Crow Call (2009)

      Award winning Lois Lowry  pens an intimate story between father and child in Crow Call.   The stunning illustrations by  Bagram Ibatoulline's have a softness that reflects this gentle relationship. A daughter and her dad set out to hunt crows in Pennsylvania farmland country. One-on-one times like this are--possibly rare--opportunities to ponder big questions, such as "Daddy . . . were you scared in the war?" Picture books encourage such discussion. For a moment, the innocent and the veteran walk in one another's shoes and comprehend the world in a new way. 

     Midwest Science has a worksheet, Free Bird Documentary (Crows) to accompany a YouTube video. A to Zebra has a Bird Anatomy Worksheet. Sovenok has Sound Bingo Birds.

     

Read All About It! (2008)

      How do you get the nonreader interested in reading? This problem is solved in Read All About It!.  Laura Bush and Jena Bush tell a fanciful tale, and illustrator Denise Brunkus  brings the same sparkle she sprinkled into Junie B. Jones stories, this time is full color. "I'm Tyrone Brown and I rule the school. I'm a professional student and class clown." Tyrone has everything going for him; there's no hint that he suffers a reading disability. He's seems bored--until, one day, he really listens at story time. Then, his imagination soars. It makes me wonder how many more children would love books if allowed to listen to them rather than read them. 

     RoomRecessCom has Free Audio Stories for Kids. RoJMTeaching Resources has Reading Comprehension Presentation, Lesson Plans, Worksheets, Optional Audio. Edwin Thompson has "Buster's Farm" Series 1-3 Audio and Text. 

     

The Tortoise and the Jackrabbit (1993)

      The Tortoise and the Jackrabbit is Susan Lowell's version of a classic fable adds concern for the environment. Her Tortoise is not only slow, but also attentive to the natural world. Tortoise has a long-standing relationship with her neighbors of the desert because she has always moved slowly enough to interact with them. Jackrabbit is so fast that he is blind to those around him. The lesson here is not about winning but about the journey. 

     "The wild desert is a precious place," writes Ms. Lowell. "If it is preserved for future generations of tortoises, jackrabbits, and people, we will all be winners." 

    Polka Dot Poodle has The Tortoise and the Hare. . .Adapted Book Literacy Activities. Scribble Shore has The Hare and the Tortoise Story and Free Printable. Just a note: I don't know how these teachers adapted the story. At the time I created my lesson for this book, I was dismayed by what I felt were distortions of the moral as portrayed in some online videos. So, adults may want to review resources before using them.

     My Picture Book Talk lesson is here. I was so captivated by Lowell's use of punctuation that I created a second lesson just for that. 

*Comic & Curious CATS (1979)

      I have a soft spot for alphabet books. I've been collecting them for several years. Comic & Curious CATS by Martin Leman is an art gallery dedicated to our feline friends. Angela Carter fills the book with a plethora of vocabulary. "I love my cat with an H Inspite of his Hypochondria Because he is Handsome And Humane His name is Horatio He lives in Hastings He eats Herrings, Hake And Haddock Happily". 

     E J Samuwel has Aimee and Fluffy the Cat: ABC's Are FUNdamental. Julie Ridge Designs has Animal Alphabet Coloring Pages: C is for Cat. You can buy a used copy of this book on Amazon. 

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Won't-Take-a-Bath Cure (1999)

      Allowing children to learn life lessons by experience can be difficult for parents. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle supports young Patsy's mother in this process. In Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's-Won't-Take-a-Bath-Cure, Betty MacDonald  portrays parents who follow Mrs Piggle-Wiggle's advice to patiently apply the Radish Cure. They stop demanding their little girl take a bath. "At the end of the third week Patsy skipped out to get the mail, and the postman . . .gave a terrified yell and fell off the porch." Patsy had gotten very dirty!

     Teaching Toddlers has a Taking Teaching Home: Bathtime" Parent Handout for children who have hearing loss and/or language delay. Study Silly has Bathtime Token Board for maladaptive behaviors or increased independence. Awesome ABLE Accessories has a Bathtime Social Story.

 

Animals should definitely not act like people. (1980)

      I love how Judi Barrett and Ron Barrett use humor to teach vocabulary in Animals should definitely not act like people. The entire text is one sentence! "Animals should definitely not act like people . . . because it would be preposterous for a panda, . . .". Each page of text begins with "because", and each illustration is hilarious. It seems to me that many contemporary picture books for children evade advanced vocabulary. Simultaneously, educators are crying out for complex texts. I propose that we look back at some of the older picture books like this one, published in 1980, for content. Yes, we need to sift out content that is outdated--or engage in conversation about how life has changed. 

     A Time for Speech has a 43-page  Joke of the Week. The AAC Spot has an AAC lesson targeting Core Vocabulary that involves humor. Brown-Eyed Books has The World Without the Alphabet "A"

    

P Is for Pterodactyl (2018)

     What an unusual alphabet book! Wikipedia states "The book sold out of its first print run of 10,800 copies the day it was published." P Is for Pterodactyl by Raj Haldar & Chris Carpenter is The Worst Alphabet Book Ever." As the title implies, this book has fun with English spelling, for example "G is for Gnocchi." The text and illustrations extend this unique point of view: "The gnome yells, 'Waiter! There's a bright white gnat nibbling on my gnocchi!'" 

     Once Upon First Grade has Super Secret Spy Silent Letters. Tammy Teach has a Silent Letter K Crossword Worksheet. There are so many alphabet book materials at Teachers Pay Teachers; I wonder if any of them compare the uncommon perspective of P Is for Pterodactyl. 

Franklin in the Dark (1986)

      Franklin in the Dark  by Paulette Bourgeois has repetitive text and a transparent story structure, which may help some children with comprehension. Franklin becomes fearful of his small, dark, shell. He's certain that it's inhabited by creepy, slippery things and monsters--an eel, large insect, and crocodile. It's admirable that Franklin asks for help!  How nice to have a main character talk about his fear.  His own private battle is like what others are experiencing. He is not alone. Franklin tackles his own problem with a brave new point of view.

     Carol Cravath has Guided Journeys Overcoming Fear . Adventures with Quigley has Toss Your Fears. Javier Roque has What Are You Afraid Of, a poem. 

    

Diary of a Worm (2003)

 Diary of a Worm introduces young writers to the diary format. Worm's diary entries are short notes about finding one's way in the world and some challanges chlidren will recognize.  Photos and a report card are taped inside because a diary isn't just about writing. Harry Bliss skillfully captures interactions between worm and friends--I mean, how does one draw facial expressions on a worm? Text, illustration, and inference are required to comprehend many pages. While this book is funny, the humor is in the eye of the beholder. Children will disagree on what's funny, which will lead to insightful discussion.

 Doreen Cronin created an unexpected gem for beginning conversations about gender identity. The main character wears a baseball cap, but Worm is never referred to by a pronoun. And in fact, worms are hermaphroditic. 

   

The Gift (1999)

      Kristine L. Franklin shares Jimmy Joe's joy when he comes face to face with a whale in The Gift. Jimmy Joe is excited to board a small motorboat and head out to sea in search of salmon. Yet, his innate respect for marine life reveals itself when "All at once Jimmy Joe saw nine glossy black backs and short dorsal fins in the water. Pffffsst-HAH! went the sound, exhaled through blowholes the six of his fist." Illustrations by Barbara Lavallee are uniquely beautiful An insightful young marine biologist may point out that there's more than one gift in this story. I love stories that emphasize firsthand experiences with the natural world. "First we must learn to love nature. Then comes conservation," said Tamilisai Soundararajan. 

    Baily Sturdy has a Speaking and Listening - Whales activity with links to a video and podcast. Sprout Learning has a 15-page Whale's Tale Activity Pack  for Pre-K and grade 1. Amy Lynn Teachers has  Ocean Themed All About Me Back to School Activities.  

Mirette on the High Wire (1997)

     Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully is a story of a young girl living in Paris100 years ago. She does many chores  at her mother's boarding house. Then, one day, a boarder at Madame Gateau's is the famous tight rope walker, Bellini.  Mirette is enchanted by Bellini's ability to walk on air, and after  a week of many falls", Mirette learns to walk a tightrope too. Bellini is impressed. "'In the beginning everyone falls. Most give up. But you kept trying. Perhaps you have talent as well.'" He gifts her  knowledge, trust ,and confidence. In the end, she does the same for him. 

     Students may feel that learning a new skill is like learning to walk a tightrope. There are many falls. Recently, I heard the slogan: 'If you're not failing, you're not trying.' Mirette reminds us that with the guidance of a safe, talented, and effective teacher--and with self-motivated dedication, children can succeed. 

     Little Learning Lane has Mirette on the High Wire - Vocabulary Words. My Picture Book Talk for this story is here. 

You Can't Take a Balloon Into The Museum of Fine Arts (2002)

     Visit Boston and The Museum of Fine Arts with You Can't Take a Balloon Into The Museum of Fine Arts by Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman and Robin Preiss Glasser. As a family visits the museum, their balloon escapes and causes mayhem through Boston. This is a large book at 11" x 11", which allows lots of space for illustrating the adventures of a green balloon that travels outdoors while its owners admire art indoors.  This is a wordless picture book, so there's plenty of opportunity for conversation on every page. The back of the book has a list of works of art we see in this story, reproduced from the collections of the MFA. The action-packed collection of illustrations is a fun way to lead young minds to the beauty of famous paintings. 

     Art Smarts has A Day at the Art Museum. Mrshamisartroom has an Art Museum Scavenger Hunt. 

Counting Is for the Birds (1997)

      Frank Mazzola, Jr. signed this beautiful book filled with rhyme, facts about birds, counting, and digital paintings. Counting Is for the Birds is a unique and extraordinary book.  A colorful collection of birds come to feed at a backyard feeder, first 2 then 4, then 6 all the way to 20. 

     Dreaming and learning in Kindergarten has a beautiful Let's count to 10 and explore different types of birds! Jennifer Hier at Early Learning Ideas has a Free Spring Counting Book/Birds Theme Counting Emergent Reader. 

     This book is now available in paperback. 

     

"Slowly, Slowly, Slowly," said the Sloth (2002)

     "Slowly, Slowly, Slowly," said the Sloth--don't you just love that alliteration! And let's draw little readers' attention to the quotation marks, too! Notice the green in the sloth's body? That may be Eric Carle's representation for algae that grows on their fur. 

     This story reminds us that slow is OK. The sloth is a slow-moving creature in a world where every other creature moves quickly. Even a turtle passes by. Yet the sloth is perceptive and self-confident. The reader is pleasantly surprised and impressed with the sloth's answer to his neighbors' questions. Its usual silence conceals a wealth of knowledge and deep self-respect. Children who identify with the sloth will experience validation. Children who move quickly through the world will gain priceless insight – seeing the world from someone else's perspective.

    

Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky (1992)

      Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky tells the terrifying tale of slaves escaping from the United States to Canada. Here is a book that exposes children to a ghastly topic. Faith Ringgold shows respect for children's ability and desire to receive difficult truths such as this. Her paintings are powerful yet offer some distance from the cruel reality of her text. For example, the "hundreds of bedraggled men, women, and children" who board a train at the beginning of the story are shapes that only hint at the horror of such a scene.  Cassie, the main character, is a young girl who travels the Underground Railroad with the guidance of Harriet Tubman. Railroad agents assist her while bounty hunters stalk her. Two pages of back matter at the end of the book introduce readers to Harriet Tubman and members of the Underground Railroad. 

     Patrice Dawkson Jenkins has So You Think You Know About Harriet Tubman?. The Ms Perry Show has The Underground Railroad . My Picture Book Talk lesson was taken down by Teachers Pay Teachers because it violated content guidelines by asking readers to "take on the perspective of victims of or participants in traumatic situations." I appreciated the feedback and I am revising the lesson. 

    My Picture Book Talk for this story is here. 

     

If i could keep you little . . . (2010)

      In If i could keep you little , Marianne Richmond shares the bittersweet thoughts of caregivers who long to protect their little ones but realize that their children must move out into the world. Her rhymes and illustrations cherish the here and now yet anticipate the future. They serve the dual purpose of comforting the caregiver and empowering the child. "If I could keep you little, I'd hold your hand everywhere. But then I'd miss you knowing, 'I can go . . . you stay there.'" I enjoy how this book plays with print by changing the fonts style and color of the text. This is a small book, only 8" x 8".

     Create Valuable Purpose has a lesson If i could keep you little .. . for grades K-5. 

The Kissing Hand (1993)

     Audrey Penn wrote The Kissing Hand more than 20 years ago, yet it remains a lovely lead-in to a contemporary conversation about emotional intelligence. Little Chester Raccoon cries about leaving home to attend his first day at school. Wise Mrs. Raccoon shows Chester how to blend language, behavior, and imagination to manage his feelings. She uses safe, symbolic touch by kissing the palm of Chester’s hand. She tells a story to engage his imagination. Ruth E.Harper and Nancy M. Leak beautifully illustrate this transfer of love from mother to son.

     Chester now has a tool to cope with emotional stress. Chester gives his mother a Kissing Hand, which she touches to her cheek as he dances off to school.

     Buzzin Bees of Learning has The Kissing Hand First Day Activity, Mentor Texts for Munchkins has a detailed Reading Workshop/Writing Workshop Resource for teachers, and the Native Educator has a Retelling Diamond. This book is a favorite, so there are many other activities available. 

 

Vote (2018)

     The picture book VOTE! by Eileen Christelow is a story for all ages. It is about how a mother runs for mayor of a city. The illustrations are not juvenile and include dialogue that complements the text. Two family dogs talk to one another throughout the book to engage the very young reader. I love that this book has a glossary and an illustrated timeline of voting rights from 1776 to 2002.  Of course, the story will need to be supplemented with contemporary information and that will spark lively discussion. Here's an example of a book that proves picture books crystalize complex concepts into an accessible format.

     Puzzles to Play's Voting Wordsearch Worksheet Puzzle is for grades 3 - 12. Teaching in Stripes reviews vocabulary with an Election and Voting Bingo Game for grades 2-4. Andrea McKinney has Election/Voting I Spy Sight Words for PreK-grade 1. ZoopDog Creations has a lengthy PowerPoint Electoral College v. Popular Vote  lesson for grades 6-9. Krista Lynch has It is Time to Vote! A Little Book About the Election Process for K-grade 2. 

   

 

*The Most Magnificent Thing (2014)

      The Most Magnificent Thing models inspiration, creativity, frustration, and success.  Ashley Spires invites us to join in the journey of a young girl determined to build a most magnificent thing for her dog (her best friend in the whole wide world.)  The girl has an idea, a plan, and a process. Execution takes multiple attemps. She creates many things that are not magnificent; however, "There are some parts of the WRONG things that are really quite RIGHT." What's unexpected is the surprise ending! 

     Sunny Classroom has Read Aloud Journal Activities which may help readers. teachigk2z has an Interactive Read Aloud in which readers use a mood meter to track the girl's reactions. Caroline Roberts has an 11-page Design Thinking Project to teach growth mindset.   

Friends (1997)

       Friends, written and illustrated by Helme Heine, is a carefree tale of friendship. This book celebrates diversity in peer relationships and joy in outdoor play as a bird, rodent, and pig frolic in the countryside. Some readers may appreciate that Charlie Rooster sports a tail of many colors. One scene has a contemporary lesson—What is fair?

     "They went looking for cherries. They shared them: some for Johnny Mouse, some for Charlie Rooster, and twice as many for fat Percy." Equity versus equality is a topic to talk about, even with little ones.  

      After reading this book, children may draw their own experiences of fun on the playground, at the community center, or in the neighborhood. Adults can facilitate conversation about what it means to be a friend.

      Nancy Wilcox Richards has a Friendship Activity with Emergent Reader activity to teach positive social skills. Mrs. J's Rockin' resources has a simple  Good Friends activity in which children color in characteristics of a good friend versus a bad friends.  My Picture Book Talk for this story is here.

Frederick (1967)

      Frederick  by Leo Lionni values the  imagination. While Frederick's family gathers food supplies for the winter, Frederick sits quietly.  He attends closely to the world around him, gathers  imagery and poetry for the gray winter days ahead.  Both manual and mental work benefit the mice after they hunker down in their stone wall hideout. Lionni's elegant illustrations and succinct text remind us to appreciate artistic work.  Four mice are too busy to notice the beauty of the earth until Frederick shares his memories. Frederick's contributions ease the struggle of a long, cold winter.

    This story suggests the following diagram:  

   

     The Literary Hub has a lovely article about Leo Lionni for an adult wishing to highlight his life. Ghost Bro has Mousing Around with Collage that encourages children work together. School Counselor Stroz has a Guided Imagery Group Session based on Frederick. 

Yoshiko and the Foreigner (1996)

     In Yoshiko and the Foreigner , author/illustrator Mimi Otey Little shares her family history. This story provides an opportunity for children to wonder about their own ancestry. This story takes place in Japan and highlights both social and family perspectives. When a young Japanese woman finally tells her family that she would like to marry an American serviceman, her father is worried. "'Americans only laugh and scoff at our customs,'" he says. Her father's concerns invite readers to talk about how any culture perceives another culture. Children may have experienced diverse cultures trying to coexist. 

     GoGu has a Japan - Country Study Presentation that is aesthetically unique. Harry Fletcher has a 32-page Let's Go To Japan (Widescreen Large Print EBook). Christa Johnston has a Japan Unit Study that is 167 pages! 

     

Clever Tortoise (2000)

      Clever Tortoise was written and illustrated by Francesca Martin. Her illustrations are so uniquely colorful and beautiful, I was disappointed when I couldn't find any information about her. This story is one she heard as a child living in Tanzania, South Africa. What I especially like about this book is that it includes some Kiswahili words, "the language most widely spoken in Tanzania." Everything starts from a Dot has Swahili Animal Flash Cards that might complement this story. Heather Carlsen has I am a Maasai Man that may supplement conversation about the setting. 

     Elephant and Hippopotamus begin to bully other animals, each claiming it is the strongest of all the small animals. Tortoise comes up with a trick to play on the two beasts, a clever trick for which all the small animals work together. This ends the quarreling. "All the animals are happy again. Kwa heri ya kuonana, wanangu--so long, children, till we meet again." 

   

*Come On, Rain! (1999)

      Come On, Rain!  by Karen Hesse reads like a long, loving poem. The words are chosen with precision. The sentences flow gently off the tongue to complement (and compliment) the illustrations. What a wise choice to illustrate this story in watercolor! There are several short interview videos with illustrator Jon J Muth at Reading Rockets. The main character in this story is a young Black girl, Tessie, who perceives that a cool summer rain is about to relieve her city neighborhood of suffocating summer heat. Tessie skillfully assembles three friends for the exact moment the rain arrives. They frolic in the downpour as it passes by.

"It freckles our feet, glazes our toes.

We turn in circles,

glistening in our rain skin.

Our mouths wide,

we gulp down rain."

   This story is rich with vocabulary.  ideas by jivey has a 17-page Vocabulary Sample of Come On, Rain! My Picture Book Talk for this story is here. 

Mystic Horse (2003)

      

    Based on the Pawnee story "the Dun Horse", Paul Goble created Mystic Horse, the tale of a poor boy who cares for an old horse. This is no ordinary horse, and despite the boy's youthful error, this mysterious equine helps him improve the lives of the Pawnee People. Paul Goble is a Caldecott Medal winner. His  vivid landscapes, painted with an earthy palette, complement a text that is direct, not condescending. The book begins with a list of references, acknowledgement, and background knowledge. 

    Live Laugh and Love Literacy has a few vocabulary picture cards at Mystic Horse - vocabulary picture cards. Jersey Girl Gone South has the lesson Pawnee American Indians of the Plains PowerPoint and Notes  which may begin readers' search for background knowledge about this tribe. More information about Paul Goble can be found at Wisdom Tales. 

*A Boy and a Jaguar (2014)

      Alan Rabinowitz was the keynote speaker for an annual convention of the National Stuttering Association and I was one of the fortunate members of the audience. I attended many national NSA gatherings.  I found that the workshops for people who stuttered were different from those designed for speech language pathologists (SLP). Persons who stuttered attended meetings about emotional and insightful personal stories.. SLPs listened to professors promote theoretical models, present research studies, and publicize therapy programs. Alan Rabinowitz spoke to both groups of attendees. His story made me cry. His children's picture book, A Boy and a Jaguar, may make you cry too: tears of sadness over Alan's experiences as a child who stuttered and tears of joy at his accomplishments. 

     Holly K as a Jaguar Craft and Poem and the Themeschoolers has a Jaguars of the Rainforest Graphing activity. 

     My Picture Book Talk lesson for this story is here. 

HUSH! A Thai Lullaby (1996)

     HUSH! by Minfong Ho models a variety of grammatical forms in a repetitive and lyrical text that invites you to sing rather than read the words. In this post, I highlight the negative contraction. The mother of a toddler admonishes a host of noisy creatures that threaten to awaken her sleeping toddler. On each page she begs, "Can't you see that Baby's sleeping? . . .don't you cry, My baby's sleeping right nearby." We The contraction of "not" is subtle: the /n/ attached to the verb and the voiceless sound of /t/ follows. A child needs careful listening ears to notice it. Illustrator Holly Meade adds visual humor to lighten the mother's heartfelt surveillance. This was one of my earliest Picture Book Talk lessons, which explains why it's only 8 pages. 

     Peace Love and Speech has a lesson called Answering with Negative Contractions. I don't know how many pages it is, but it offers a clever idea to expand upon. Jongkit Wongpinit has a Folktale from the Northeast of Thailand for grades 3-5. Smiley Teacher has a 53-page power point presentation for grades 1 and higher, Thailand Thai Asian Studies Power Point Presentation. 

My Picture Book Talk for this story is here.

 

Turquoise Boy: A Navajo Legend (1996)

      Preparing Picture Book Talk lessons with content unfamiliar to me requires hours of research. For example, I found Turquoise Boy: A Navajo Legend,  "written and adapted by Terri Cohlene," puzzling. Simply reading the text and marveling at Charles Reasoner's illustrations was not enough to appreciate the tale. Turquoise Boy does include several pages of backmatter at the end of the book, including photographs, artwork, and a timeline of important dates. Still, I felt it necessary to write an answer key that is five pages of explanation with multiple links for additional background information. 

      Turquoise Boy is the story of  how a divine youth earned the gift of horses for the Navajo People. It will draw curious readers, as it did me, into the complex history of this Native American community. This legend was imbued with enough content to create a Picture Book Talk and Study English lesson. 

     Endless Boundaries in Common Core has an easy-to-understand Myths and Legends Poster to begin a conversation about this genre. ELA Reading has lessons for Navajo vocabulary including foods, animals, counting, and colors. ESL and SPED Behavior Specialists has Reading Tip Sheets/Letters for Parents in Dine Navajo (Colorin Colorado/AFT).

 "I see the Earth. I am looking at Her and smile Because She makes me happy. The Earth, looking back at me is smiling too. May I walk happily And lightly Upon Her.  Navajo Chant"  (on the first page of this book) 

     

Ohio Thunder (2006)

     The gorgeous paintings that illustrate Ohio Thunder are the work of Kate Miesler. I was not surprised to discover that she attended the Rhode Island School of Design, one of the finest art schools in the world. This is what draws me to children's picture books--impeccable artwork. Little ones can linger on the pictures of an Ohio farm, and when they learn that these two-page spreads are paintings, leave the book and pick up paint brushes. Denise Dowling Mortensen's short rhymes spice the visual drama: "Wild wind blowing. Nature's brew. Locomotive passing through. Thundering 'cross Ohio plains, bringing waves of quenching rains." The magic of rhyme blends with the charm of painted images to create this marvelous book. 

     Mrs. Coles' Classroom has an Extreme Weather Informational Book in which children can combine drawing and writing about frightening weather. Classroom Ponderings has Poetry--5 Senses Poems for all Seasons to spotlight this content while constructing their own poems. 

10 Little Rubber Ducks (2010)

      Eric Carle is one of my favorite illustrators. His distinctive style of paint and collage in bright colors is remarkable. The book 10 Little Rubber Ducks gives Eric Carle the space to create creatures that live in and by the sea. When a cargo ship carrying a box of yellow rubber ducks encounters a storm, "A big wave lifts up one of the boxes and throws it into the water. The box opens, and 10 little rubber ducks fall out." In a subtle but substantial way, the plastic birds look different from nature's beautifully expressive species. 

     Young artists may enjoy Art with Jenny K's video How To Make Your Own Texture Paper -- Eric Carle Style. Rhiannon Salas has an Eric Carle Inspired Welcome Sign for a bulletin board. If you're reading several books by Eric Carle, Katharine M. Norris has a survey, Which Eric Carle Book Was Your Favorite?