In the Salamander Room, by Anne Mazer, young Brian finds a little orange salamander in the forest and brings it home. The rest of the story is a conversation between Brian and his mother. How will he care for the salamander? Brian's mother never dismisses his ideas as silly. She models patience and skill while accepting his vision – full of creativity and innocence – of a healthy world in which insects, birds, plants, amphibians, and even a little human can live together. Steve Johnson's pictures gradually fill up the white space as the young boy's bedroom is transformed. I love Mr. Johnson's use of light: a sun-dappled forest, artificial lamp light, late afternoon glow, and finally moonlight.
Fancy Pants Teacher has Visualizing With the Salamander Room. Miz Lemonade has Dragons and Salamanders - Animal Characteristics that refers to this book. Natasha Rae has Pet Project: Project-Based Learning that includes this story also.
My Picture Book Talk is here.
