Learning from Picture Books: Here Comes the Easter Cat

I love the way this book sparks imagination with the unexpected! It's a good one for writers to read if they are worried their work is too predictable.

Here's the summary from Amazon:

Why should the Easter Bunny get all the love? That's what Cat would like to know. So he decides to take over: He dons his sparkly suit, jumps on his Harley, and roars off into the night. But it turns out delivering Easter eggs is hard work. And it doesn't leave much time for naps (of which Cat has taken five--no, seven). So when a pooped-out Easter Bunny shows up, and with a treat for Cat, what will Cat do? His surprise solution will be stylish, smart, and even--yes--kind.

An homage to classic comic strips from the author of The Quiet Book and The Loud Book, this Easter treat has a bit of bite, a sweet center, and a satisfying finish—sure to inspire second helpings.

Here Comes the Easter Cat by Deborah Underwood and Claudia Rueda was published in 2014 by Dial Books for Young Readers, New York.

This book is a finalist for a Cybils Award.

My thoughts as a writer:

It was so much fun the way the main character interacts with the narrator through the use of signs. It's really a conversation between the narrator and the book character, This is a perfect example of how illustrations and text work together to tell a story. I admired the lovely illustrations --  they are simple yet show so much emotion.

This book shows how you could write an imaginative story by taking a twist on a familiar concept, like the Easter Bunny, and taking it on a different path by asking yourself questions about what happened next (or in this case, what the main character needs to solve problems).

My thoughts as a teacher:

This is a fun story to read with preschool and kindergarten students. There are lots of opportunities to make predictions about what might happen in the story. The character expressions show so many different feelings to discuss with children! It’s also very interesting that the cat communicates by using signs, an idea that children could incorporate into their play.

Some possible activities:

- encourage children to make signs and retell the story

- talk about what other jobs the cat might do (e.g., Tooth Fairy) and what might happen

- discuss being helpful and say or write one way to help a friend (e.g., this could even be done by writing a message on a paper cutout of an egg for a "Helpful" Easter basket display)

If you're looking for more great picture books to read to your class or to investigate as a writer, author Susanna Leonard Hill has a wonderful list of Perfect Picture Books.

Learning from Picture Books -- KNOCK KNOCK: My Dad's Dream for Me

From the very first page, I was intrigued by the art in this book. And then I read the story and it really tugged at my heart. This is an important book – everyone should read it.

Here's the summary from Amazon:

Every morning, I play a game with my father.

He goes knock knock on my door

and I pretend to be asleep

till he gets right next to the bed.

And my papa, he tells me, "I love you."

But what happens when, one day, that "knock knock" doesn't come? This powerful and inspiring book shows the love that an absent parent can leave behind, and the strength that children find in themselves as they grow up and follow their dreams.

KNOCK KNOCK: My Dad's Dream for Me by Daniel Beaty, illustrated by Bryan Collier, Little Brown and Company: New York, 2013.

My thoughts as a writer:

The spare, repetitive sentences beginning with “He never comes…” made my heart begin to ache for the boy in the story after only a few pages. There is a lovely rhythm with several sentences beginning with KNOCK KNOCK which feels like a call to action.

Although as writers we are often told not to write a book with a message, this book does have one. I think it works because of the sadness the reader feels at the beginning, and then the determination that begins to build through the story. The illustrations complement the story, with somber colors at the beginning, and the blue of hope as the story continues.

This book was a finalist for a 2014 Cybils Award.

My thoughts as a teacher:

This is a story for students of all ages, from primary grades to high school. Some students will be able to relate and connect to the main character because of his experiences, others will appreciate learning another perspective and feeling empathy. This story gave me a lot of think about. Students might speculate on what happened to the boy’s father, but could also discuss what life would be like or is like without a father. This book provides an opportunity for discussion about the choices you make and how to become the person you want to be.

Some possible activities:

- have students draw or write about a dream for their future (which they may or may not wish to share)

- discuss the line in the book “KNOCK KNOCK to open new doors to your dreams.”

If you're looking for more great picture books to read to your class or to investigate as a writer, author Susanna Leonard Hill has a wonderful list of Perfect Picture Books.