Picture Books

All posts tagged Picture Books

Wild Horse Winter, by Tetsuya Honda

Published December 6, 2013 by Dagmar

wildhorseThis book was a sleeper, sitting for the last three years in a paperback picture book basket.  As I flipped through my basket, organizing books one day, I was intrigued by this book.  You may have read that my first grade students board my library plane each week, taking trips to different continents and countries.  Thinking that this book took place in Wyoming or Colorado, I was already to break out my state books.  The fact that I was rushed and hadn’t read the book before I decided to read it to my students was quickly discovered as the horses in the book inexplicably reached the ocean.  Last time I heard, there are no oceans in Colorado.  My very forgiving students were happy to re-board our plane and head West, all the way across the Pacific Ocean to the island of Hokkaido in Japan.

This beautifully illustrated book by Tetsuya Honda is about the wild horses that live on the island of Hokkaido in Japan.  These horses, according to the author’s note, were brought to the island of Hokkaido three hundred years ago, by merchants and fisherman.  In the winters, the merchants and fisherman would abandon the island to go to the mainland, but left their horses to survive the harsh winter on the island.  In this story, we see a colt and his mother brave the winter by sleeping in a snow drift as they try to find their way from the grassy inland to the ocean.  According to the author, Dosanko horses are known to lie down close to the ground and allow the snow to cover them in an effort to stay warm.  Over many years, yhe horses, known as Dosanko horses, adapted to the harsh winters gradually developing longer hair, shorter bodies and stronger hooves. There are now only about 1,000 of these horses, living mostly on wild horse preserves.

This book was a jumping off point for lots of discussion: about Japan, how animals adapt to harsh conditions, how the native tribes near the arctic circle sometimes use ice to build homes to stay warm and how you might stay warm if caught in a blizzard or avalanche.

The book really captivated my students.  I recommend it for first through third grade audiences, or younger audiences at home.

Chu’s Day, by Neil Gaiman

Published November 21, 2013 by Dagmar

Chu's DayHere’s a fun one for the pre-k-kindergarten set.  Neil Gaiman, Newbery award-winning author of The Graveyard Book, is back with a very cute picture book about a little panda that has to sneeze.  What really makes this book, though, are the incredibly colorful and rich illustrations by Adam Rex, reminiscent to me of Pete & Pickles, a real favorite of mine and with older students in my library.

When Chu sneezes, bad things happen.  Chu visits the library with his mom and looks like he needs to sneeze.   When he visits the diner with his dad, he looks like he needs to sneeze.  My students appreciated my theatrical “almost sneezes” and then laughed when adorable Chu said “No,” he didn’t have to sneeze.  Then, Chu and his parents visit the circus – you know – then one with the really big tent?  Chu tries and tries to tell his folks, who are enthralled by the circus, that he needs to sneeze.  No one listens.  Oops.  That sneeze not only knocks down the circus tent, but also everything in the library and diner too, much to the delight of my students.

If you’re looking for a hit with your younger students, you’ll enjoy Chu’s Day.

The Snail and the Whale, by Julia Donaldson

Published November 3, 2013 by Dagmar

I was so happy to find this book at my local bookstore.  I knew it would be a hit the minute I saw it.  I love Julia Donaldson’s  book, Room on the Broom, also illustrated by Alex Scheffler. Like the rhymes in Room on the Broom, the rhymes in this book are great, not forced or tiresomwhale and the snaile, and Alex Scheffler’s illustrations, wonderful.  It’s a story of curiosity, adventure and friendship that you won’t want to miss.  Be sure to check out my lesson idea using this book.

The Snail and the Whale is about a snail who sits on a rock with lots of other snails but dreams of traveling the world.  The other snails mock him, but this snail is determined to go on an adventure.  He writes “Ride Wanted Around the World” on the rock.  Soon, a whale arrives, offering to take the snail around the world.  Together they travel the oceans, seeing icebergs, “fiery mountains” and “golden sands”.  Until one day, confused by speed boats in a bay, the whale is beached.  The snail, though small, thinks of a plan.  He makes his way to a school where he writes “Save the Whale” on a chalkboard.  All the school children mobilize the town’s firefighters to help the whale swim back to sea.  Once saved by the children, the Snail and the Whale return to ocean and the rock where their journey started.  Once there, they tell the story of their adventures to the other snails.  The book closes with the whale once again leaving the rock, but this time, with all the snails on his tail.

My first graders really loved this book.  I think it’s great for read alouds to kindergarten through second grade classes and even younger readers at home.

Wilfred, by Ryan Higgins

Published October 22, 2013 by Dagmar

This book hit a home run with my second graders.  It’s a story of friendship and loyalty.  I absolutely love the suspense that kept my students on the edge of their seats.  My students were engaged from the moment I started reading.  This is a great book with wonderful illustrations, and is one of my favorites of the new picture books I bought for this year.

WilfredWilfred is a (very cute) big hairy giant who wants a friend.  He goes to a village and scares everyone, except a brave boy.  He and the brave boy become fast friends.  However, the village is a village of bald people who covet the big hairy giant’s fur.  They ask Wilfred for his fur, and good-hearted Wilfred gives it to them.  Now, freezing in the cold winter, Wilfred can’t come out and play.  He has to stay in his cave to keep warm by a fire.  The boy, searching for his friend, gets lost in a snow storm.  Wilfred hears his cries and leaves his warm cave to try to save the boy.  The villagers find Wilfred and the boy in the snow. Wilfred is wrapped around the boy, trying to keep him warm.  Seeing this incredible act of loyalty, they realize that Wilfred is a good giant who needs his fur back.

You won’t regret buying this book.  Enjoy.

The Girl Who Spun Gold, by Virginia Hamilton

Published October 18, 2013 by Dagmar

thegirlwhospungoldRumpelstiltskin is a favorite Grimm’s fairytale.  The Girl Who Spun Gold, by Virginia Hamilton retells the story in a West Indian setting. This refreshing version captivated my fourth graders not only because of Hamilton’s writing, but particularly because of Leo and Diane Dillon absolutely captivating, colorful illustrations.  Hamilton read a version of this tale in West Indian dialect in 1899.  While she loved the retelling, she found it hard for modern audiences to understand.  So, she re-wrote it in more familiar language.  The version is long and took longer than one class time to complete, but was well worth the time.  Click here to see a lesson idea comparing two different retellings of the Rumplestiltskin story using this book.

Little Gorilla, Ruth Bornstein

Published October 13, 2013 by Dagmar

little gorillaIt’s always nice to find a real winner for the pre-k set.  Little Gorilla is one of those affirming books that makes everyone, listener and reader feel good.

Little Gorilla is loved from the day he is born.  His mom and dad love him, his aunts and uncles love him, all the animals in the forest love him and help him.  Until one day…Little Gorilla grows.  My students all wonder what will happen when Little Gorilla grows.  They wait expectantly until I start singing “Happy Birthday”.  They all smile in relief and join in.  The last page says, “And everyone still loved him.”

Ask Mr. Bear, by Marjorie Flack

Published July 12, 2013 by Dagmar

askmrbearHere is an old fashioned but very sweet book that is always a hit with my preschoolers.  Although the illustrations are dated, there is good preschool-level suspense when Danny goes into the woods to talk to a bear.

Danny wants to buy a gift for his mother for her birthday.  He asks a hen, goose, goat, sheep, cow and then finally a bear what to give his mother.  The bear gives the best answer, a hug.

Baby Beluga, by Raffi

Published July 7, 2013 by Dagmar

babybeluga3This book was the book that made my kindergarten class sing last year.  Baby Beluga is a great song song by children’s musician, Raffi.  The book is part of the Raffi Songs to Read series.  I love to sing, and singing Baby Beluga with a crowd of kindergartners is absolutely the best.  We created hand movements and sang this book at every class time.  The kids brought tears to my eyes when they performed Baby Beluga with their teacher at an assembly.  I love “singing” this book to any young child.

This book follows the song exactly as it is sung.  Check out Raffi singing the song on YouTube to hear how the song goes. The illustrations by Ashley Wolff are sweet.  Best yet, this inspired an interest in whales in my library!  Off we were to discover more about Beluga whales, blue whales, gray whales and more!  If you like to sing, Baby Beluga may just be the book for you.

Seven Blind Mice, by Ed Young

Published July 2, 2013 by Dagmar

seven blind miceThis Caldecott Honor book is a favorite with my young readers.  I usually read it to pre-k through 1st grade.  The colors are brilliant, set on a black background.

Seven mice, red, green, yellow, purple, orange, blue and white, try to understand the large object in front of them.  Each one feels a different part of the whole and makes a guess as to what the object must be.  It isn’t until the seventh mouse runs “up one side, down another and across the Something from end to end” that he discovers that the “Something” is an elephant.  The others, then do the same and agree with the white mouse.   The moral? “Knowing in part may make a fine tale, but wisdom comes from seeing the whole.”

The Z was Zapped, by Chris Van Allsburg

Published June 27, 2013 by Dagmar

the z was zappedI’m a fan of Chris Van Allsburg’s work, particularly of The Garden of Abdul Gasazi.  I save most of his books for my older students, so finding a book that my younger students can enjoy is great.  As always, there are incredible black and white illustrations and just a touch of dark humor in the book. This is definitely a different kind of alphabet book. 😉

In the Z was Zapped, the entire alphabet, presented in “a play in 26 acts”, meets its demise on stage.  “The A was in an avalanche.  The B was badly bitten.  The C was cut to ribbons…”  It’s fun watching my students guess at how each letter meets its end.  This was perfect for my 1st graders.