A PERFECTLY MESSED-UP STORY - #PPBF

 You may be familiar with the author/illustrator of today's selection from his Caldecott Honor illustrations for the NYT bestseller, Me . . . Jane. I love him for his comic strip, MUTTS, and his work for animal related causes. And now for this book, too.

TITLE: A PerfectLY MESSED-Up Story
Author/Illustrator: Patrick McDonnell
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, 2014
Intended Age: 3-6
Theme: Self-esteem, Anxiety
Opening Line: "This is Louie's story. Once upon a time, little Louie went skipping merrily along."

Synopsis: Louie becomes upset when jelly, peanut butter and messy crayon scrawls appear in the story.

What I like about this book: Nobody likes it when things don't go their way. But it's a fact of life that things often don't. And it isn't through the fault of planning or being prepared. Sometimes crap just happens. And Louie has to deal with this situation. This book reminds me of Pete the Cat with the added bonus of showing that Louie isn't a natural zen master. Patience, appreciation for what you have, and perseverance are skills that he (and readers!) can learn.

Resources:

• View the book trailer read on Youtube here. No spoiler alert needed for that. You can also see/hear the book read in its entirety on Youtube here (there are many versions-this is one read by a child)
• The publisher provides a five page educator's guide. As a science nerd I love the inclusion of the examination of various nut butters (chunky and smooth)!The book is also included in Hachette/Little Brown's fall activity guide.
• List what you can do when things don't go as planned- include all ideas, from anger to compromise and then discuss which ideas are the best ones for you.
• Read all of Patrick McDonnell's books (listed here). Discuss how they are alike and different.
• Examine a comic strip (preferably MUTTS!). How is the story-telling different than a book's?

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 again for stopping by! :)

The Mermaid and the Shoe - Perfect Picture Book Friday #PPBF

      I read about this book somewhere and put it on my "list." If you're like me, your list can be long! And my library doesn't have all of the books. And my budget for book buying runs out waaay before my list ends. So I'm pleased that I finally got this book through inter-library loan. It was worth the wait!


TITLE: The Mermaid and the Shoe   

  AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: K. G. Campbell   
Publisher: Kids Can Press, 2014
Intended Age:
Themes: Self-esteem/discovery, adventure
Opening lines: "King Neptune had fifty daughters. 
                             They were his pride and joy."

Synopsis: When an unfamiliar item sinks into Minnow's world under the sea she sets off to find its purpose, and in doing so finds her own.

What I like about this book: It feels like an old fable. Going against current trends in picture books, the main character isn't introduced until the third page. First the scene, tone and mood are set. The muted underwater illustrations bring to mind the real-life shadowy underwater world, with bright colors saved for Minnow's peek of the world above water. But the bright colors don't signal a longing for another life or another world like other mermaid stories. Minnow's curiosity and fearlessness combine with an overlooked talent that makes this mermaid a happy one right at home where she belongs. One of my favorite lines is also one that may not be a favorite with everyone:
             "Useless!" hissed Calypso (for sisters can be mean that way). 
While I don't think all sisters are mean (!), for me it captured the tumultuous emotions of childhood, but others may feel differently. That's a good talking point below.
(Fun note: the author/illustrator also illustrated Kate Di Camillo's book Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures)

Resources:

•  Take a walk and look for lost objects. Make up stories about where they came from and what they can be used for. Some of the stories can be realistic, some fantastical! (Bring heavy gloves and a bag if you want to pick the objects up--they may be dirty or sharp! Have an adult pick it up.)
• Talk about brothers and sisters. Is this story an accurate portrayal of people you know? What could the older sisters have done differently? 
• An extensive review (giving away the ending-spoiler alert!) in School Library Journal
• Recycle an old pair of shoes as a planter, a jewelery box like Minnow tried, or some other idea you come up with!
  

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 again for stopping by!

Three Pebbles and a Song by Eileen Spinelli

One of last week’s posts inspired my choice this week. If there is anyone who comes close to writing an unending series of perfect picture books, in my opinion that person is Eileen Spinelli. I was fortunate to hear her speak at a NJ-SCBWI conference where she talked about her writing process. It was good to know that although the final product looks effortless, she works as hard at her craft as the rest of us and (hard to believe) still gets rejections.

The image is dark-trust me, the mouse is adorable!

Title: Three Pebbles and a Song

Author: Eileen Spinelli

Illustrator: S.D.Schindler

Publisher: Dial Books For Young Readers, 2003

Audience: Ages 4-7

Theme: Self-esteem, cooperation

Opening:"Across the moonlit fields crackly old leaves twirled and skittered. And so did Moses." (the mouse)

What I LOVE about this book: Writers are often admonished not to have messages or get preachy. Ms. Spinelli has masterfully crafted a story that demonstrates in a concrete way how members in a family can all contribute and be important to the family unit. This is a story where practicality and artistry find common meeting ground. There is no preaching, just a beautiful, lyrical story told with enough repetition to make the descriptive language easily grasped by young readers.

Activities/Resources: I couldn't find anybody who had already posted activities specific to this book. I think the book lends itself to talking about what three things a child would want to have with them if they were trapped in the house during a blizzard-- appropriate with the upcoming weather forecast! For older readers, this might be a chance to explore juggling! A family activity could involve having everyone list one way each other family member is important. The story takes place in a harvest setting, so an outdoor scavenger hunt could be fun.

I hope folks who haven't read this book will give it a look!