A great choice if you're interested in interactive picture books. Or wanting something to read on a long car trip!
Summary from the publisher:
"Are we there yet?"
Every parent has heard this classic kid question on a long car ride--and after
reading this astonishingly inventive new book (that even turns upside down for
several pages!), you'll never look at being bored the same way again.
Let's face it: everyone knows
that car rides can be boring. And when things get boring, time slows down. In
this book, a boy feels time slowing down so much that it starts going
backward--into the time of pirates! Of princesses! Of dinosaurs! The boy was
just trying to get to his grandmother's birthday party, but instead he's
traveling through Ancient Egypt and rubbing shoulders with Ben Franklin. When
time flies, who knows where--or when--he'll end up.
Are We There Yet? was written by and illustrated by Dan
Santat. It was published in 2016 by Little, Brown and Company.
Opening:
“The car
trip to visit Grandma is always exciting! But after the first hour, it can feel
like an eternity.”
My Thoughts as a Writer:
Dan Santat
has taken the classic “joke” of a long car trip and turned it into an
entertaining story. I loved the expressions on the character’s faces and the
interactive element of turning the book to “go back in time” is so clever! The
detailed illustrations invite the reader to take their time and the comic book
style frames with speech bubbles were so cool! I also really liked the deeper layer
of meaning that is hinted at: “And you never know where life may take you…”
My Thoughts as a Teacher:
It would be
fun to talk about the different time periods shown in this story. This book
could also be used as a starting point for discussing different modes of
transportation. An interesting project might be to look at a few of the
different books Dan Santat has illustrated to study his illustration style.
Ages: 4 - 8
Grades: K - 3
Themes: family, imagination, car trips,
Activities:
If you were
in the car on the way to Grandma’s house, what “side trip” would your
imagination take you on. Draw a picture to show where you’d travel.
Create a paper book with a few pages and try to recreate the cool reversal that happens in this story to see how it works. Use arrows to show where the story goes.
What is your favorite scene from the story? Explain why.
Check out this fun book trailer:
Dan Santat is so talented! I have not yet picked up this book, but I'd like to!
ReplyDeleteI like the way you break down your thoughts as a writer and a teacher. :)
Thank you for dropping by, Dawn!
DeleteLOVE THIS BOOK, Andrea!
ReplyDeleteA couple of years ago, that title was one of my PiBoIdMo ideas...oh well, guess I didn't write it fast enough. ;)
Thanks for a great review.
Thanks, Vivian! This one would be a tough act to follow -- you'd have to take it for a "spin" in a different direction.
DeleteHa, love the spin on this very well known phrase. Great idea and review. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like such a fun read and an interesting take on the typical kid question. I love the back in time aspect, and I can see how this would be great to use in the classroom. Thanks for featuring it!
ReplyDelete