Two Additional Choices

Brown, Peter (2009).  The Curious Garden.  New York, New York:  Little, Brown and Company.

Genre:  Fiction Picture Book

Liam lives in a very dreary city. No one spends time outside except him.  One day, he discovers some old forgotten elevated railroad tracks.  When he investigates he finds a struggling tree and a few flowers.  He nurtures them and as he becomes a better gardener, the plants flourish.  They begin to be curious about the rest of the city and they spread out.  Other people see the startling changes and join Liam in his efforts.  The end of the story finds a city transformed.  The author’s note at the end, explains that the author wondered what would happen if a city tried to work with nature and let things grow.  What would the city be like?  How would it start?  This lovely story shows the implications of just one person’s actions and how we can all make a difference in the world if we join together.  The illustrations are vibrant and carry the story along.  More color and movement are added in as the garden grows and spreads.  There is a sweet, vintage quality to the pictures that is captivating.

Awards:

A New York Times Bestseller, E.B. White Read-Aloud Picture Book Award (2010), Children’s Choice Illustrator of the Year Award (2010), ALA Notable Children’s Book (2010), An Indies Choice Book Award Finalist, A Green Earth Book Award Honor.

Tullet, Herve’ (2011).  Press Here.  San Francisco, California:  Chronicle Books.

Genre:  Fiction Picture Book

What a lovely way to invite participation and imaginative play.  This simple picture book gives the reader directions to follow involving red, blue, and yellow colored dots. It begins with, “Press here and turn the page”.  The only illustration is a large yellow painted dot.  Young readers will be highly engaged watching the dots appear to change or move on each page as they follow the directions.  The most ideal reading and sharing situation is one adult and child or a small group since all readers would want to participate.  If a whole classroom is enjoying this book, it will require many readings so that all children can touch the book and participate.  What a great problem to have!  I am sure the adult reader will not hear any complaints from the young participants.  It might also be a good chance to children to copy this idea.  Students can make small 4-6 page books using colored sticky dots or drawing them on with markers.  They will have to either write or dictate directions and then determine what the dots would do following that direction.  If asked to shake the page, how will the dots appear on the next page?  It is a great exercise in prediction and planning.  Students could then share their books with each other and in other classrooms.  This book will continue to delight readers over and over again.  It is a good thing that it is made so well with heavy cardboard covers and thick, glossy, inner pages.  This book is irresistible for all ages!

Awards:

2012 USBBY Award for Outstanding Children’s books, E.B. White Read Aloud Award, A New York Times Bestseller, A National Indie Bestseller, A Publishers Weekly Bestseller, An ALA Notable Children’s Book Nominee, A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, A Kirkus Review’s Best Children’s Book of the Year.  

USBBY Book Awards List

Awarded by:  The Outstanding International Books committee of USBBY selects an honor list.

Van Mol, Sine. (2011).  Meena.  The United Kingdom: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.  Originally published in Belgium.  

Genre:  Fiction Picture Book

Children are fearful of their elderly neighbor Meena and decide she is a witch.  They meet Meena’s granddaughter and soon realize how wrong they were.  This book provides a good jumping off point for a discussion on misunderstandings and bullying.  The illustrations by Carianne Wijffels are very unusual and convey the strong emotions in the book.  She uses layering of color and texture to emphasize a character on a page and secondary characters are drawn in one layer. 

Trottier, Maxine. (2011)  Migrant.  Canada:  Groundwood Books. 

Genre:  Fiction Picture Book

This beautifully written and illustrated book depicts the feelings of a young migrant girl named Anna who wonders what it would be like to stay in one place.  The illustrations by Isabelle Arsenault let us into Anna’s imagination with soft dream-like colors in watercolor, crayons and paper collage.  This book would be a springboard for discussion on the issues facing Mennonite workers from Mexico who come to Canada to work for 6 months of the year as well as migrant workers’ plights in general.  For younger readers, it is a good opportunity to discuss/list this characters’ feelings and discuss the book’s phrasing such as, “Anna feels like a jackrabbit.”

Other Awards:

New York Times Best Illustrated 2011

 

Young, Cybele. (2011).  Ten Birds.  Toronto, Ontario, Canada:  Kids Can Press Ltd.

Genre:  Fiction Picture Book

This pen and ink intricately drawn book pulls you in on so many levels.  It is a problem solving book in which both ingenuity and common sense must be used by the birds.  Readers can look at the first picture and predict how the machinery might be used in each case.  The surprise at the end shows that labeling others is senseless and that simple solutions are often the best.

Other Awards:

2011 Governor General's Award for Illustration

ALA Children's Book Recordings

Henkes, Kevin (1996).  Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse.  New York, New York:  Greenwillow

            Books.  Performed by Laura Hamilton. 16:22 mins.  Live Oak Media.  2001.

Lilly absolutely loves school.  She loves everything about it especially her teacher, Mr. Springer. One day, Lilly brings her new purple plastic purse to school to show everyone.  Inside she also has shiny quarters and amazing movie star sunglasses.  She cannot wait to show everyone.  In fact, she continues to disrupt the class until Mr. Springer says he will keep the purse in his desk until the end of the day.  Lilly is crushed and makes a mean picture about him and puts it in his school bag.  Mr. Springer gives her back the purse at the end of the day with a kind note.  Lilly is horrified!  She feels so bad and tells her family.  Together, they devise a good apology plan.  The next day, Mr. Springer forgives Lilly readily and life is good again. The endearing, detailed pictures will draw the reader in as they delight to Lilly’s antics at school and home.  This recording of Kevin Henkes’ much-loved book is an engaging rendition.  Laura Hamilton does a nice job of becoming Lilly for us as well as Mr. Springer and other minor characters.  The sound effects and short music segments complements the story perfectly and does not overwhelm it.  Children will enjoy this reading as a bedtime story or in the car.  It would also be enjoyed as a listening center in a classroom.  The message of this book is a great one.  You can make a big mistake but tomorrow is another day and you can make it right.  This is a good message for all of us!

ALA Notable Children’s Book


Booklist Editors’ Choice


Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon


Horn Book Fanfare


Publishers Weekly Best Book


School Library Journal Best Book


New York Public Library’s 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing


IRA Children’s Choice


American Booksellers Book of the Year Award


American Booksellers Association “Pick of the Lists”


Children’s Literature Choice List


California Great Reads Award


Zena Sutherland Award (Chicago, IL)

Willems, Mo (2004).  Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!  New York, New York:  Hyperion

            Books for Children.   Narrated by Mo Willems and Jon Scieszka.  Weston Woods Studios,

            Inc., 2009.

The bus driver needs to leave for a little bit and asks the reader to be sure that the pigeon does not drive the bus.  Of course, the pigeon tries everything possible to get the reader to say yes.  However, we as the readers, stand firm.  The bus driver congratulates us at the end and the pigeon now has his eye on a fire truck.  This simply drawn book pulls the reader in through both the illustration and the text.  In this recording, the book is playfully narrated by the author; with help from Jon Scieszka.  The fun instrumental parts invites the audience response and children certainly will!  The third track is Mo Willems talking about how he came up with this idea and how he approaches writing.  He said that he draws simply like a 5 year old in hopes that a child will copy him and then branch off with their work.  Both the read aloud and the interview are highly engaging and both children and adults will enjoy them very much.

This book has won:

2004 Caldecott Honor Book

New York Times Bestseller

2004 ALA Notable Book

School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

Booklist Best Book of the Year

Child Magazine Best Book of the Year

The recording has also won:

AudioFile Earphones Award

Agra Deedy, Carmen (1994).  The Library Dragon.  Atlanta, Georgia:  Peachtree Publishers.

            Narrated by the author.  Peachtree Compact Disc Audio.  2012.

Sunrise Elementary is in desperate need of a librarian.  Miss Lotta Scales is hired to guard the library.  She takes her job very seriously.  No one is allowed to touch the new books she has bought for the library.  The library becomes a place to be dreaded.  No one knows what to do!  One day, Molly Brickmeyer accidentally enters the library.  She was looking for her glasses and could not see much without them.  A book drops into her lap and she begins to read aloud.  Children hear this and gather around.  Even Miss Scales cannot help but listen.  She is shocked to see children so comfortable here in the library.  Miss Scales takes the book and begins to read aloud herself.  As she reads, her scales begin to fall off and Molly climbs into her lap.  The transformation is almost complete.  Children begin to love the library.  But, a little bit of a dragon remains to “guard the books!”   The book’s illustrations by Michael White will hold the readers’ interest.  They are large and flowing and capture the mood on each page.  Miss Lotta Scales, being a dragon, dominates the illustrations but you can also sense the other character’s emotions in their faces. In addition, there are many small details to be enjoyed on each page such as little signs on her desk or on the walls.  Children will enjoy discovering them. While it would be a great read aloud to a class, I can see an individual child or a pair really enjoying the chance to study the small details in each picture.  The author narrates the recording of this book.  There is no music or sound effects.  It is very simply done but effective.

This book has won:

Numerous state awards

Charlotte Zolotow Book Awards

Awarded by:  The Children's Cooperative Book Center.  A 5 member committee comprised of children's literature experts, chooses the best picture book for its text and child's point of view, and up to 5 honor books, and 10 highly recommended books.

Stead, Philip (2010).  A Sick Day for Amos McGee.  New York, New York:  Roaring Brook Press.

Genre:  Fiction Picture Book

Amos McGee is a most unusual zoo keeper.  Among his many responsibilities, he also is sure to make his animal friends feel special.  He plays chess with the elephant, he runs races with the tortoise, he sits quietly with the shy penguin and more.  One day, he is very sick and cannot come to work.  His animal friends worry and take the city bus to his house.  There, they take very good care of their good friend and even spend the night.  This charming story about friendship is sure to delight young readers as they discuss what does make a good friend.  Students may also want to brainstorm what animals they would choose to write about and what fun things they could do together.  It is important to note that the woodblock illustrations by the author’s wife, Erin Stead are soft and gentle with just touches of color and give much more depth and detail to the story. Young students will be sure to point these out and delight in them.  This is a good book to use in a lesson on visual literacy.

Other Awards:

ALSC Notable Children's Book

Caldecott Medal Winner

Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year

NYPL Book for Reading and Sharing

Capitol Choices Noteworthy Titles for Children and Teens

CPL: Chicago Public Library Best of the Best

Illinois Monarch Award: K-3 Children's Choice Award Master List

Wisconsin Educational Media Association Golden Archer Award Master List

Willems, Mo (2004).  Knuffle Bunny-A Cautionary Tale.  New York, New York:  Hyperion

            Books for Children.

Genre:  Fiction Picture Book

A toddler named Trixie, her daddy, and Knuffle Bunny go to the Laundromat.  However the wonderful day changes drastically when Trixie realizes, on the walk home, that Knuffle Bunny is gone!  Daddy does not understand what she wants.  When they arrive home, Mommy knows right away.  They rush back and after much searching, Daddy finds Knuffle Bunny and saves the day.

The cartoon drawings of the characters superimposed over real photos of Mo Willems’ neighborhood are very unique and interesting.   The facial expressions of the family, especially Trixie, are hilarious and add so much more detail to the story.  This book is excellent for talking about the author’s craft, for discussing characterization and emotion, plot structure, and so much more!  This book is rich with possibilities for extension activities and discussions.

Other Awards:

2005 Caldecott Honor Book

New York Times Bestseller

Bang, Molly (1999).  When Sophie Gets Angry- Really, Really Angry.  New York, New York:

 Blue Sky Press.

Sophie and her sister are playing.  Sophie is enjoying a stuffed gorilla and her sister snatches it away and says, “my turn!”  Mommy agrees that it is her turn.  Sophie becomes very angry and screams, and kicks and roars.  Finally, all she can do is run and run.  She goes outside and runs until she can’t run anymore.  Finally she finds her favorite tree and climbs it.  Looking out at the world calms her and comforts her and then she is ready to go home.  Her family is happy to see her and all is well.  The vivid full page illustrations not only portray Sophie’s world in detail but also her emotions.  When she is roaring, there is a large red jagged line that shoots from her.  On each page you can “see” her anger as it erupts from her.  Children will understand that this is how anger feels.  Before reading the book, have the children infer how the girl on the cover is feeling.  How do you know?  Discuss facial expressions and see if they can mimic hers.  Following the reading, this book would be a great chance to discuss productive ways and destructive ways to handle anger.  I am sure that there would be many children ready to discuss and share a time when they were really angry. 

Other Awards:

Caldecott Honor Book, 2000