TURTLE AND TORTOISE ARE NOT FRIENDS by Mike Reiss & Ashley Spires

A fun story about friendship (with a few details about the differences and similarities between turtles and tortoises).

Summary from the publisher:

Two sworn enemies learn that they have more in common than meets the eye, and it’s never too late to make a new friend—even if it takes decades!

Ever since they were little hatchlings, Turtle and Tortoise decided that they’d forever be separated due to their different shells.

As years and years go by, the two reptiles stay on opposites side of the pen and embark on their own adventures, while holding an everlasting grudge. Until one day, Turtle and Tortoise get into a bit of pickle and need each other’s help!

Turtle and Tortoise Are NOT Friends was written by Mike Reiss and illustrated by Ashley Spires. It was published in 2019 by HarperCollins Children’s Books.

Opening:    

There is a place far, far away, and in that place two eggs found themselves in the same pen.

A turtle popped out of one egg.

A tortoise popped out of the other.

My Thoughts as a Writer:

I enjoyed the humor in this story! This would be a good one to study to see how to use animal characteristics as the basis for creating humor. 

I found it surprising that the front feet of the turtle and tortoise were referred to as hands – I wondered if this would be confusing for young children.

My Thoughts as an Educator:

I liked the way this story mirrors how children sometimes make their mind up about something based on a small, possibly erroneous, piece of information and later realize they weren’t right or that it doesn’t matter. I’d enjoy using this book to start a discussion on appearances are not always important when it comes to friendship.

Ages: 4-9

Grades: K – 3

Themes: individual differences, friendship, cooperation

Activities:

Research & Share: What questions do you have about turtles and tortoises? Do some research and try to answer them! Share your findings by making a book or poster.

Dramatic Play: Make a turtle puppet and a tortoise puppet and act out the story.

STEM Challenge: Design a way for either the turtle or tortoise to get to the middle of the pen faster! What would help—a bridge? A vehicle? A balloon? Draw your design and then try to build it!

HORSE MEETS DOG by Elliott Kalan & Tim Miller – What happens when you aren’t really paying attention to someone else

This story is so much fun, with lots of great connections for the classroom!

Summary from the publisher: 

Horse is just an oversize dog with funny paws…according to Dog. And Dog? Just a tiny baby horse with a weird tail. That’s what Horse thinks, anyway.

Television comedy writer Elliott Kalan and acclaimed illustrator Tim Miller team up in this clever comedy of mistaken species identity.

Horse Meets Dog was written by Elliott Kalan and illustrated by Tim Miller. It was published  in 2018 by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins.

Opening:     

Wow! You’re very big.

My Thoughts as a Writer:

A great example of a story told entirely in dialogue, with the help of some very funny and expressive illustrations. I really love the concept of this story! I noticed how the author uses repetition of phrasing to add to the humor. This is also a great story to study to see how the text and illustrations work together to create humor and emotion.   

This book reminds me of the Mo Willem’s Elephant & Piggie stories, but in a picture book format. Even though this story is more than the standard 32 pages, the word count is around 400 words.

My Thoughts as an Educator:

This is a great book to capture the attention of children while also creating opportunities for discussions about listening to others, points of view and individual differences. I’m always looking for books to help kids develop the ability to realize that other people may have a different perspective on a situation—or themselves!

Ages: 3-7

Grades: PreK – 2

Themes: perspective-taking, individual differences, listening

Activities:

Draw or Write: What do you think happens next, when Horse and Dog meet Bird?

STEAM: What kind of home would Horse and Dog live in? Build their house!

Think & Draw: Think about someone close to you. Do you and that person look the same? What is different about you? What is the same? Design a perfect toy for your person to take on a trip.

Discuss: Is Horse bossy? Is Dog bossy? How could Dog and Horse have avoided this big problem? What are some ways to really notice what another person is saying?

Check out this funny trailer for the book! Do you think you would like to read this one?

MAXIMILLIAN VILLAINOUS by Margaret Chiu Greanias & Lesley Breen Withrow - A fun story about accepting your true self

I have been exchanging manuscripts for critique with the author of this book, Margaret, for a few years, and I am still blown away by her creativity. I was excited to purchase this book for my own collection and to share it with my students.

Summary from the publisher:

Maximillian Villainous is a monster who doesn’t have the heart to be a villain. His famous family pulls pranks on the likes of Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, and Max spends his time undoing them. So when he brings home a bunny to be his sidekick, Max’s disapproving mother hatches a plan. She challenges Max and the bunny to become a devious duo; otherwise . . . the bunny hops. If they want to stay together, Max and the bunny have no choice but to go against their nature. They blunder into villainy with comical effect until Max discovers that embracing his good heart may just be the key to pulling off the most devious deed of all and winning his family’s acceptance.

Delightfully fun and irreverent, Maximillian Villainous is an empowering story about embracing one’s true self and finding acceptance. Up and coming illustrator Lesley Breen Withrow brings the characters to life with bold and colorful illustrations in a style reminiscent of Richard Scarry.

Maximillian Villainous was written by Margaret Chiu Greanias and illustrated by Lesley Breen Withrow. It was published by Running Press Kids in 2018.

Opening:     

Maximillian Villainous came from a long line of famous villains. But Max was different from his family.

My Thoughts as a Writer:

How lovely to read a story where the main character can’t help being kind! Although the theme of a character learning to accept his differences isn’t new, the author has provided a twist by having him come from a family of villains. The ending and solution to his problem was a nice surprise. I really liked the big, colourful illustrations.

My Thoughts as an Educator:

The main character in this story shows persistence as he makes several attempts to fit in with his family by being villainous. This is a fun read for children, though the idea of a “bunny brigade” may need a little explaining. A nice book for discussions about kindness to others or working towards goals.

Ages: 4 - 9

Grades: K – 4

Themes: kindness, individual differences, persistence

Activities:

List: What act of kindness could Max and his bunny try next? Make a list of ideas.

Research: What is your family known for? Make a “family tree” and write something each family member is good at. What is your “claim to fame”?

STEM challenge: Design and construct your own leprechaun trap.

For more Perfect Picture Book Friday reads with teacher and/or parent tips, check out the list on Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog HERE.

THE EPIC ADVENTURES OF HUGGIE & STICK by Drew Daywalt & David Spencer - A hilarious story with two very different perspectives

This book was recommended to me by writer Erika David, who also has the dream job of working in the children’s department of a bookstore.  I’m so happy she told me about this one because it’s tons of fun!  

Summary from the publisher:

When super cheerful Stick and grumpy stuffed bunny Huggie get thrown from a backpack, the adventure is on! Together this odd couple survives encounters with sea-faring pirates, raging rhinos in Africa, sword-wielding royalty in Europe, stick-eating panda bears in Asia, sharks in Australia, hungry penguins in Antarctica, and piranhas in South America–all before finally making it home to North America. A fantastically funny read-aloud about two unlikely friends and their epic journey around the world.

The Epic Adventures of Huggie & Stick was written by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by David Spencer. It was published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House in 2018.

Opening:     

Huggie and Stick belonged to a little boy named Reece, and like many things that belong to little boys, they spend a good part of their time being lugged around in a backpack.

My Thoughts as a Writer:

What a great book to study for learning about voice. I love the two different personalities of the main characters that come through in the letters they write. It’s really fun to see two different perspectives on the same experience. The illustrations are great and add to the humor, especially the little doodle drawings on the letters.

My Thoughts as an Educator:

I can see this being a big hit with young children. It’d be great to include this in an author study about Drew Daywalt. I might also use this book to introduce the idea of different points of view. It would be fun to assign pairs of students to a random experience, have them each write a letter and then read the results.

Ages: 4 - 9

Grades: K – 4

Themes: letter-writing, adventure, perspectives

Activities:

Write: Pick a random event (or one of your own experiences) and write two letters showing how different characters might view the experience.

Explore: Choose one of the continents in the book and do some research. What would you find if you visited? Create a “postcard” from your imaginary adventure.

Draw: What will happen to Huggie & Stick on their next adventure? Draw a picture or two to show your ideas!

STEM challenge: Can you design a backpack that will keep Huggie & Stick from getting lost (or escaping)?

Learning from Picture Books – I LOVE SHARKS, TOO by Leanne Shirtliffe and Lorenzo Montatore

Sharks are a popular topic in my classroom so I knew my students would enjoy this one! At their request, we read it aloud twice in the same day. I'm especially happy to introduce this book to you since Leanne Shirtliffe is one of my writing critique partners.

 

Summary from the publisher:

Stevie likes sharks. Like a LOT. In response to everything his mom asks him, Stevie has an excellent shark fact in response.

“Brush your teeth, Stevie.”

“Mom, Mako sharks don’t have to brush their teeth because they are covered in fluoride.”

From morning to bedtime—you would think this might totally wear his mom down. But guess who likes, sharks, too?

The book is filled with tons of fun facts, and also information about different shark breeds.

I Love Sharks, Too was written by Leanne Shirtliffe and illustrated by Lorenzo Montatore. It was published in 2017 by Sky Pony Press.

Opening:

“Stevie loves sharks. He loves sharks more than he loves pizza. He loves sharks so much, he wishes he were one.”

My Thoughts as a Writer:

The concept of showing the shark equivalent of a kid’s ordinary activities is a great hook. The pattern set up by Mom’s nagging and Stevie’s shark response makes you want to turn the page to find out what Stevie’s going to come up with next. The bright, cartoon-style illustrations add to the fun of this story. 

My Thoughts as a Teacher:

The shark facts were interesting and caught the attention of my kindergarten students. I think grade one and two students would also enjoy the humor of Stevie’s shark responses as well as the facts and details. Because of the fact component, I think it would have been nice to have some realistic pictures of sharks at the back with the additional shark facts, but this is a great book to get kids interested in doing more shark research on their own. 

Ages: 5 - 8

Grades: K - 3

Themes:  sharks, daily activities, family

Activities:

What is your favourite sea animal? Find out a fact about your animal and make a drawing or poster to show how it could relate to your day.

What is your favourite page in the story? Why?

This book has an excellent teacher’s guide with lots of fun activities, like finding your shark name or drawing a cartoony shark.

Check out Leanne Shirtliffe's shark-themed Pinterest board for more fun.

Learning from Picture Books – I AM NOT A CHAIR by Ross Burach

This story is so preposterous it might make you laugh out loud! That's what happened to me. It reminded me of how, when my daughter was little, sometimes a ridiculous thing would strike us funny and we'd laugh hysterically together.  

Summary from the publisher:

Grab the best seat in the house with this funny, touching picture book about a giraffe who keeps being mistaken for a chair!

From the acclaimed author-illustrator of There’s a Giraffe in My Soup, Ross Burach, comes a curious tale about finding one’s courage and standing up for oneself. Full of vibrant and playful illustrations and hilariously absurd logic, kids will want to read it again and again.

Could there be anything worse for Giraffe? Maybe being sat on by a skunk or smooshed by two hapless hippos, or worst of all—cornered by a hungry lion? No one seems to notice that Giraffe is not standing around just to be sat upon. Will he be able to find his voice and make his friends realize who he really is?

I Am Not a Chair was written and illustrated by Ross Burach. It was published in 2017 by HarperCollins.

Opening:

“On Giraffe’s first day in the jungle, he felt something wasn’t right.”

My Thoughts as a Writer:

This is a great book to study if you are learning about plot – the main character makes several attempts to solve his problem and there’s a fun twist at the end when the character finally does take the step that solves the problem. It’s also a great one to study for humor and pacing. I loved the personality of the main character . The text and illustrations worked together so well to tell the story. And then there was a deeper layer with a theme about speaking up for yourself. I think this book has many of the elements of a perfect picture book.

My Thoughts as a Teacher:

I thought this book would be too silly for me, but I was wrong. I really liked the underlying theme about speaking up for yourself. The way it’s done with animals is quite clever. The character of the giraffe really captures how a quieter, shy or nervous child feels, to the point of being nervous even about asking to go to the bathroom. I liked the line: “I need to be me.” Lots of discussion possibilities for young children. Of course, giraffes don’t live in jungles—but then they aren’t used as chairs, either.

Ages: 4 - 7

Grades: K - 2

Themes:  sense of self, feeling afraid, individual differences, funny stories

Activities:

Think of a time when you felt afraid but couldn’t speak up for yourself. How did you feel? Draw a picture or share in a discussion if you wish.

If there was another page to the story, what do you think the turtle would do or say? Draw your idea!

What is your favourite page in the story? Why?

The book trailer is a lot of fun:

Learning from Picture Books – WOLFIE THE BUNNY

At first this book seems like just another funny story (and it is) but there are also deeper layers and an important but subtle message about standing up for yourself and the people you love.

Summary from the publisher:

The Bunny family has adopted a wolf son, and daughter Dot is the only one who realizes Wolfie can--and might--eat them all up! Dot tries to get through to her parents, but they are too smitten to listen. A new brother takes getting used to, and when (in a twist of fate) it's Wolfie who's threatened, can Dot save the day?

Wolfie the Bunny was written by Ame Dyckman and illustrated by Zachariah OHora. It was published in2015 by Little Brown and Company.

Opening:

“The Bunny family came home to find a bundle outside their door.”

My thoughts as a writer:

This is a really great example of how illustrations work with the text to add more humor and layers to the story. The bright, bold illustration style without much background keeps the focus on the characters.

I really liked the use of repetition. A pattern is set up that seems like it’s going to be predictable but then there's a surprising twist.

My Thoughts as a Teacher:

There are a lot of possibilities for discussion with this book – how it might feel to have a new sibling, why the baby is getting so much attention, adoption, looking different than other people in your family, standing up for others. I really liked the idea that you can stand up for yourself and others, regardless of size.

Ages: 4 – 8

Grades: preschool - 2

Themes: individuality, getting a new sibling, family, standing up for others

Activities:

Draw your favorite page in the story. Explain why you liked it.

Make puppets and retell the story! This would be a really fun book to place at a retelling centre or to use in a retelling basket.

Learning from Picture Books – Ninja Bunny

A humorous story about accepting help from friends told in very few words and wonderful illustrations.

Summary from Amazon:

How to be a SUPER AWESOME NINJA:

· Rule #1. You must always work alone.

· Rule #2. You must be super sneaky, especially in the most dangerous of situations.

· Rule #3. A super awesome ninja must: possess incredible strength, achieve invisibility, master the skill of climbing, gain the ability to fly. . . .

Our little bunny is ready to embark on his path to becoming a ninja. But is he cut out for the ninja life? Especially if it means leaving his friends behind?

Ninja Bunny was written and illustrated by Jennifer Gray Olson, published by Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2015.

My Thoughts as a Writer:

Study this one if you want to see how to write a compelling story with few words. I liked the structure of telling a story through a list of rules. This is a really good example of how illustrations and text work together. The illustrations add so much!

Find out more about the idea for Ninja Bunny in an interview with Jennifer Gray Olson by Matthew Weiner at Let's Get Busy. 

My Thoughts as a Teacher:

The idea of ninjas always makes a lesson more exciting for students. With this book you can discuss how sometimes it’s a good idea to ask for help from friends.

This would be a nice companion to Sesame Street’s Biscotti Kid video where Cookie Monster uses karate principles to teach students how to listen with their whole body. 

Themes: friendship, independence

Ages: 3 – 7

Grades: preschool – grade 2

Follow-Up Activities:

Discuss why or what is means to co-operate.

Create a poster or list of rules for how to be a good (ninja) friend.

Have students illustrate one "ninja rule" for the classroom.

Read another Ninja-themed book, such as Ninja Red Riding Hood by Corey Rosen Schwartz (You can read my feature on that one here.)

Learning from Picture Books – How to Wash A Woolly Mammoth

I always enjoy stories that try to show me how to do the impossible! (Kind of like washing your dog after it runs into a skunk, which I had to do earlier this summer.) Anyway, this book is a lot of fun and a good one to use with students to explain how to write step by step instructions in a fun way.

Summary from Amazon:

Things can get a bit messy when you try to wash a woolly mammoth. Follow this step-by-step guide to successfully clean up your hairy friend. Be forewarned! A mammoth's tummy is terribly tickly. 

Young readers and parents alike will appreciate this hilarious bath time adventure.

How to Wash a Woolly Mammoth was written by Michelle Robinson and illustrated by Kate Hindley, published by Henry Holt and Company, 2014.

My Thoughts as a Writer:

This story has a fun concept that captured my attention. It’s written as a series of steps, an interesting story structure to try if you’re wanting a new approach to story writing. The illustrations add so much humor and life to the text, especially the expressions on the mammoth’s face.

The author, Michelle Robinson, has an interesting and useful Ten Minute Story Making Masterclass. 

My Thoughts as a Teacher:

The step by step instruction format is a great model for young writers who are learning to write procedures. I’d love to discuss the character’s creativity and ingenuity in problem-solving in a group discussion, talking about going beyond the obvious, and how sometimes you need to try more than one idea or be persistent to get something to work.

I also enjoyed the different washing products illustrated inside the front cover. They could be used as a model for an art or media activity. And I liked the way the illustrations were labeled Fig. and shown on graph paper, demonstrating scientific illustration.  

Themes: persistence, planning, following steps, problem-solving

Ages: 3 – 7

Grades: preschool – grade 2

Follow-Up Activities:

Create a plan for how to do something using pictures and labels.

Brainstorm a list of different ideas for how to get a mammoth down from a tree and write a different ending for the story. 

Watch the video with Michelle Robinson to learn how an author uses a "web" to brainstorm story ideas, and give it a try.

Learning from Picture Books: I Don't Want to Be a Frog

I actually like frogs and even wrote a novel about a toad (close cousin to a frog). But I can see why someone might want a different life sometimes! This cute story is short and a fun read for preschoolers.

Summary from Random House:

Fans of Mo Willems’s Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and Jon Klassen’s I Want My Hat Back will love meeting this willful young frog with a serious identity crisis. Frog wants to be anything but a slimy, wet frog. A cat, perhaps. Or a rabbit. An owl? But when a hungry wolf arrives—a wolf who HATES eating frogs—our hero decides that maybe being himself isn’t so bad after all. In this very silly story with a sly message, told in hilarious dialogue between a feisty young frog and his heard-it-all-before father, young readers will identify with little Frog’s desire to be something different, while laughing along at his stubborn yet endearing schemes to prove himself right.

I Don’t Want to Be a Frog was written by Dev Petty and illustrated by Mike Boldt. Doubleday, an Imprint of Random House Children’s Books, 2015.

This book has a fun book trailer! 

My thoughts as a writer:

This book is interesting because it departs from the usual structure with several attempts to solve a problem. The conflict comes from the child frog’s internal wish to be something else, and is solved when a new character suddenly comes into the story. Breaking traditional rules of structure works here since the whole book creates a very believable conversation between child and parent.

Dynamic illustrations and facial expressions bring out the humor in the story. A great partnership between writer and illustrator.

My thoughts as a teacher:

I’d use this story to promote discussion about feelings. It’s a great one for encouraging students to think about another person’s perspective. It puts the reader right in the shoes (or feet) of the child frog to look at the world from his point of view. This story might also be used to teach about how to write dialogue or use speech bubbles, since most of the story is presented through speech bubbles.

Themes: self-acceptance, being positive

Ages: 3 – 7

Grades: preschool – grade 2

Follow-Up Activities:

Choose an animal at random and write a list of reasons why or why not you might not like to be the animal. Or, take one of the animals from the story that the frog wanted to be and discuss the reasons why he might want to be that animal.

Make frog puppets (and a wolf) and retell or act out the story.

Do some research and create a mini book of interesting facts about frogs that other people might not know.