match the pictures.
The illustrations will keep your eyes moving across every page in The Lion and the Mouse. The cover art will be the first illustration to grab children’s attention. Pinkney takes advantage of the front and back cover by placing a close up picture of the lion on the front. His eyes are looking towards the back cover, where a close up picture of the mouse can be found.
The inside covers are also used to tell part of the story. The jungle is on full display on the inside front cover. Two pages provide a scene of the landscape, with giraffes, zebras, ostriches, elephants, birds and more! The lion and his family are introduced on the inside front cover. The illustrations on the title page introduce us to the mouse sitting in a footprint from the lion. The final scenes of the book take us back to the families behind the main characters. The mouse is back with her babies on the last page, but the true end of the story is found when turning to the back inside cover. Here, the lion can be seen walking with his family, carrying the mouse and her family on his back.
Throughout the story, some illustrations continue to set a scene over two pages. Others take up one page and some have a border set up around them. The illustration colors and sharp details make the setting and the animals seem life-like, from the lion’s mane and whiskers to the blades of grass, weeds and brush, to the mouse’s fur. Pinkney does not miss a detail! Dark and light colors create shadows and light, as well as blended colors.
Pinkney places a unique vantage point in the middle of the book. In this view, looking down from the trees, the reader can see the poacher’s trap has been set. The lion can be seen walking through the jungle, unaware of the trap. A close up on the following page shows the lion’s paws getting caught up in the rope.
Overall, the strength of this book is in the way the illustrations capture and maintain your attention to tell a story of loyalty and friendship between two unlikely characters.
Awards/Reviews
Jerry Pinkney has received numerous awards for his artwork. He has received the Caldecott Honor for five of his books. He has also won the Coretta Scott King Award five times, the Coretta Scott King Honor three times and was nominated for the Hans Christian Anderson Award.
The Lion and the Mouse was a Caldecott Metal winner in 2010. Here are samples of a few starred reviews:
"Pinkney enriches this classic tale of friendship with another universal theme - family - affectingly illustrated in several scenes as well as in the back endpapers... African species grace splendid panoramas that balance the many finely detailed, closeup images of the protagonists. Pinkney has no need for words; his art speaks eloquently for itself." - Publishers Weekly
"A nearly wordless exploration of Aesop's fable of symbiotic mercy that is nothing short of masterful... Unimpeachable." - Kirkus Reviews
"Pinkney's luminous art, rendered in watercolor and colored pencil, suggests a natural harmony... The ambiguity that results from the lack of words in this version allows for a slower, subtle, and ultimately more satisfying read. Moments of humor and affection complement the drama. A classic tale from a consummate artist." - School Library Journal
"By retelling Aesop's fable entirely in his signature pencil and watercolor art, Pinkney encourages closer exploration of the pleasing detail with which he amplifies it... It will be a challenge for libraries to make every gorgeous surface available, but it's a challenge worth taking on." - The Horn Book
"A nearly wordless exploration of Aesop's fable of symbiotic mercy that is nothing short of masterful... Unimpeachable." - Kirkus Reviews
"Pinkney's luminous art, rendered in watercolor and colored pencil, suggests a natural harmony... The ambiguity that results from the lack of words in this version allows for a slower, subtle, and ultimately more satisfying read. Moments of humor and affection complement the drama. A classic tale from a consummate artist." - School Library Journal
"By retelling Aesop's fable entirely in his signature pencil and watercolor art, Pinkney encourages closer exploration of the pleasing detail with which he amplifies it... It will be a challenge for libraries to make every gorgeous surface available, but it's a challenge worth taking on." - The Horn Book
Teacher’s Tools
Teachers could include this book as a read-aloud when focusing on illustrations in picture books. Students could be asked to add words to the book using Post-it notes.
This book could be used to compare to other versions of The Lion and the Mouse. Teachers could engage students in a discussion about helping and how smaller, weaker characters help larger, stronger characters. Teachers could help students make connections to real life with younger children helping older children or adults.
Jerry Pinkney has been honored for many of his works. Various books he retold and illustrated could be collected for an author/illustrator study, like Little Red Riding Hood, The Little Red Hen and The Ugly Duckling.
Bibliographic Information
Pinkney, Jerry. 2009. The Lion and the Mouse. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN 978-0-316-01356-7.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
Spotlight on Picture Books
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
"Ooh a magic pebble?" Children will get hooked on this book by simply reading the title! Let's shine the spotlight on this classic Caldecott award winning book:
Summary
Sylvester Duncan is a donkey who collects pebbles. One rainy day, Sylvester finds a magic red pebble and discovers anything he wishes will be granted. On his way home with the magic pebble, Sylvester gets scared by a lion on Strawberry Hill and wishes to become a rock. As he turns into a rock, his magic pebble lands on the ground next to him. He soon finds out he can’t be turned back into himself because he is no longer touching the magic pebble. Fall and winter come and go with his parents worrying and searching. In the spring, his parents set out for a picnic and come upon a rock, which really was Sylvester. As they have their picnic on the rock, they find the red pebble and put it on top of the rock. This allows Sylvester to make his wish and change back into a donkey.
Discussion
Children will enjoy reading this book because of the unique story elements: a magic pebble and wishes being granted. They will also be able to connect to the relationship between Sylvester and his parents.
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble is a wonderful story layered with emotions. One choice in a moment of quick thinking sets this book into motion. Sylvester’s quick thinking led him to make a wish that left him unable to make any more wishes. His emotions shift from surprise and excitement at his discovery of the magic pebble to feeling worried, scared and helpless as he sits alone as a rock. His parents’ emotions swing between hope and optimism to fear and even misery. The story arc of the book sets up the problem within the first six to seven pages, maintains the conflict for a large portion of the book (20 pages) with the resolution coming within the final three pages.
Steig’s watercolor illustrations include detailed expressions on the faces of the characters. The character’s faces clearly convey the emotional shifts throughout the story. The illustrations feature dark outlines filled in with various colors. The indoor and outdoor settings, changing seasons and shifts from day to night are displayed masterfully in each illustration. The illustration boundaries range from one to two pages. The two page illustrations show full scenes of Strawberry Hill. The scenes take place at night, during a dog search and through the changing seasons.
A few pages feature two smaller illustrations on one page with text around them. The text length on each page varies throughout the book. Some of the pages carry a few paragraphs of text or simply a few lines of text. The text rarely crosses from one page to the next.
The language used in the book includes interesting vocabulary. Phrases like “flaming red” and “remarkable looking” describe the magic pebble. Words like “perplexed” and “bewildered” describe the lion’s feelings when Sylvester disappeared before his eyes. Steig shows his clever thinking with Sylvester’s address: Acorn Road in Oatsdale.
Overall, the strengths of this book are the detailed illustrations and the emotions conveyed through the illustrations and language.
Awards/Reviews
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble received the Caldecott Medal in 1970. It was also selected as one of the 100 Best Books of the Century by the National Education Association. The American Library Association also honored this book as a Notable Children’s Book.
The New York Times Book Review wrote of Mr. Steig that ''everything he does is magic.''
"Illustrated with William Steig's glowing pictures, this winner of the 1970 Caldecott Medal is a modern classic beloved by children everywhere. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble truly recaptures that magic for a whole new generation of readers." - Amazon.com
Teacher’s Tools
When reading this story aloud, students could be asked what Sylvester could wish for. They could turn and talk with partner to share their thinking. They could also stop to write about their thinking and draw a picture to share.
Students could be invited to share what they would wish for if they found a magic pebble. The teacher could pass out red paper shaped like a pebble for them to write their wish. Or students could cut out their own red pebbles.
Since emotions play such a strong role in the text, students could use Post-its to write down what characters might be thinking or say out loud at different points of the book based on their emotions. The following scenes could be used for this activity: Sylvester’s mother and father are talking to the neighbors, children or the police or the celebration at the end of the book when Sylvester turns back into a donkey.
Bibliographic Information
Steig, William. (1969). Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN-13: 978-1-4169-0206-5.
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
"Ooh a magic pebble?" Children will get hooked on this book by simply reading the title! Let's shine the spotlight on this classic Caldecott award winning book:
Summary
Sylvester Duncan is a donkey who collects pebbles. One rainy day, Sylvester finds a magic red pebble and discovers anything he wishes will be granted. On his way home with the magic pebble, Sylvester gets scared by a lion on Strawberry Hill and wishes to become a rock. As he turns into a rock, his magic pebble lands on the ground next to him. He soon finds out he can’t be turned back into himself because he is no longer touching the magic pebble. Fall and winter come and go with his parents worrying and searching. In the spring, his parents set out for a picnic and come upon a rock, which really was Sylvester. As they have their picnic on the rock, they find the red pebble and put it on top of the rock. This allows Sylvester to make his wish and change back into a donkey.
Discussion
Children will enjoy reading this book because of the unique story elements: a magic pebble and wishes being granted. They will also be able to connect to the relationship between Sylvester and his parents.
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble is a wonderful story layered with emotions. One choice in a moment of quick thinking sets this book into motion. Sylvester’s quick thinking led him to make a wish that left him unable to make any more wishes. His emotions shift from surprise and excitement at his discovery of the magic pebble to feeling worried, scared and helpless as he sits alone as a rock. His parents’ emotions swing between hope and optimism to fear and even misery. The story arc of the book sets up the problem within the first six to seven pages, maintains the conflict for a large portion of the book (20 pages) with the resolution coming within the final three pages.
Steig’s watercolor illustrations include detailed expressions on the faces of the characters. The character’s faces clearly convey the emotional shifts throughout the story. The illustrations feature dark outlines filled in with various colors. The indoor and outdoor settings, changing seasons and shifts from day to night are displayed masterfully in each illustration. The illustration boundaries range from one to two pages. The two page illustrations show full scenes of Strawberry Hill. The scenes take place at night, during a dog search and through the changing seasons.
A few pages feature two smaller illustrations on one page with text around them. The text length on each page varies throughout the book. Some of the pages carry a few paragraphs of text or simply a few lines of text. The text rarely crosses from one page to the next.
The language used in the book includes interesting vocabulary. Phrases like “flaming red” and “remarkable looking” describe the magic pebble. Words like “perplexed” and “bewildered” describe the lion’s feelings when Sylvester disappeared before his eyes. Steig shows his clever thinking with Sylvester’s address: Acorn Road in Oatsdale.
Overall, the strengths of this book are the detailed illustrations and the emotions conveyed through the illustrations and language.
Awards/Reviews
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble received the Caldecott Medal in 1970. It was also selected as one of the 100 Best Books of the Century by the National Education Association. The American Library Association also honored this book as a Notable Children’s Book.
The New York Times Book Review wrote of Mr. Steig that ''everything he does is magic.''
"Illustrated with William Steig's glowing pictures, this winner of the 1970 Caldecott Medal is a modern classic beloved by children everywhere. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble truly recaptures that magic for a whole new generation of readers." - Amazon.com
Teacher’s Tools
When reading this story aloud, students could be asked what Sylvester could wish for. They could turn and talk with partner to share their thinking. They could also stop to write about their thinking and draw a picture to share.
Students could be invited to share what they would wish for if they found a magic pebble. The teacher could pass out red paper shaped like a pebble for them to write their wish. Or students could cut out their own red pebbles.
Since emotions play such a strong role in the text, students could use Post-its to write down what characters might be thinking or say out loud at different points of the book based on their emotions. The following scenes could be used for this activity: Sylvester’s mother and father are talking to the neighbors, children or the police or the celebration at the end of the book when Sylvester turns back into a donkey.
Bibliographic Information
Steig, William. (1969). Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN-13: 978-1-4169-0206-5.
Sweet Dreams/Dulces suenos by Pat Mora. Illustrated by Maribel Suarez
Spotlight on Picture Books
Sweet Dreams/Dulces suenos by Pat Mora. Illustrated by Maribel Suarez
The combination of English text with the Spanish translation sets this book apart from other picture books. Let's shine the spotlight on this unique bilingual book:
Summary
Danny, Tina and their older sister are getting for bed. Grandma has a special way of tucking them in. She kisses each child and tells them which animals are already sleeping like the squirrels, birds and even their pets. The older sister serves as the narrator of this bilingual book, which alternates lines of text in English with the same line of text in Spanish.
Discussion
Bedtime traditions are special to each family. This story would be a perfect fit for a bedtime read-aloud. Themes of love, care and special time with family/family traditions are present within this text. Children will be able to relate to these themes. Children will also enjoy the pattern of the text, which repeats segments as Grandma says who is sleeping. The tone of the text has a softness as Grandma repeats the words “Shh, shh.”
Bright watercolors are used to create the illustrations. The addition of pets and small stuffed animals around the bedroom add detail and carry your eyes throughout the pictures. These details make the bedroom look like a typical children’s room. Shapes are evident from squares and rectangles in the illustrations of the bedroom, to circles used in the illustrations of the pets, stuffed animals and people. Whimsical shapes like stars and swirls are also added for bedroom detail.
The illustration boundaries span two pages. The views shift from inside the bedroom to outside the house. The text carries over multiple pages, also. The English and Spanish sentences are sometimes paired on one page or carried across two pages.
Sweet Dreams/Dulces suenos is one book in a four book series of bilingual texts called “My Family/Mi Familia.” Other titles include: Here Kitty, Kitty!/Ven, gatita ven!, Let’s Eat!/A Comer! and Wiggling Pockets/Los bosillos saltarines.
Overall, the strengths of this book are the bright, colorful illustrations, familiar themes and the versatility of the English/Spanish text.
Awards/Reviews
Here is a sample of one highlighted review:
"While all the animals and birds are sleeping and the stars are shining and the moon is smiling, Abuelita tucks her little grandson and two granddaughters in with kisses and wishes for sweet dreams. Bright, colorful watercolors show happy children getting ready for bed, detailing the repetitive and rhythmically lulling bilingual story … Abuelita's loving attention and gentle words bring tranquility and assurance to all as eyes close for a night of peaceful rest. This second in the new My Family/Mi Familia series brings a soothing tone to a nightly ritual universal in any language or culture.” - Kirkus Reviews
Teacher’s Tools
This book could be easily incorporated into a dual language or bilingual classroom. The English lines of text have a direct translation of Spanish text following them. This text can also be included in all classrooms to expand students’ exposure to culturally diverse literature.
During a read-aloud, students can join in to read the repetitive phrases.
This book, along with the books in the My Family/Mi Familia series, lend themselves to a discussion about family. Students can also engage in discussions about their family traditions, special time with a grandparent or bedtime routines.
Bibliographic Information
Mora, Pat. (2008). Sweet Dreams/Dulces suenos. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN-13: 978-0-06-085041-8.
Sweet Dreams/Dulces suenos by Pat Mora. Illustrated by Maribel Suarez
The combination of English text with the Spanish translation sets this book apart from other picture books. Let's shine the spotlight on this unique bilingual book:
Summary
Danny, Tina and their older sister are getting for bed. Grandma has a special way of tucking them in. She kisses each child and tells them which animals are already sleeping like the squirrels, birds and even their pets. The older sister serves as the narrator of this bilingual book, which alternates lines of text in English with the same line of text in Spanish.
Discussion
Bedtime traditions are special to each family. This story would be a perfect fit for a bedtime read-aloud. Themes of love, care and special time with family/family traditions are present within this text. Children will be able to relate to these themes. Children will also enjoy the pattern of the text, which repeats segments as Grandma says who is sleeping. The tone of the text has a softness as Grandma repeats the words “Shh, shh.”
Bright watercolors are used to create the illustrations. The addition of pets and small stuffed animals around the bedroom add detail and carry your eyes throughout the pictures. These details make the bedroom look like a typical children’s room. Shapes are evident from squares and rectangles in the illustrations of the bedroom, to circles used in the illustrations of the pets, stuffed animals and people. Whimsical shapes like stars and swirls are also added for bedroom detail.
The illustration boundaries span two pages. The views shift from inside the bedroom to outside the house. The text carries over multiple pages, also. The English and Spanish sentences are sometimes paired on one page or carried across two pages.
Sweet Dreams/Dulces suenos is one book in a four book series of bilingual texts called “My Family/Mi Familia.” Other titles include: Here Kitty, Kitty!/Ven, gatita ven!, Let’s Eat!/A Comer! and Wiggling Pockets/Los bosillos saltarines.
Overall, the strengths of this book are the bright, colorful illustrations, familiar themes and the versatility of the English/Spanish text.
Awards/Reviews
Here is a sample of one highlighted review:
"While all the animals and birds are sleeping and the stars are shining and the moon is smiling, Abuelita tucks her little grandson and two granddaughters in with kisses and wishes for sweet dreams. Bright, colorful watercolors show happy children getting ready for bed, detailing the repetitive and rhythmically lulling bilingual story … Abuelita's loving attention and gentle words bring tranquility and assurance to all as eyes close for a night of peaceful rest. This second in the new My Family/Mi Familia series brings a soothing tone to a nightly ritual universal in any language or culture.” - Kirkus Reviews
Teacher’s Tools
This book could be easily incorporated into a dual language or bilingual classroom. The English lines of text have a direct translation of Spanish text following them. This text can also be included in all classrooms to expand students’ exposure to culturally diverse literature.
During a read-aloud, students can join in to read the repetitive phrases.
This book, along with the books in the My Family/Mi Familia series, lend themselves to a discussion about family. Students can also engage in discussions about their family traditions, special time with a grandparent or bedtime routines.
Bibliographic Information
Mora, Pat. (2008). Sweet Dreams/Dulces suenos. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN-13: 978-0-06-085041-8.
Grandpa Green by Lane Smith
Spotlight on Picture Books
Grandpa Green by Lane Smith
Children love hearing memorable stories about their parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents. This book taps into those special stories. Let's shine the spotlight on this sentimental book:
Summary
This story is built around the memories of a great-grandfather shared from the perspective of the great-grandson. The great-grandson is working in a garden of topiaries with his great-grandfather. The shapes of the topiaries align with the great-grandfather’s memories. The great-grandson truly walks through “memory lane” as he travels through the garden to help his great-grandfather.
Discussion
Sharing stories from the past creates a personal connection within families. Children will be able to relate to this story because of the relationship between the great-grandfather and great-grandson. Parents and grandparents will enjoy reading this story aloud to their children or grandchildren while sharing their own stories from their lives. The themes of family relationships, memories and aging will draw in all ages.
The illustrations drive the storytelling in Grandpa Green. The setting of the garden emphasizes a detail about the great-grandfather. The great-grandson reveals how the great-grandfather’s call to war took him away from his dream to study horticulture after high school. It is clear from the great-grandfather’s work in the garden that his passion never left him.
The rich shades of green used to create the topiaries stand out on every page. These illustrations are thick and full of green color in unique shapes. The rest of the details on the page are mostly outlined with thin lines. These illustrations have some light shades of color added sparsely, but include more white spaces. They clearly take a secondary role to the strong presence of the topiaries. Each topiary serves to match the text describing the background of the great-grandfather.
The illustration boundaries are held to one page or drawn across two pages for a wide view of detail. This is also true of the text. Some sentences are completed on one page, while others are carried over two to three pages. A special feature in the book is a fold out illustration at the end. It spans four pages, provides a full view of the garden and serves as a special finale to the book.
Overall, the strengths of this book are the strong themes (family relationships, memories and aging) and the way the illustrations connect with and enhance the text.
Awards/Reviews
Grandpa Green was a Caldecott Honor Book and an SLJ Best Book in 2011. Here are samples of two starred reviews:
“A clever premise, brilliant pacing, and whimsical illustrations offer a distinctive look at the life and artistic vision of one great-grandfather.” - School Library Journal
Teacher’s Tools
Teachers could include this book as a read-aloud when focusing on illustrations in picture books. Teachers could engage students in a discussion about what stands out in Smith’s illustrations and why the illustrations focus on the topiaries. A discussion of the colors used and how they were used could also be incorporated with this book.
This book could be used to discuss themes related to family relationships, memories and aging. It could be grouped with other books engaging in these themes like: Nana Upstairs and Down by Tomie dePaola or Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox.
Lane Smith has an interesting background as an author and illustrator. Various books he has written and/or illustrated could be collected for an author study. He recently wrote Abe Lincoln’s Dream and worked with Judith Viorst to illustrate Lulu Walks the Dogs.
Bibliographic Information
Smith, Lane. 2011. Grandpa Green. New York: Roaring Book Press. ISBN 978-1-59643-607-7.
Grandpa Green by Lane Smith
Children love hearing memorable stories about their parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents. This book taps into those special stories. Let's shine the spotlight on this sentimental book:
Summary
This story is built around the memories of a great-grandfather shared from the perspective of the great-grandson. The great-grandson is working in a garden of topiaries with his great-grandfather. The shapes of the topiaries align with the great-grandfather’s memories. The great-grandson truly walks through “memory lane” as he travels through the garden to help his great-grandfather.
Discussion
Sharing stories from the past creates a personal connection within families. Children will be able to relate to this story because of the relationship between the great-grandfather and great-grandson. Parents and grandparents will enjoy reading this story aloud to their children or grandchildren while sharing their own stories from their lives. The themes of family relationships, memories and aging will draw in all ages.
The illustrations drive the storytelling in Grandpa Green. The setting of the garden emphasizes a detail about the great-grandfather. The great-grandson reveals how the great-grandfather’s call to war took him away from his dream to study horticulture after high school. It is clear from the great-grandfather’s work in the garden that his passion never left him.
The rich shades of green used to create the topiaries stand out on every page. These illustrations are thick and full of green color in unique shapes. The rest of the details on the page are mostly outlined with thin lines. These illustrations have some light shades of color added sparsely, but include more white spaces. They clearly take a secondary role to the strong presence of the topiaries. Each topiary serves to match the text describing the background of the great-grandfather.
The illustration boundaries are held to one page or drawn across two pages for a wide view of detail. This is also true of the text. Some sentences are completed on one page, while others are carried over two to three pages. A special feature in the book is a fold out illustration at the end. It spans four pages, provides a full view of the garden and serves as a special finale to the book.
Overall, the strengths of this book are the strong themes (family relationships, memories and aging) and the way the illustrations connect with and enhance the text.
Awards/Reviews
Grandpa Green was a Caldecott Honor Book and an SLJ Best Book in 2011. Here are samples of two starred reviews:
“A clever premise, brilliant pacing, and whimsical illustrations offer a distinctive look at the life and artistic vision of one great-grandfather.” - School Library Journal
“The perfect book to help kids understand old age.” - Booklist
Teachers could include this book as a read-aloud when focusing on illustrations in picture books. Teachers could engage students in a discussion about what stands out in Smith’s illustrations and why the illustrations focus on the topiaries. A discussion of the colors used and how they were used could also be incorporated with this book.
This book could be used to discuss themes related to family relationships, memories and aging. It could be grouped with other books engaging in these themes like: Nana Upstairs and Down by Tomie dePaola or Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox.
Lane Smith has an interesting background as an author and illustrator. Various books he has written and/or illustrated could be collected for an author study. He recently wrote Abe Lincoln’s Dream and worked with Judith Viorst to illustrate Lulu Walks the Dogs.
Bibliographic Information
Smith, Lane. 2011. Grandpa Green. New York: Roaring Book Press. ISBN 978-1-59643-607-7.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Happy Reading
By day, I am a Literacy Teacher and Literacy Coach at a local elementary school. By night, I am a Reading Education Ph.D student at Texas Women's University. As a requirement for one of my literature courses, I have started my first blog.
You are invited to join me as we expand our literature horizons! My plan is to read everything from picture books by Kevin Henkes, to classics by Ernest Hemingway, then share my thoughts with you. I will plan to include a summary of the book, discussion about features of the text related to the genre, highlights from any awards or reviews and a section for teachers with ideas for implementation in the classroom. There are so many amazing books available for us to read and I hope to bring many of them into the spotlight through this blog.
Happy Reading!
You are invited to join me as we expand our literature horizons! My plan is to read everything from picture books by Kevin Henkes, to classics by Ernest Hemingway, then share my thoughts with you. I will plan to include a summary of the book, discussion about features of the text related to the genre, highlights from any awards or reviews and a section for teachers with ideas for implementation in the classroom. There are so many amazing books available for us to read and I hope to bring many of them into the spotlight through this blog.
Happy Reading!
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