NO HORSES IN THE HOUSE by Mirielle Messier & Anna Bron

 During my summer reading, I discovered this wonderful book which is too good not to share! I love stories about strong girls but this is a great book for anyone who wants to follow their own dreams.

Why this book?

I found this story in my library's online collection when doing some research for one of my own writing projects. Was I intrigued! I’d never heard of this artist before but I was captured by her story. I loved learning about her life and the perseverance she showed in working towards her dream of becoming an artist. A great story for all ages!

My thoughts as a creator:

Even though I don’t write biography, it was interesting to see how Rosa’s life experiences were selected to create an attention-getting story. I love how the colour palette the artist chose makes me think of history and the past. The characters have such great facial expressions and there are lots of interesting details and movement in the illustrations that bring a playful feel to the story.

My thoughts as an educator:

What a great book for discussing the idea of breaking down barriers and considering different perspectives! This is a good story to read anytime in the classroom, with opportunities for discussion about following your own dreams, not giving up when you face something challenging, or times when girls weren’t allowed to do things. Also a nice book for showcasing a little art history.

Ages: 5 - 9

Grades: Gr 1 - 4

Connections: gender roles, animal painting, perseverance, artist biography

Activities:

Art Discussion:  Show several examples of Rosa Bonheur’s art work to students. Discuss questions such as: What do you notice about her artwork? What subjects did she like to paint or sculpt? How does the art work make you feel? Prompt: If you could ask the artist a question, what would you ask?

Art Activity:  Trying out texture, From Suzanne Tiedemann on Artsonia.com

https://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?project=380844

Watch this video about visual texture:  https://vimeo.com/9284044  Talk about textures in the classroom.  Provide black paper and oil pastels for students to create their own textured lion face drawing.

Literacy/Persuasive Writing: This book could be a springboard for persuasive writing activities. For example, have students generate a list of things they aren’t allowed to do. Create a speech to persuade an adult with three reasons why they should be allowed to do it. Or, pretend you are Rosa Bonheur and design a poster to explain to others why you should be allowed to have a horse in the house.

Literacy/Alphabet: Create a class alphabet book! Encourage students to choose a letter of the alphabet and draw an animal to represent the letter. Or, make a list of the letters of the alphabet and encourage students to think of an animal to go with each letter.

STEM: Provide opportunities for students to research horses. Question/Prompt: If a horse can’t live in a house, where could it live? Design an ideal home for a horse using found materials such as straws, popsicle sticks, cardboard, and tape.

 

More resources:

• Links for background information:

http://linesandcolors.com/2014/03/16/rosa-bonheur/

https://smarthistory.org/rosa-bonheur-plowing-in-the-nivernais-the-first-dressing/

https://www.theartstory.org/artist/bonheur-rosa/

https://www.artnews.com/list/art-news/news/who-is-rosa-bonheur-1234643325/ploughing-in-the-nivernais-1849/

• Hands On Art Activity ideas:

https://craftwhack.com/19-animal-art-projects/

• Other reviews (click title for link):

Canadian Review of Materials, reviewed by Julia Pitre

Description from the publisher:

Based on the incredible life of the pioneering, feminist and queer artist Rosa Bonheur, this charming story depicts Rosa's early years and her drive to fight for her dreams.

Rosa Bonheur loved to draw animals. She was good at it too! Unfortunately, in nineteenth-century France, girls were not allowed to be artists. But Rosa didn't let that stop her. In this fictionalized account of her early life in Paris, Rosa studies art at home, bringing a menagerie of animals into the apartment to study up close. When she is kicked out of the horse market for sneaking in wearing boys clothing, Rosa must think creatively to challenge the rules in pursuit of her dream of becoming a world-class realist painter and artist.

No Horses in the House! The Audacious Life of Artist Rosa Bonheur, written by Mirielle Messier and illustrated by Anna Bron, was published by Orca Books in 2023.

Visit the creators (click for link):

Mirielle Messier

Anna Bron

Orca Books

 For more wonderful picture books, visit Perfect Picture Book Friday!

ANOTHER SQUIGGLY STORY by Andrew Larsen & Mike Lowery

Why this book?

What a great book for inspiring kids to write! This one is extra fun because of comic-style design and the lists of ideas. I love how it models different aspects of the writing process—generating ideas, thinking, connecting ideas, writing and revising. I also enjoyed their first book, A Squiggly Story (see my blog feature here). 

My thoughts as a creator:

I love books that contain lists and hope to write one someday, so it was interesting to me to see how they incorporated the lists into the story. I also noticed there is a lot of dialogue in this story, which was included in speech bubbles. I loved the notebook pages in the illustrations! This book includes many different levels – the writing process, the relationship with a sibling, friendships, taking a break from a challenging task, and includes some gentle humor.

My thoughts as an educator:

It’s great to see a book that contains several different writing formats –speech bubbles, lists, and autobiography. This book is great for grade 1 and 2, where kids are learning to write using sentences, and especially for introducing a writing notebook. But I would definitely read this in kindergarten to show my students how to make lists of things they love. It was great how the story also shows how sometimes, when you’re stuck, taking a break can be helpful. This story also shows a little of the process of revision, and how to improve a story by adding details and changing sentences.

Ages: 4 - 7

Grades: K - 3

Connections: writing, lists, imagination, perseverance, siblings

Activities:

Literacy: Provide children with writing notebooks to write in when they are inspired. A writing corner with visual lists could be a fun way to inspire young writers. 

Literacy: Write or draw your own list of things you love. Can you create a story about yourself?

Social Emotional Learning: What do you do when you can’t think of an idea or feel stuck doing your school work? Brainstorm some ideas for short breaks you can take

Social Emotional Learning: Think of a time when a sibling or someone else in your family helped you. Draw a picture to show how you felt.

Art: Create a self-portrait! Provide a mirror and materials for kids, with tips such as making a large shape to almost fill the paper to begin.

More resources:

 Teaching Guide for A Squiggly Story from Kids Can Press

Self-Portrait Ideas from Fantastic and Fun  Learning

12 Strategies to Support Struggling Writers from TeachWriting.org

Description from the publisher:

The kindergartener who learned to use squiggles to write a story in award-winning Andrew Larsen’s A Squiggly Story is now in second grade and learning to write an autobiography. Told in the same authentic child’s voice, this playful book encourages readers to just start, even if they don’t know how their story will go. It offers an accessible early language arts lesson on the writing process, exploring important basics (brainstorming, first draft, revising) and key terms (autobiography, editing, title, cover). Mike Lowery’s bold illustrations incorporate story panels and dialogue bubbles, keeping the energy high and giving a fresh and modern feel to the pages. A strong tie-in with early literacy curricula, this book also works well for supplementary or at-home learning. It’s a perfect choice to inspire the storyteller in every child!

Another Squiggly Story, written by Andrew Larsen and illustrated by Mike Lowrey, was published by Kids Can Press in 2022.  Go here to visit Kids Can Press for more about this book.

BECOMING VANESSA by Vanessa Brantley Newton - a book about starting school and being yourself

 

It’s great to see a book that shows kids the way they are, with the things they notice and the way they actually talk! I especially loved the scenes with her family and how they quietly supported her. Another great back-to-school story that is also good for a preschool or kindergarten classroom book collection. 

 

Summary from the publisher: 

On Vanessa’s first day of school, her parents tell her it will be easy to make friends. Vanessa isn’t so sure. She wears her fanciest outfit so her new classmates will notice her right away. They notice, but the attention isn’t what she’d hoped for. As the day goes on, she feels more self-conscious. Her clothes are too bright, her feather boa has way too many feathers, and even her name is too hard to write.

The next day, she picks out a plain outfit, and tells her mom that her name is too long. She just wants to blend in, with a simple name like the other girls–why couldn’t her parents have named her Megan or Bella? But when her mother tells her the meaning behind her name, it gives her the confidence she needs to introduce her classmates to the real Vanessa.  

Becoming Vanessa by Vanessa Brantley Newton was published by Alfred A. Knopf in 2021. 

 

My thoughts as a creator:

This is a great mentor text for writers and illustrators! This book gave me insights into creating voice and creating believable side characters. I especially liked how the other kids in the class were curious and blunt, but didn’t come across as mean. Vanessa Brantley Newton is a master at using details to add personality and interest to her stories and to her illustrations. 

My thoughts as an educator:

 I liked this different take on a back-to-school story. I’m looking forward to sharing this with my kindergarten students and discussing how the main character’s clothes expressed her personality and feelings. Vanessa solves her problem in her own way, even though her family is there to support her.  

Ages: 3-7

Grades: preschool – grade 2

Themes: starting school, feelings, being yourself

 Activities:

Family connections: Ask you parents what your name means or why they gave you your name. How do you feel about that?

Writing: What is your favorite thing to wear? How do you feel when you are wearing it? Draw a picture of yourself in your favorite outfit.

Math Connections: How many butterflies are in this book? Count them! Draw a picture of your own with lots of butterflies (or caterpillars) to count.

Social-Emotional Learning: What do you do when you don’t feel like talking about something yet? Discuss. 

 

Additional Resources for Educators:

 On KidLit TV, Vanessa Brantley Newton discusses her life and her art style:

Here she teaches us how to make collage art!

 

MANJHI MOVES A MOUNTAIN by Nancy Churnin & Danny Popovici

I really loved this book! It’s a great story to share when talking about perseverance or even just to read when you need a bit of inspiration.

Summary from the publisher:

Dashrath Manjhi used a hammer and chisel, grit, determination, and twenty years to carve a path through the mountain separating his poor village from the nearby village with schools, markets, and a hospital. Manjhi Moves a Mountain shows how everyone can make a difference if their heart is big enough.

Manjhi Moves a Mountain was written by Nancy Churnin and illustrated by Danny Popovici. It was published by Creston Books in 2017.

Opening:     

Deep in the heart of India, a mighty mountain separated two villages.

My Thoughts as a Writer:

The carefully chosen details in this story made it come alive for me. I could easily imagine “their pockets jangled with money” and “Powdered rock and tiny chips sprayed.” Another excellent model for writers who are interested in telling narrative non-fiction.

The illustrations are perfect for this story. I love the warm browns and especially the beautiful night sky on the page where Manjhi worked into the night.  

My Thoughts as an Educator:

This story made me marvel over what a single person can accomplish. There’s a thought-provoking question in the text: Why should some people have so much and others so little? This book would be excellent to discuss with both primary and junior level students. I think children will be amazed and impressed by Manjhi’s hard work and what he accomplished. A great choice for a school library.

 Ages: 4 - 10

Grades: K – 5

Themes: determination, perseverance, goals

Activities:

Retell: Build a mountain of blocks or rocks and use puppets or pictures to retell Manjhi’s story.

Imagine: Imagine you are one of the villagers. How will an opening through the mountain change your life? Draw a picture or write a paragraph to explain. Will you welcome the change? Talk with a classmate who has a different point of view.

Think: Is there something you can do to make things better for your family or community? How could you do it?  

HOOT OWL, MASTER OF DISGUISE by Sean Taylor & Jean Jullien

Continuing with my March theme of birds, I remembered this fun book we discussed when I was one of the judges for the 2015 Cybils Awards for fiction picture books.

Summary from Amazon:

Hoot Owl is no ordinary owl. He is a master of disguise! In the blackness of night, he’s preparing to swoop on his prey before it can realize his dastardly tricks. Look there—a tasty rabbit for him to eat! Hoot Owl readies his costume, disguising himself as . . . a carrot! Then he waits. The rabbit runs off. Never mind! Surely his next juicy target will cower against such a clever and dangerous creature as he!

Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise was written by Sean Taylor and illustrated by Jean Jullien. The copy at my library was published in 2015 by Candlewick Press.

Opening:

The darkness of midnight

is all around me.

But I fly through it as quick

as a shooting star.

My thoughts as a writer:

This is an excellent example of a book with a short text and a main character with lots of voice and personality. This story has a repetitive pattern, lovely creative language and it’s funny! I recommend it as a book that picture book writers should take a look at, especially if you are writing a story told in first person.

I also really liked the bold colours in the illustrations, contrasting against the black background. The drawings seem simple yet the owl and other animal characters have so much expression.

Everyone knows Owls are wise. But as well as being wise, I am a master of disguise.

My thoughts as an educator:

This book made me laugh! I really like the message behind this story about being confident in yourself and not giving up. It shows kids how setbacks can simply mean we need to try again. Hoot Owl’s creativity with the disguises was fun. I noticed that since the story is told in first person, there is no gender assigned to Hoot Owl, which might make for a nice topic of discussion.

Ages: 4 - 7

Grades: K – 2

Themes: persistence, bravery, self-confidence, birds

Activities:

Discuss: Is Hoot Owl a boy or a girl? Does it matter?

Draw your own animal superhero.

Make puppets and act out the story of Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise. The author notes on his website that this book has indeed been made into a play! Here's a link if you'd like to check it out (https://proonproductions.jimdo.com/)

Here’s a YouTube video of the author reading his story:

Learning from Picture Books: The Most Magnificent Thing

Since I have two daughters that love to create things, I really loved this story about creativity and persistence. And I especially liked the doggy assistant!

Here's the summary from Amazon.ca:

Award-winning author and illustrator Ashley Spires has created a charming picture book about an unnamed girl and her very best friend, who happens to be a dog. The girl has a wonderful idea. "She is going to make the most MAGNIFICENT thing! She knows just how it will look. She knows just how it will work. All she has to do is make it, and she makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!" But making her magnificent thing is anything but easy, and the girl tries and fails, repeatedly. Eventually, the girl gets really, really mad. She is so mad, in fact, that she quits. But after her dog convinces her to take a walk, she comes back to her project with renewed enthusiasm and manages to get it just right.

For the early grades' exploration of character education, this funny book offers a perfect example of the rewards of perseverance and creativity. The girl's frustration and anger are vividly depicted in the detailed art, and the story offers good options for dealing honestly with these feelings, while at the same time reassuring children that it's okay to make mistakes. The clever use of verbs in groups of threes is both fun and functional, offering opportunities for wonderful vocabulary enrichment. The girl doesn't just "make" her magnificent thing -- she "tinkers and hammers and measures," she "smoothes and wrenches and fiddles," she "twists and tweaks and fastens." These precise action words are likely to fire up the imaginations of youngsters eager to create their own inventions and is a great tie-in to learning about Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

The Most Magnificent Thing, written and illustrated by Ashley Spires was published by Kids Can Press in 2014.

My thoughts as a writer:

The author really captures the emotional experience of trying, being frustrated, getting angry, and then taking another look and going on (much like the process of writing). I loved the simplicity and power of the text in this story. One of my favourite parts was “She makes things. He unmakes things.” I especially liked the way the author gave the main character space to resolve her angry and upset feelings on her own, instead of having an adult step in with a solution. “Bit by bit, the mad gets pushed out of her head.”

The illustrations in this story go so well with the text. I love the expressions on the girl’s and the dog’s faces as they work on their project. There are lots of details that children can explore when looking at this book on their own.

My thoughts as a teacher:

As a teacher, there are so many ways to use this book! Young children will relate to the emotional side of the story, where the girl gets frustrated because her ideas don’t match up to her vision. I would love to use this to spark some discussion with students about ways to manage angry feelings – and draw their attention to the strategy of just walking away for a little while. 

The illustrations and style of art in this story would also be great for modeling an art style students could try to create their own work, using the technique of adding colour for emphasis or for the important parts of the story (perhaps comparing and contrasting with other books that use a similar style, such as Steve Light’s Have You Seen My Dragon?).

Themes: creativity, persistence, coping with frustration, angry feelings

Ages: 2 - 6

Some possible activities:

- provide recycled materials and encourage students to create their own “magnificent things”

- create a plan for a “magnificent thing” and make a list of materials needed

- have students think about a time when something went wrong, and how they solved their problem

- choose a favourite illustration from the story and discuss why they like it

- talk about the reasons why the illustrator chose her technique and use this style to create their own art 

If you're looking for more great picture books to read to your class or to investigate as a writer, consider checking out the list of Perfect Picture Books, put together by author Susanna Leonard Hill.

Cool Blog Quote: Turning a No into a Yes

I love finding inspiring quotes on other writing-related blogs! Here's a great one:

"Assume every editor is looking for a reason to say no. Don't give it to them."

Monica Trasandes, 6 Keys to Revising Your Fiction, Chuck Sambuchino's Guide to Literary Agents Blog.

I've heard this before in different ways from different sources. Right now, I'm immersed in a tough revision. This reminds me to work a little bit harder, to not be satisfied until I've written the best story I can write. I love the other tips in this article too, especially the one about not getting stuck at the beginning.

Sneaking back to my writing now, determined to move on from the place I've been stuck at for several days (it's not the beginning, but it's been holding me up).

Getting Back to a Writing Project

Getting back to a writing project after you’ve been away from it for a few months is so hard! (I took a break to revise another novel.) I’ve been trying out a lot of different strategies:

1) Warm-up writing in my journal

2) Reading through what I’ve done already to get back into the story and characters

3) Reviewing plot notes and my outline, so I remember where the story is going (as if I could forget, I've spent a couple of years on this thing)

4) Reading other people's strategies -- see Nathan Bradford's post on Monday:  How to Return to Writing After a Long Break

5) Telling myself it doesn’t matter if I write crap since I can always delete it

What I need to do is just start writing. 

My best strategy is to start with one tiny bit. A paragraph. A sentence. (Yes, I've had days where all I've written is a sentence. It was a darn good sentence, too). It's the same way I tackled my revisions. Even though it seems like a snail-like process, writing a small amount every day eventually amounts to something. I'm hoping it will start a snowball effect where I just can't not write.

Do you have any good tips for getting back into the writing flow? 

Thanks, Dad

Father's Day has been a little sad for me for the past ten years, because my father is no longer with us. I wish he was, because I see in myself a lot of his determination and persistence, and I'd like to think he'd appreciate those qualities in me.

My father always encouraged me to think about the quality of my life. It's bittersweet that the end of his life is what really propelled me to think about what I wanted out of my own. When I feel down or discouraged about my writing, I think about Dad and how his life was cut short, and it inspires me to continue to work towards my dream.

Having Faith

“…faith was believing what you could not see, and pressing on until you could see it.”
K.L. Going, The Liberation of Gabriel King

This quote captures a lot of what I think about writing. You have to believe that the end result will be great, even though all you’ve got to go on are your ideas and, if you’re lucky, a shimmery vision of the story. And you have to keep going—sweating and crying and lying awake at night thinking about those words and how to put them together into something like that early glimpse. You have to believe that one day you’ll see a finished story.