King Bidgood's in the Bathtub (1985)

 King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood (1985)  is a visual spectacle that earned a Caldecott honor. The text is simple and repetitive; it’s the illustrations that are a challenge. Don Wood’s imagination turns this simple story into a feast for the eyes. A young page cries for help in getting his king out of the bathtub and several elaborately dressed people come to the rescue: a knight, the queen, the duke, and members of the court. None are successful. Instead, they end up in the tub with the king. And the tub is the site of battle, lunch, fishing, and dancing. Words don’t do justice to Wood’s pictures of the bathtub. Readers need to see for themselves - find out, in the end, the obvious solution to the problem.

Jumanji (1981)

 Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg (1981) became a famous story. It’s a frightening story in which the black and white drawings create just enough distance from reality to also make it fun. Van Allsburg isn’t looking to scare readers; he’s into mystery and surprise. Judy and brother Peter find a board game in the park. They take it home to play while their parents are out. The messages on the squares of this game translate into real life scenarios, beginning with the attack by a lion. It’s an ingenious plot made perfect by Van Allsburg’s thoughtful illustrations. This book received the Caldecott Medal. In a YouTube video of a talk Van Allsburg gives for Politics & Prose, he recalls being genuinely surprised by the award. Here is a true artist who worked to express his own ideas. He was one of the lucky ones who also received popular acclaim.

*I Have a Sister, My Sister is Deaf

 I Have a Sister My Sister is Deaf  by Jeanne Whitehouse shows the impact of deafness upon a young child’s activities: talking with friends and family, playing outdoor games, and responding to environmental sounds. However, my resource focuses on the relationship of the sisters. For example, the older sister must adjust play to meet the needs of her young, hearing-impaired sibling. At the beginning of the book, she helps her sister learn single words. By the end of the book, she realizes that life entails a vast number of hearing experiences. Whitehouse’s implicit theme is the contrast in how these two girls experience the world.

Deborah Ray’s illustrations are black and white drawings. They capture the lives of these two sisters with minimalism and precision.  

There’s no mention of early intervention for hearing impairment. Whitehouse published this book as an adult in 1977; I wonder what was available for her sister when they were both young children.  When I post this resource on March 31, 2025, I don’t find any other lessons on TPT for this book.

This book is read aloud online by Read Alouds with Haruka.

My Picture Book Talk for this story is here.