Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress - #PPBF

     Last week I shared the first of two posts about picture books on the theme of individuality. I hope you enjoy the second recommendation! I'll be away this weekend at the Eastern Pennsylvania SCBWI Spring retreat, so I'll be reading comments (and catching up on the other picture books recommended this week!) next Monday.

TITLE: Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress
Author: Christine Baldacchino
Illustrator: Isabelle Malenfant
Publisher: Groundwood Books/House of Anansi, 2014
Intended Age: 4-7 (I think 3-10)
Theme: Individuality, Bullying, Gender Roles

Opening Line: "Morris Micklewhite has a mother named Moira and a cat named Moo."

Synopsis: The children in Morris' class tease him when he wears a dress from the costume box.

What I like about this book: The author tells us that Morris loves school and I believed it. I absolutely felt his pain when he stayed home because of teasing. The language is gorgeous. My FAVORITE lines:
"Morris likes the color of the dress. It reminds him of tigers, the sun and his mother's hair."
Did you get chills reading that!?
The issue of gender roles and gender identity is dealt with in a way that all children can relate to. It shouldn't matter if astronauts wear dresses. Boys or girls. It is a story about being different. It is also a great resource for families looking to expand their diverse book collection.
Resources:

• View the book trailer for Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress here.
• Read a review in the Wisconsin English Journal that includes this as a "controversial" book. Why anyone would label this book controversial is hard to believe. The book was a Stonewall Honor Book for 2015 (a honor given annually to English-language children’s and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender experience) but the book isn't a treatise about gender. It's about a sweet, gentle, imaginative boy. Yes, it raises gender issues and awareness, but it does it as part of Morris' story, without agenda. I wrote my review before the Jenner interview and the Gray arrest in Baltimore but now it feels particularly timely as we explain those events to older children and remind them that part of life is accepting and getting along with all the people around us because we're all just people.
• Let children select clothes from the dress-up box. Talk about why they selected what they did. Would they want to switch with the child next to them? Why or why not?
• Ask children what color reminds each of their family. Would they want to wear this color?
• List character traits for a good astronaut. Go to Nasa's astronaut selection page. Does it say anything about gender or dress code?
• For older readers, the author wrote a thoughtful post about bullying and being bullied.
• For further reading, Joanna Marple's review of this book can be found here. 

This review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. Along with tons of writing wisdom, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF
Thanks for stopping by! :)

Max and the Dumb Flower Picture - #PPBF

     I had to flip a coin to decide on this week's recommendation. I got lucky at the library this week. There are two great ones shouting for attention. :)
Interestingly, they are both on the same theme, but very different in style. I hope you come back next week for #2!

from Publisher's website

    
Title: Max and the Dumb Flower  
         Picture

Author/Illustrator: 
           Martha Alexander 
   with James Rumford 
 (Ms. Alexander passed away and Mr. Rumford finished the book from her sketches)

Publisher: Charlesbridge, 2009

Theme: Individuality 

Intended Age: 3-8





Opening Line: "Max didn't want to color the dumb flower picture. 
                     Miss Tilley wanted him to."

Synopsis: When a boy's teachers asks the class to color a flower picture that she reproduced for all of them as a Mother's Day gift, the boy decides he wants to make his own picture instead.

What I like about the book: I was already hooked by the endpapers. Martha Alexander's family, friends and colleagues drew flower pictures that are scattered across the endpapers plus one additional spread.There is a square left blank on the opening endpaper for the reader to draw their own flower (amazingly, the library copy is still clean!). The small 7x7 trim size means it falls to the bottom of the picture book bins, and I hope it isn't passed over because of that. There is one scene when Max runs out of the classroom, out of the building that may require parental comment (don't do that!) but I think younger children who feel the urge to "color outside the lines" will identify with the emotion and resolution.

Resources:

• Take a page from a coloring book and color it how you think the creator of the book intended. Then color another picture with similar subject matter on a blank piece of paper. Which do you like better? Why?
•  Make 3-D flowers with chenille stems and paper using a lesson on the Smile Makers website.
• Go to the store and select cut flowers for a bouquet. Why do you select the ones you do?
• Type flower crafts for toddlers in your search box and see hundreds of choices!
• Bookit Program curriculum page available here.
• Parents/teachers can talk to children about using words to express feelings (instead of running away!)
• If you are a member of a Story Before Bed, you can access a recording here. (NOTE: I did not test this)

This review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. Along with tons of writing wisdom, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF