Learning from Picture Books – IN A CLOUD OF DUST

It’s amazing how something you think is ordinary, like a bicycle, can have the power to change lives. I didn’t realize there were several organizations that recycle bicycles, including Bicycles for Humanity. This book is one of the nominees for this year’s Blue Spruce Award from the Ontario Library Association. 

 

Summary from Pajama Press:  

In a Tanzanian village school, Anna struggles to keep up. Her walk home takes so long that when she arrives, it is too dark to do her homework. Working through the lunch hour instead, she doesn’t see the truck from the bicycle library pull into the schoolyard. 

By the time she gets out there, the bikes are all gone. Anna hides her disappointment, happy to help her friends learn to balance and steer. She doesn’t know a compassionate friend will offer her a clever solution—and the chance to raise her own cloud of dust.

Brought to life by Brian Deines’ vivid oil paintings, Alma Fullerton’s simple, expressive prose captures the joy of feeling the wind on your face for the first time. 

Inspired by organizations like The Village Bicycle Project that have opened bicycle libraries all across Africa, In a Cloud of Dust is an uplifting example of how a simple opportunity can make a dramatic change in a child’s life.

In a Cloud of Dust, written by Alma Fullerton and illustrated by Brian Deines, was published by Pajama Press in 2015.

First line: “In a Tanzanian village, a little schoolhouse sits at the end of a dusty road.”

My thoughts as a writer:

The poetic and lyrical style is lovely. The story is simple, easy for children to understand, and shows so clearly the impact and importance of the bicycles for the village children.  It's a good example of a story with an underlying message that doesn't focus on the message, but instead gives us an experience in a child's life.

The warm tones of the illustrations suit the mood of the text. I especially liked the way they showed the joy on the children’s faces after they got their bikes. 

My Thoughts as a Teacher:

This book is short and provides a good model for a poetic style of language. It could be a springboard for starting a discussion about what happens to things that are thrown away (Earth Day!). It’s also a good starting point for talking about life in other places, though the illustrations show only a tiny bit of life in this village in Tanzania. I wished there were a few more details of the village and what life was like there, so there would be more to discuss with children and to get them thinking and questioning.

Ages: 4 – 8

Grades: K - 3

Themes:, bicycles, life in Africa,

Activities:

Research Tanzania to find out more about what it might be like to live there. What other things might Anna do besides go to school?

Think about what happens to other things that you or your family might not need anymore. List or make a poster of things that could be recycled.

The publisher provides an excellent teacher guide with  lesson plans and activities, recommendations for books to pair this one with, and links for learning more. 

Learning from Picture Books – FISHERMEN THROUGH & THROUGH

I had no idea what to expect with this one and the story surprised me. I really liked the illustrations. This book is one of the nominees for this year’s Blue Spruce Award from the Ontario Library Association. 

Summary from Indigo:

Peter, Santiago and Ahab are fishermen through and through. The sea is the place where they spend their lives. Still, they have dreams of other places and when the sea is gentle the fishermen talk of those fantasies — of sand dunes and camels, of hot-air balloons high up in the clouds, of fields full of rainbow-coloured tulips.

On one of those dreamy days the fishermen make an extra special catch — a lobster as white as the clouds of Santiago's daydreams. Never before have they seen anything this extraordinary and beautiful! Surely this is a catch that should be shared with all! 

When word of the special lobster makes its way to photographers, marine biologists and reporters they all come to the village to see for themselves and share the story with their followers. Peter, Santiago and Ahab are eventually offered money for the lobster! 

As if such an extraordinary creature was theirs to sell!! The final offer is for more money than any of them could have ever imagined — a sum that would allow them to achieve their life dreams. But the fisherman realize it is impossible to imagine their life without the water and the sound of the seagulls overhead — and they need to return their special catch back to the freedom of its own watery world.

Fishermen Through & Through was written by Colleen Sydor and illustrated by Brooke Kerrigan , and published by Red Deer Press in 2014.

First line: “There once lived three fisherman: Peter, Santiago, and Ahab.”

My thoughts as a writer:

There is some really fun language in this book, such as “salty as the  bottom of a pretzel” and “until the sun got snoozy.”  The style reminds me of a legend or tall tale, and suited the story so well. It’s interesting that this story is told with three adult characters, too, a little different than the many books I’ve come across told from a child’s perspective.

I love the underlying importance of nature in the character’s lives and the feeling of contentment that comes from the illustrations and life near the sea. The illustrations are soft and have lots of small textural details.

My Thoughts as a Teacher:

I liked the way this book made me think about living things and whether they belong in tanks or in the ocean, and how, sometimes, it’s hard to know at the time what is the right thing. This could be a good topic for discussion.

Ages: 4 – 8

Grades: K - 3

Themes:, compassion, fishing, fishermen, oceans

Activities:

What do you think the lobster did after it was put back in the sea? Draw a picture to show your idea.

Do white lobsters exist? Do some research about lobsters.

Find three interesting ways the author used language or description in the story. Talk about why they are interesting and how they fit (or don’t fit) with the story.

Learning from Picture Books – WE’RE ALL FRIENDS HERE

This book shows that there is more than one side to a story and would be useful to discuss in a classroom. It’s one of the nominees for this year’s Blue Spruce Award from the Ontario Library Association. 

Summary from Scholastic:

Sonny and Arthur have been thrown together since nursery school, but the two boys couldn't be more different. Sonny is careful and studious while Arthur is a whirlwind of mess and noise.

But when Arthur is not on the school bus one day, Sonny realizes it's pretty boring without his usual seatmate. Could it be true that the two boys are good for each other, even though they are so different?

With all the humour and silliness that appeals to readers of this age, the story is cleverly told in alternating perspectives — first from Sonny's point of view, and then from Arthur's — that will get kids thinking about putting themselves in someone else's shoes.

We’re All Friends Here, written by Nancy Wilcox Richards and illustrated by Tom Goldsmith was published by Scholastic Canada in 2014.

First line: “Arthur Leevy bugged me in nursery school.”

My thoughts as a writer:

Such an interesting story structure! It’s told by two different main characters in first person. First it starts with Sonny’s side of things, then we get Arthur’s perspective. The ending is told on two spreads, one from each character. I’ve never seen a picture book told in this way before. I’d be interested in reading it with students to see if they understand what is happening or need help from an adult.

I liked the way the illustrator included a lined paper drawing that looked like it was drawn by the character to start their section of the story. The realistic illustrations help to clarify which student is telling each part of the story.

My Thoughts as a Teacher:

This story would be useful for teaching about different perspectives and how, while everyone has their own point of view, one isn’t better or worse than the other. It would be good for starting discussions about listening to and thinking about other points of view.

Ages: 4 – 8

Grades: K - 3

Themes:, friends, different points of view, tolerance for others, empathy

Activities:

Do Arthur and Sonny like each other?  Explain.

Try comparing perspectives on the same event (e.g., going to an assembly, what happened a recess) with a partner, either by writing a paragraph or acting it out.

Another character, Debbie, is mentioned in the story. Write or draw a comic showing what things are like from her point of view.

Scholastic provides classroom activities

Learning from Picture Books: THE CARDINAL AND THE CROW

I enjoy watching birds (and am participating in Project Feeder Watch) so the title of this book captured my attention. I didn't realize it was a fable! I don't see many of those in picture book form. I found it as part of my goal to read all of the nominees for the 2016 Blue Spruce Award from the Ontario Library Association. 

Summary from the publisher:

All the birds tease old Crow for his scraggly feathers and harsh call, especially proud Cardinal. But when Cardinal gets into trouble, there is only one creature smart enough to get him out. Will Crow choose to help the boastful bird? This thoughtful picture book, inspired by Aesop’s Fables, reminds us all that pride and foolishness often go hand in hand, or in this case, “claw in claw.”

The Cardinal and the Crow, written and illustrated by Michael Moniz, was published in 2014 by Simply Read Books.

First line: “Near the edge of a small forest lived a crow, who perched on the limb of a large, twisted tree from dawn to dusk.”

My thoughts as a writer:

I liked the way backyard birds are featured in this story inspired by Aesop’s Fables. The theme of bullying is central to the story and the ‘moral of the story’ is stated in the text (though in sophisticated language that might need to be explained to younger students).  This is a different kind of style than many picture books I’ve read, but it’s an interesting example of how retain the flavour of a traditional fable while including contemporary issues and familiar characters.

Different sizes of font for dramatic moments help to add interest to the design.

My thoughts as a teacher:

The large illustrations and straightforward storyline are good features for a read aloud. I also liked the descriptive language, which is sometimes good for students to be exposed to (and not so common with the recent trend for shorter picture books). The story in this book offers opportunities for discussions about teasing and bullying.  

Although this book is recommended for ages 4 – 8, I’m not sure it would hold the attention of some of the younger students in my kindergarten class, because of the wordiness and description.

Ages: 4 – 8

Grades: K - 3

Themes: bullying, teasing, fables

Activities:

Discuss how the crow might be feeling at different points in the story. Why did the crow decide to help the cardinal?

Create bird puppets on craft sticks and retell the story in your own words.

Make a bird feeder and watch for birds coming to the feeder. How many different kinds do you notice?

For more great picture books, visit author Susanna Leonard Hill's original theme list of Perfect Picture Books on her blog or this theme list with links to Pinterest collections on each theme - a very helpful resource!

Learning from Picture Books - SAM'S PET TEMPER

As a teacher, I'm always on the lookout for books that help children identify and manage their emotions. This picture book is nominated for this year’s Blue Spruce Award from the Ontario Library Association. 

Summary from Amazon:  

The hero of this picture book, Sam, has to wait for everything on the playground one day, and this makes him mad. He got madder and madder until he was the maddest he had ever been in his whole life. And then, suddenly, an unusual thing appears. It runs around, shoving and tripping and pinching and stomping, until all the other children have run away. It was hanging upside down from the monkey bars, grinning at him. Sam had never seen anything like it before, but he knew what it was. It was a Temper. At first, having a pet Temper is fun. But before long, the Temper starts causing trouble for Sam. And eventually, Sam comes to the realization that his Temper is something he needs to learn to control.

Sam’s Pet Temper, written by Sangeeta Bhadra and illustrated by Marion Arbona, was published in 2014 by Kids Can Press.

My Thoughts as a Writer:

The writing has some great images and language: “The Temper hissed. It thrashed. It lashed out like a giant angry snake.” The author has really captured how it feels to be angry. Many children will be able to connect with and relate to this story.

The illustrations depict the Temper as a scary, scribbly monster, which seems appropriate from a child’s perspective. However, some reviewers have noted that the images of the Temper can be associated with an iconic racial image, “the golliwog.”

Even though this book is recommended for ages 5 – 7, it feels lengthy in comparison to the shorter style picture books I’ve seen lately.

 My Thoughts as a Teacher:

This book offers lots of possibilities for discussion about feelings and being angry. I was a bit cautious about the concept of feelings as a separate entity, which could suggest it’s okay for a child to blame their actions on “the temper” rather than taking responsibility. But I liked how it shows a way to think about anger and also included a couple of strategies for calming down, such as taking a deep breath. I don’t know if I liked the ending – passing along the Temper resolves the problem for Sam but not for the next child.  

Ages: 5 – 7

Grades: K - 2

Themes: anger, temper tantrums, emotions

Activities:

Re-read the story and talk about the situations where Sam’s Temper seems to be in charge. What different way could he have handled the situation? Act out a new way to solve the problem.

Make a list of words to describe angry feelings. Choose three and put them in a poem or story.

Draw a picture of your own “Temper”. Think of one way you can keep it under control.

To find more great picture books to read or to use in your classroom, visit author Susanna Leonard Hill's website for her theme-based summary of Perfect Picture Books posted by book-loving bloggers on Perfect Picture Book Friday.

Learning from Picture Books: STOP, THIEF!

I have a soft spot for books about dogs, and this one is very cute. It is another one of the books nominated for this year’s Blue Spruce Award from the Ontario Library Association.

From the book jacket:

“Max,” said the farmer to his dog one day, “can you catch a thief?”

Of course he can! Max can catch anything! So off he runs to find the thief who’s been stealing all the carrots, berries, beans and cherries from the farmer’s fields.

Max is so eager to help that he convicts the first suspect he finds—a bug. But the bug escapes, and Max chases it all over the farm while the other animals “guard” the food. Unfortunately, Max is too busy eating and giving advice to realize they might be part of the problem!

Stop Thief was written by Heather Tekavec and illustrated by Pierre Pratt. It was published by Kids Can Press in 2014.

My Thoughts as a Writer:

I really liked the concept of this story! It’s so much fun the way the dog is focused on one reason for the problem but the illustrations and other animals are telling a very different story. I wanted to turn the pages to find out whether Max figures out what is really going on.

The illustrations in this story are lovely and give the animals, and especially Max the dog, a lot of personality.

My Thoughts as a Teacher:

At first glance, there appears to be a lot of text on each page, but the big, clear illustrations make up for that because readers at the back of a group will be able to see what is happening while the story is read. The story moves along quickly and I think the humor would hold students’ attention. During a second read through, it would be fun to discuss what clues Max should be noticing.  

Themes: animals, gardens, farms

Ages: 4 – 8

Grades: preschool – grade 3

Follow-Up Activities:

• Choose one of the animals in the story and find out about what they like to eat.
• Make animal puppets using craft sticks and paper, and use them to retell the story.
• Write the next page for the story – what do you think will happen when the animals wake up?
• On her website, the author has some lovely sequencing cards that could be printed out to put in order for the story

To find more great picture books to read or to use in your classroom, visit author Susanna Leonard Hill's website for her theme-based summary of Perfect Picture Books posted by book-loving bloggers on Perfect Picture Book Friday.

Learning From Picture Books - SUPER RED RIDING HOOD

This is another one of the picture books on the short list for this year’s Blue Spruce Award from the Ontario Library Association. I really enjoy fractured fairy tales and this one was a lot of fun!

Summary from the book jacket:

Ruby loves red things. She especially loves the red cloak her grandma made her. But unlike that other girl once upon a time, when Ruby puts on her red cloak, she becomes SUPER RED RIDING HOOD.

A delightful combination of something old and something new, Claudia Davila’s Super Red Riding Hood captures what it means to be an everyday superhero. 

Super Red Riding Hood was written and illustrated by Claudia Davila. It was published by Kids Can Press in 2014.

My Thoughts as a Writer:

I enjoyed the humorous voice in this story, for example, “This did not sound like an important mission to Ruby, but she could see that her mom meant business.” There are wonderful descriptive words used in the story, e.g., “the grumbly wolf skulked.”

My Thoughts as a Teacher:

The way Ruby used her powers through the story was fun. Any child could relate to her and I especially loved her as a role model as a strong girl. Fractured fairy tales are always fun because they can be read along with other versions for comparing and contrasting.

Themes: fairytales, sharing, good deeds, superheroes, bravery

Ages: 4 – 8

Grades: preschool – grade 3

Follow-Up Activities:

• What superpowers did Ruby use in the book? Draw a picture showing Ruby using another superpower.
• Brainstorm ideas for ways you could be a superhero and do good deeds like Ruby did.
• Draw a design for your own superhero cape. What would you call yourself as a superhero?
• Read another Red Riding Hood story. How are the two stories different? What is the same about them?

Learning from Picture Books - BUTTERFLY PARK

The unique illustrations in this book really stand out! It’s on the list of books nominated for this year’s Blue Spruce Award from the Ontario Library Association.

Summary from Amazon.com:

When a little girl moves to a new town, she finds a place called Butterfly Park. But when she opens the gate, there are no butterflies.

Determined to lure the butterflies in, the girl inspires her entire town to help her. And with their combined efforts, soon the butterflies—and the girl—feel right at home.

Elly MacKay's luminous paper-cut illustrations and enchanting story encourage community,

friendship, and wonderment in the beauty of everyday life.

Butterfly Park was written and illustrated by Elly Mackay. It was published by Running Press Kids in 2015.

My Thoughts as a Writer:

This story is a good example of a plot where a main character starts with a problem – why are there no butterflies in Butterfly Park? The attempts to solve the problem are appropriate for the girl’s age level. I liked that it was written without a name for the main character, so anyone could put themselves in her place.

What really stands out for me with this book are the illustrations. They are created using a unique style of photographing her drawings which she sets up in a miniature theatre. She talks about her process in the trailer for her book If You Plant a Seed:

My Thoughts as a Teacher:

This story may spark a lot of discussion about taking care of the environment and ways children can work on solving problems. It’s also a good model for talking about story structure. There is lots of detail in the illustrations, so it would also be a good book for demonstrating how pictures can tell a story.

Themes: environment, community, good deeds, butterflies

Ages: 4 – 8

Grades: preschool – grade 3

Follow-Up Activities:

• What is your favorite page from the book? Why? Draw or write about it.
• Write a mini story and create your own paper theatre diorama to illustrate it.
• Create the life cycle of a plant using a paper cut out art technique.
• Make a paper garden with paper flowers and butterflies.

You can also find an art extension activity on Elly Mackay’s website.