Emmie Stuart

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Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers. 


During Father’s Day lunch, my parents asked about the subject of my July column, and as soon as the words 50th anniversary of the moon landing left my mouth, I was subject to listening to their vivid recollections of the historic event. As 9-year-olds during the “Summer of ’69,” they were two of the millions of children who were gathered around their TV set on that hot summer July evening, eagerly watching and waiting. President Nixon’s words reflected the emotions of the entire country as the space race was finally won: “Hello Neil and Buzz. I’m talking to you by telephone from the Oval Room at the White House, and this certainly has to be the most historic telephone call ever made. I just can’t tell you how proud we all are of what you have done. For every American, this has to be the proudest day of their lives.”

Launch the new school year with the following four books, which expertly convey the importance of Apollo 11’s momentous landing.


Papa Put a Man on the MoonPapa Put a Man on the Moon by Kristy Dempsey, illustrated by Sarah Green

Reflecting back on her own family history, Dempsey addresses a new aspect of the moon landing. Though her entire South Carolina community is anticipating the moon landing, 11-year-old Marthanne is especially excited because her dad works in a textile factory that made one of the 14 layers of the astronauts’ spacesuits. Concluding with the family gathered around the TV to watch Walter Cronkite, the heartfelt story shows students that even seemingly simple jobs are of the utmost importance and that every American has the power to affect history.

  • Investigate Space Suits
    Ask students why astronauts need to wear special suits. What factors must be considered in their outfits? For older students, read the NASA article “Celebrating 50 Years of Spacesuits, Featuring the Early Pressure Suits.” Explaining several aspects that must be considered when designing suits, it is an excellent and complex STEM article requiring students to read and think critically. The video “How Astronauts Put on Space Suits” shows the long and complex process of getting “suited up.” If you have access to a projector, walk through NASA’s interactive Clickable Spacesuit with younger students.
     
  • Suit Up!
    Watch NASA’s “How Do You Suit Up?” video. Starting with an astronaut’s suit, the video ends by encouraging viewers to consider other ways that Americans “suit up” for their jobs. Invite each child to choose a career or profession that interests him/her. Provide books or online resources, and let them research what suiting up looks like for their chosen career. Provide blank human body templates, and give students time to use markers and colored pencils to draw and label “suit up” diagrams.

Go for the MoonGo for the Moon: A Rocket, A Boy, and the First Moon Landing by Chris Gall

The weeks, days and hours leading up to the moon landing were full of anticipation for the entire country, but perhaps even more so through the eyes of a child. Author-illustrator Gall takes the first-person perspective of a young boy in his new book: “The Astronauts are ready for the mission, and so am I.” The boy’s preparations parallel those of the astronauts as he investigates the science and math behind rocketry and space travel. The articulate STEM concepts and boy’s palpable moon landing excitement combine to make an informative and sincere account of the historic event.

Plan to read this book over two or three read-aloud sessions, as there is much information on each page. And don’t miss the concluding “Fun Facts” page.

  • Physics Activity
    To help him understand how the Eagle lands on the surface of the moon (“To get there they have to steer the Eagle exactly with just the right amount of thrust to slow down the Eagle so they don’t crash”), the young boy creates his own landing experiment with a handmade lunar landing module and long piece of string. Using packing foam, string, toothpicks and glue, give students time students create their own landing modules. Attach a small hole-punched piece of paper to the top of each. Tie one end of the string to the bottom of a table or chair leg. Students will hold the other end of the string at an angle and send their lunar landing module down the string. The trick is figuring out how much force to apply. Push too hard, and the module will crash, and not enough force will cause it to “run out of fuel” before landing.
     
  • Time Travel Back to July 1969
    Give students the opportunity to feel the boy’s excitement during the months, weeks and days leading up to July 20, 1969. Remind them that live TV, radio broadcasts and newspapers were the only ways that people watched and received news. First, watch this news clip describing how the 1969 Mission Control center has been exactly restored to how it looked. If possible, put your laptop on a low desk, and invite students to gather around and sit on the floor. Watch actual footage of Walter Cronkite’s 1969 newscast. Provide a trendy and authentic 1969 snack of Tang and Easy Cheese on Ritz Crackers.

Daring DozenDaring Dozen: The Twelve Who Walked on the Moon by Suzanne Slade, illustrated by Alan Marks

The Apollo 11 landing on July 20, 1969, launched three and half years of Apollo moon missions. Using spare text, Slade chronologically explains the astronauts, goals and highlights of the next 11 Apollo missions. Marks’ watercolor illustrations capture the vastness of space as well as the intricacies of the spacecrafts and wonder of the astronauts. Thirteen pages of informative back matter (photographs, a timeline and an essay by Alan Bean) explain each mission in greater depth. With well-paced text, cinematic illustrations and extensive supplemental information, it’s sure to both spark and answer classroom questions.

  • Apollo Timeline
    There is nothing better than a long student-created classroom timeline. Hang a blank 12’-15’ piece of butcher paper along a wall in your classroom or hallway. On the far-left side of the timeline, create a 1958 mark, and on the far-right, create a 1972 mark. Divide students into pairs, and tell them that they are going to become the class experts on one of the Apollo missions. Take three or four days to read about the 12 Apollo missions (don’t forget the back matter for each mission). Then assign each pair a mission, and give them time to perform further research. Each pair is responsible for providing a photograph of the mission astronauts and vehicle as well as neat index cards with the basic facts of the mission. Encourage them to be creative and find neat trivia to share with the class. The photographs, index cards and artwork will be hung on the “Journeys to the Moon” class timeline by the students. Invite the school to come read the timeline and learn about the Daring Dozen!
     
  • Creative Writing
    Slade includes information about each mission as well tidbits that reveal the astronaut’s personalities and scientific interests. Alan Shephard plays golf on the moon, Charlie Duke leaves a picture of his family, and Alan Bean collected soil. Invite children to imagine their voyage to the moon. What would they study? What would they want to do? What would they leave or bring home? Give them time to take these thoughts and organize them into a journal entry or first-person POV narrative. Display students’ stories and accompanying illustrations.

The First Men Who Went to the MoonThe First Men Who Went to the Moon by Rhonda Gowler Greene, illustrated by Scott Brundage

In the tradition of “This Is the House That Jack Built,” Greene celebrates the story of the moon landing in a way that is accessible for all ages. The rhythmic verse (“This is the spacecraft, Apollo 11, that lifted off and soared through the heavens and carried the first men who went to the Moon”) is supplemented by informational facts as well as a double spread of photographs at the end. Brundage’s illustrations do much to capture the quietness and desolation of the moon. From liftoff to the celebratory parade, it is a strong and effective introductory moon landing read-aloud.

  • Moon Craters
    It was vitally important that the Eagle not land in a moon crater. Discuss the science behind craters, and then give students a thrill by letting them create their own craters. Divide students into pairs, and give each pair a disposable round aluminum baking pan, 4 cups of flour, ½ cup of baby oil and a mixing bowl. If preferred, make this mixture beforehand and distribute it to students. Students will spread the dough into the round pan, making the surface as smooth as possible. Then, using collected round objects (marbles, bouncy balls, pebbles, etc.), students will experiment by dropping these items from various heights. How does the size, weight and drop height affect the crater depth and width?
     
  • Google Moon
    Download Google Earth Pro and select “Moon” from the dropdown menu. There are several Apollo 11 guided tours and 360-degree photo spheres. With your students, search for moon landmarks such the Sea of Tranquility or Apollo Basin.
     
  • Further Up!
    Expand the unit by reading more books celebrating the historic moon landing. My favorites include Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13 by Helaine Becker and Tiemdow Phumiruk, Moonshot by Brian Floca, Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon by Catherine Thimmesh and One Giant Leap by Robert Burleigh and Mike Wimmer.

Launch the new school year with the following four books, which expertly convey the importance of Apollo 11’s momentous landing.

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Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers.


Think fast! What do Eloise, Knuffle Bunny, Lyle and Little Elliot have in common? How about some of the most memorable fictional families: Sydney Taylor’s All-of-a-Kind Family sisters, Elizabeth Enright’s scrappy and enterprising Melendy siblings and Karina Yan Glaser’s endearing Vanderbeeker clan. Each of these beloved characters and families lives a story that has (in the words of Frank Sinatra) “New York, New York . . . right through the very heart of it.” And it’s at the heart of the following books.

Offering small glimpses into the city’s bustling urban energy, dazzling lights and diverse neighborhoods, these books show students that, contrary to popular belief, they are not the center of the universe. That honor belongs to New York City.


ManhattanManhattan: Mapping the Story of an Island by Jennifer Thermes

Over the past four centuries, the island of Manhattan has experienced much transition, unrest, urban growth and dynamic shifts in both societal and city structure. Beginning with the Lenape, the island’s native inhabitants, Thermes records, explains and illustrates significant events and decisions that have shaped the island in its 400-year history. We learn about Henry Hudson’s arrival in 1609, the British occupation during the American Revolution, the significant Commissioners’ Plan of 1811, immigration, the Gilded Age, 9/11, Hurricane Katrina and more.

The detailed, watercolor-and-pencil maps, timelines and rich explanatory text demand a slow and thoughtful reading experience. Carve out a few class periods to enjoy savoring and studying it with students.

  • Urban Planning

    At the beginning of the 19th century, city commissioners realized, “The city was branching out in all directions. It needed a plan.” John Randel Jr. and his team spent more than a decade planning, pounding and laying the grid for the city.

    Most children will be unfamiliar with the concept of urban planning. The American Planning Association has an excellent downloadable curriculum that provides educators with resources for teaching the basic concepts of urban planning.

    For younger students, use the organization’s Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt. Activities vary from taking rubbings of significant city buildings to riding public transportation to interviewing an older member of the community. Use a local copy shop to print an oversize city map and hang it in the classroom. For older students, read sections of David Macauley’s City: A Story of Roman Planning and Construction.
     

  • Neighborhood Deep Dive

    As the book progresses, the neighborhoods on the island maps increase. According to the NYC Department of City Planning, the island of Manhattan has 53 distinct neighborhoods (see page 4 of this guide).

    Let each student choose a specific neighborhood to research. Using their research, they must write a “Six Hours in [fill-in neighborhood]” presentation. They can choose the significant landmarks, key historical facts, cultural hot spots, top-rated restaurants, local parks and libraries and other information they think is important in understanding the culture of the neighborhood.
     

  • Classroom City Timeline

    Change and transformation are inevitable, and as evidenced on the island of Manhattan, natural disasters, political conflict, economic fluctuations and new transportation and technologies deeply influence how and why cities develop.

    Spend a few weeks unpacking the history of your city with students. Invite a city or community historian into your classroom to discuss the city’s history. Remind students to listen for the key historical events that were responsible for shaping the city. Request resources from your local or state museum. Encourage students to interview neighbors or other longtime members of the community.

    As more history is uncovered, begin to gather the notes and photographs in one central area. Using long butcher paper, create a classroom city timeline. Fill in a few of the events and dates that were discussed in class, and then invite students to continue to add events as they uncover them in personal research.

    Keep the timeline up all year, and watch how it continues to grow as students become more interested and invested.


I Can Write the WorldI Can Write the World written by Joshunda Sanders, illustrated by Charly Palmer

Living in South Bronx, 8-year-old Ava wonders why the TV news images and stories depicting her neighborhood don’t reflect or match her feelings and experiences. “Sometimes the way the world sees us is different from how we see ourselves,” her mother explains. Ava decides to take matters into her own hands and sets out to become a journalist who will report the stories that accurately reflect her vibrant, creative and loving neighborhood.

Palmer’s vibrant brushstroke illustrations pulse with movement and emotion mirroring the characters, cultures and stories that make up the South Bronx. Not only does Ava’s gentle first-person perspective provide a child’s personal insight into a NYC neighborhood, but it also shows students that that they, too, hold the power to seek out and tell stories.

  • Sensory Language

    Written in lyrical prose, I Can Write the World is filled with rich, descriptive language. Read it aloud a second time, but this time ask students to close their eyes and focus on the sensory details. Afterward, create a class graphic organizer and fill it in with the sights, sounds, smells, and textures that Ava describes.

    Take students outside. For two minutes, they must focus on the sounds, sights, smells and textures around them. Once back inside the classroom, ask them to write words, phrases and sentences to describe their experience. Ask them to do the same thing as soon as they wake up the next morning. What are the sounds, sights, smells, tastes and textures of their morning routine? I use this activity as a calming and centering exercise on field trips. Minutes spent focusing and noticing helps students foster disciplines and habits of the mind.
     

  • Music and Art of the Bronx

    For her first story, Ava asks her mother to tell her “more about the art you and your Classmates made.” As they tour the neighborhood, Ava learns about Grandmaster Flash, Kool Herc and the music the neighbors brought when they moved from Puerto Rico, Haiti and Jamaica. The sounds of their homeland (salsa, reggae, etc.) influence modern-day hip-hop. Listen to the various types of music that are celebrated in the Bronx.

    Graffiti is another form of art that has shaped the Bronx neighborhood. While listening to the various forms of music, provide paint, pastels, sharpies, and markers and let children create their own graffiti inspired art. For further reading, check out When the Beat Was Born by Laban Carrick Hill and The Roots of Rap by Carole Boston Weatherford.
     

  • Media Literacy

    Seize the opportunity to discuss journalism, media literacy and bias reporting. It’s a hard topic, but Ava’s experience provides an excellent entry into the tricky subject. For older students, discuss conservative, liberal and middle-of-the-road reporting. Give them a working media literacy vocabulary by teaching them the meaning of the following words: bias, evidence, exaggeration, slant and claim.

    Read a short news article together. Let the students identify nouns, verbs, adjectives or phrases that appear biased. How could this article be rewritten or reframed?
     


Nelly Takes New YorkNelly Takes New York written by Allison Pataki and Marya Myers, illustrated by Kristi Valiant

For Nelly, New York City is home. Each morning, she is awakened by the city’s familiar sounds: the rumble of the subway, the rat-tat-tats of a street musician and the opening rattle of a store front gate. One morning as Nelly watches Mr. Patel, owner of the local corner cart, juggle bagels, he comments, “The Big Apple is tons of fun!” And so, Nelly and her dog, Bagel, set off on a mission to find this “big apple.” Their quest takes them all over the city, and they visit several NYC landmarks and neighborhoods before realizing “The Big Apple isn’t something you can hold or eat. The Big Apple is all of us—the Big Apple IS New York City.”

The accessible story and simple overview of a city provide a strong foundation for students familiarizing them with the terms and places they will need for further NYC study.

  • Experience Nelly’s Journey

    Prior to reading it aloud, tell students, “Some words in this book are going to look different from all the other words. Be on the lookout for words that are extra dark (this is called bold text) and in a different typeface.”

    As you read, keep a visual running list of the bold words. At the conclusion of the book, ask students to discuss the words on the list. (They are significant NYC neighborhoods and landmarks.)

    Use Google Earth (I created a tour prior to the lesson) to trace Nelly’s NYC journey. Show students Nelly’s bird’s eye view by using a 360 photo spherefrom the top of the Empire State Building.
     

  • City Nicknames and Branding

    Ask students to articulate the Nelly’s big apple and “Big Apple” confusion. Briefly tell the story behind the city’s nickname, emphasizing how it was used in the early 1970s as a marketing campaign to revive city tourism. Use this to launch a discussion about city nicknames and city branding.

    Show students the tourism home pages and magazine advertisements of several big cities, and then let them take on the role of a marketing director. Provide pencils, oversize paper and colorful drawing materials, and invite them to design a magazine ad or airport poster that encourages people to visit their hometown or city.

Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers. Think fast! What do Eloise, Knuffle Bunny, Lyle and Little Elliot have in common? How about some of the most memorable fictional families: Sydney Taylor’s All-of-a-Kind Family sisters, […]
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Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers.


Kicking off on September 15 and running through October 15, Hispanic Heritage Month is a national festival that recognizes the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans whose ancestors can be traced to Spain, Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Sharing stories that honor these countries and cultures is joyful and necessary. As Pura Belpré, a pioneer in Latino storytelling and librarianship, has explained, “Books help give the child a sense of belonging. They bring understanding between people of two different cultures and help [them] to see their similarities and values instead of the differences that keep them apart.” Create a monthlong classroom festival by sharing books rich with characters, color, language and traditions that celebrate and honor Hispanic culture.


Manhattan¡Vamos! Let’s Go to the Market by Raul the Third

Described as the Mexican American version of Richard Scarry’s Busytown, Raul the Third’s picture book graphic novel recounts a day in the life of Little Lobo and his dog Bernape as they deliver “much needed supplies” to the Mercado. The warm-hued illustrations buzz with retro energy that matches the scurry and hustle of the “pathways, shops and booths” that is the Mercado. With cultural details (churros, Frida Khalo, street performers, piñatas, etc.) and Spanish vocabulary seamlessly interwoven into the narrative, the book teaches and communicates through a festive, fresh and funky story.

  • Vocabulary Guessing Game

    Items throughout the book are inconspicuously labeled with their Spanish terms. Point out the terms to your students and ask them to use the illustrations to infer the meaning of the word. Write the terms and students’ guesses on the board and then compare their guesses to the Spanish-English glossary included in the back of the book.

  • Lucha Libre

    At Little Lobo’s favorite shop he buys masks, posters and toys that remind him of his favorite wrestler. Let your students study this illustration for two to three minutes (these exercises help foster the discipline of attention) and encourage them to tell you what they learned about Lucha Libre through the illustration details. Read aloud the books Lucha Libre: The Man in the Silver Mask and Niño Wrestles the World. Here is a link to Morales’ excellent read-aloud version. Allow children time to create their own Lucha Libre personality. Provide art materials and invite them to design masks that reflect their wrestler’s persona.


My Papi Has a MotorcycleMy Papi Has a Motorcycle written by Isabel Quintero, illustrated by Zeke Peña

Daisy Ramona loves nothing more than a sunset ride on the back of her father’s motorcycle, for it’s on these rides that she feels “all the love he has trouble saying.” They zigzag through the California city streets, passing the familiar market, the church and murals that show “our history—of citrus groves and the immigrants who worked them.” They nod to neighbors, stop to buy gummi bears and note with mixed emotions the inevitable changes occurring in their community. Quintero’s prose (including Spanish speech bubbles) paired with Peña’s dynamic illustrations capture Daisy’s motorcycle joy and genuine hometown affection, offering students insight into the life of a southern California neighborhood.

  • Personal Writing

    Daisy cherishes motorcycle rides with Papa. Ask students to reflect on a ritual or tradition they share with a special person. Invite them to write a narrative explaining the tradition. Walk them through a sensory writing exercise and encourage them to address all five senses in their writing. What are the sights, smells, sounds, tastes and textures of their special memory? After they have crafted their narrative, let them use various art supplies to illustrate their memory.

  • Characteristics of Cities

    Read aloud other books that showcase urban communities and neighborhoods. My favorites include Last Stop on Market Street, Daniel’s Good Day, Maybe Something Beautiful, Blackout, and Keats’ Neighborhood. As a class, reread the books and let the students tell you the urban elements that are similar across the books. Make a list of these things and then discuss how these settings are similar and different to your local neighborhood.

  • Mural Art

    “We roar past murals that tell our history…” Revisit this page and discuss and show pictures of local murals. Do they show the history of the community or are they just decorative? Give children oversized paper and chalk pastels or watercolors. Invite them to design a mural that reflects their family history, community history, or the values that are important in your classroom community. Remind them to “think big.” Many of my students started drawing small pictures and we had to revisit the idea of oversized and simple mural art.


One is a Piñata: A Book of NumbersOne is a Piñata: A Book of Numbers written by Roseanne Greenfield Thong, illustrated by John Parra

From uno piñata to diez friends, students will enjoy counting their way up to a fiesta. Following Round Is a Tortilla and Green Is a Chile Pepper, this concept book is a series of rhymes representing a year’s worth of Hispanic celebrations. Para’s bright illustrations incorporate several cultural details that further enhancing the text and explaining unfamiliar words. It’s a quick and effective read-aloud that teaches numbers, new words and various aspects of Hispanic festivals.

  • A Year of Celebration

    Write the names of significant Hispanic celebrations on anchor chart paper (one celebration per paper) and hang them around the room. Provide books, articles and computers/tablets and let children research the various festivals. This exercise is an opportunity to demonstrate or remind that notes are short bits of information. I tell my students that researching is like gold-mining: They must read through the “sand” and find most important “gold nuggets” of information. For younger children, provide a graphic organizer that will scaffold the note-taking process. Once students have gathered their information, invite them to record their facts on the respective pieces of anchor chart paper. If one of the festivals or holidays is on the horizon, help the students use their notes to plan a classroom celebration.


HummingbirdHummingbird written by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Jane Ray

The migration of the “tz’unun,” a word that means hummingbird in several Latin American languages, is interwoven into the story of a young girl and her Latina grandmother. As they sit in her garden, Granny explains, “They’ll soon be gone—flying North like you.” The next spreads showcase the ruby-throated hummingbird’s migration from Central America through the United States to their destination of Canada. The narrative comes full circle when a hummingbird from Granny’s garden crosses paths with the young girl in New York City’s Central Park. Bolded informative facts are interspersed throughout serving to enhance the text. Gentle and informative, this nonfiction narrative is sure to spark classroom conversations about ruby-throated hummingbirds as well as human migration and difficult family separations.

  • Hummingbird Feeders

    If you live in an area with a hummingbird presence, ask your students to collect plastic water bottles or baby food jars and repurpose them into homemade hummingbird feeders. If this is too daunting, buy a feeder to hang outside your classroom. Create a hummingbird observation clipboard and let students record the number and actions of the hummingbirds. Be sure to graph the frequency of the birds and visits. Do they decline as the season change and the weather become cooler? Sept. 1 marks the beginning of the fall migration season.

Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers. Kicking off on September 15 and running through October 15, Hispanic Heritage Month is a national festival that recognizes the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans […]
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Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers.


In an unfortunate series of events, I learned that our school district reduced recess time by 50% (down to 15 minutes per day) about 36 hours after I finished Linda Åkeson McGurk’s There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather. Born and raised in Sweden where “there is no such thing as bad weather,” McGurk spent much of her childhood playing outside. Upon marrying and moving to Indiana, she quickly realized that nature-centered childhoods are not the norm. Her American-born daughters did not share her enthusiasm for the outdoors. Upon returning to Sweden for a six-month stay, the disparities between the countries’ views on childhood became even more apparent to her. Multiple outdoor recess periods, hours immersed in forest play, and unstructured time to build forts or make mud-pies replaced high-stakes standardized testing, hours spent in front of screens, and rigidly scheduled days. Her daughters thrived in the Swedish school setting; they developed independence, a knowledge of flora and fauna, an appreciation for dirt and the enduring understanding that “with increased freedom comes increased responsibility.”

Recess rules, testing regulations, and student screen time are issues beyond my control. But I can provide my students with bountiful outdoor learning opportunities that will give them the chance to observe and experience nature and all of its intricacies and beauty. Expand your traditional classroom walls with the following four books. Through gentle invitations, they beckon children to venture outside, to slow down, to notice, to pretend, to play, to collect and to wonder.


Lawrence in the Fall by Matthew Farrell, illustrated by Doug Saleti

Lawrence, a young fox cub, is paralyzed with fear when a chalkboard assignment tells students to “Bring in something you collect to show the class!” He doesn’t have a collection, and hearing his classmates’ excited chatter only increases his despair. Papa soothes Lawrence’s tears and assures him that he knows a place to find “a collection fit for a special fox like you.” The next morning, the pair ventures off into the woods, where Lawrence’s initial hesitation is legitimized when a sudden rainstorm separates him from Papa. But the storm begins to blow down leaves, and suddenly Lawrence is enraptured by the beauty of the fall foliage. Once reunited, Papa helps Lawrence collect more leaves before heading home to prepare the collection. His classmates are so enthralled by the leaves that by the end of the day his collection is dispersed among them and Lawrence, with a newfound confidence, leads his friends on a leaf-finding forest expedition.

  • Classroom Leaf Collection

    Read aloud books that discuss different types of trees, leaves and the science behind color change. I read Mia Posada’s Summer Green to Autumn Gold, Betsy Maestro’s Why Do Leaves Change Colors? and Gail Gibbons’ Tell Me, Tree. Give each student a gallon-sized plastic bag and ask them to bring it back in a week filled with leaves, acorns and seeds. Encourage them to look in their yards, neighborhoods, local nature centers, the soccer field or any place they notice new types of leaves. Let the students share their collections with each other and then use identification books to categorize, group and label their collections.

  • A Collection of Collections

    Ask teachers, parents and children if they have collections of small items they are willing to lend your class for a week. If they also have time to speak to the class about their collection, it’s a wonderful bonus! Set clear guidelines with students regarding the handling and care of personal collections. Throughout the week, give students time to look at and study the collections. My students were absolutely fascinated by my borrowed rock/gem, stamp, charm, shell, nutcracker, patch and button collections. I even had to physically pry them away from the tables a few times!

  • Further Reading and Critical Thinking

    Most children are natural collectors. Read other books that highlight kids’ collections and then invite students to briefly share personal experiences. I read aloud Michelle Schaub’s Finding Treasure, Emily Beeny’s Hector the Collector and Elisa Kleven’s The Puddle Pail. Spark discussion by asking, “Is money a requirement for having a collection? What type of things can we collect without money?”


The Hike by Alison Farrell

For best friends Wren, El and Hattie, hiking is their “favorite thing to do.” Armed with sketchbooks, pencils, poems, flags, feathers and Bean (their faithful canine companion), they start their Buck Mountain trek on a sunny morning. Their summit assent includes leaf baskets, berry foraging, rainstorms, rocky terrain and piggyback rides. When they reach the top of the mountain, they celebrate by releasing feathers, reading a poem and waving the flag. Unobtrusive dialogue bubbles, labels and sketchbook pages extend the simple narrative, offering readers an abundance of information regarding plants, animals and woodland forest life. The Hike is a story that not only celebrates flora, fauna and the great outdoors, but also camaraderie, perseverance and the joy that really is in the journey.


  • Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.

    As author-illustrator Alison Farrell mentioned in this interview, at the heart of her book are some lines from a Mary Oliver poem, “Sometimes.”

    Instructions for living a life.
    Pay attention.
    Be astonished.
    Tell about it.

    Write these lines on a sheet of anchor chart paper and let students share their interpretations. Ask, “Do you do this?” and “What does Oliver mean when she says, “Pay attention?” I showed my students this Norman Rockwell painting and this photograph, and the two images prompted a cacophony of indignant and incredulous responses! Give students time to copy the lines (goodness, children still need handwriting and fine motor skills!) onto an index card. Their assignment is to “Pay attention,” “be astonished” and decide how they will “tell about it.” This exercise gave me new insights into each child’s individual personality, not only because of what astonished them but also through the way they chose to tell about it. Song lyrics, watercolor paintings, digital presentations and Lego creations are just a sampling of the ways my students communicated their astonishments.


Treasure written by Mireille Messier, illustrated by Irene Luxbacher

Two siblings set out in search of a treasure. “How will we know when we’ve found a treasure?” wonders the younger brother. Big sister confidently explains, “A treasure is shiny and mysterious and precious. And the best treasures are always hidden.” As they wander through the forest, little brother finds an acorn, milkweed pods and a feather, but according to sister, these items are not shiny, mysterious or precious enough to be treasure. Letting his frustration and doubt get the best of him, little brother sits on a rock and declares, “The treasure is hidden too far away! I give up.” But then big sister calls him to come around the bend and together they wonder at an unexpected treasure that is indeed shiny, mysterious and precious—and “too big for pockets.” Told through the siblings’ simple dialogue, Treasure reflects children’s inquisitive nature and the fresh wonder with which they view the natural world.

  • Nature Counting Cards

    Give students brown paper lunch bags and take them on a nature treasure hunt. I prepped by dropping acorns, sticks, bird feathers, fall leaves, miniature acorns and milkweed along our walking path. After the walk, ask each child to lay out their treasures. In the front of the room or on a long table, place pieces of white 8.5" x 11" cardstock labeled 1 through 20. After students have collectively grouped the nature treasures according to item or appearance, let them work together to decide which item they want to represent the number “one.” Place it on the piece of cardstock labeled “1.” Repeat the process for each number, then divide the students into pairs and assign each pair a number. Each pair will arrange the treasures on their respective cards, then loosely glue or tape them to the cardstock. Take overhead pictures of each card, print them in color, and laminate them. Hung together, they create useful and beautiful classroom decorations.


Tiny, Perfect Things written by M.H. Clark, illustrated by Madeline Kloepper

“Today we keep our eyes open for tiny, perfect things,” explains a young girl as she and her grandfather venture out for a neighborhood walk. Slowing down and noticing reveals the small splendors surrounding them. From “a yellow leaf that the wind blew down” to “a man with a beautiful feather in his hat” and the “pale, bright moon,” together they wonder and celebrate the beauty and miracle of nature, neighbors and night. The culminating four-page spread unfolds to showcase the entire walk, inviting children to “come look with me” and notice their own tiny, beautiful things.

  • Categorize

    Reread the text with students. Record each of the tiny, perfect things that the little girl noticed on her walk. I wrote each item on an index card and used magnets to stick them on the white board. Let students determine categories, then divide the items into the appropriate categories. Animals/nature/people was the first (and most obvious) category, but at my encouragement the students expanded their thinking and we recategorized items into living/nonliving, singular/plural, and red/not red.

  • A Tiny, Perfect Things Walk

    As soon as I finished reading it aloud, my first grade students began clamoring for a “tiny, perfect things” walk. Give each student a clipboard and pencil, and let them help you determine the route. Remind your students to notice and record adjectives (read examples from the text) that accompany their tiny, perfect things. Bring your phone and take pictures of the items that students notice. When you return to the classroom, give students time to draw and color their findings and hang them, along with the photographs you took, on a classroom Tiny, Perfect Things board.

Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers. In an unfortunate series of events, I learned that our school district reduced recess time by 50% (down to 15 minutes per day) about 36 hours […]
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Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers.


On a recent afternoon, our school secretary delivered a package to the library. Knowing it contained a copy of Sunny Day, I opened it eagerly and spent about 60 seconds relishing its goodness before a line of squirming 6-year-olds forced me to reluctantly set it aside. After checking out their books, I stepped out of the library for a quick meeting. When I returned, Sunny Day was gone.

The disappearing book mystery was solved a few hours later when a teacher returned it. She had spied the book and swiped it to show to her entire team of teachers. “‘Sesame Street’ was one of the only constants of my early childhood,” she explained. “I watched it every morning and every night. I can’t imagine my early years without the safeness and stability of 123 Sesame Street.”

On November 10, 2019, “Sesame Street,” arguably the most significant and influential children’s television show of the century, celebrated its 50th anniversary, capping off a sunny CV that includes 49 seasons, 4,481 episodes, 189 Emmy Awards, 30 international editions and one big yellow bird. Its setting? A neighborhood full of “friendly neighbors . . . where we meet.” In honor of neighbors and neighborhood days, these three books sparkle, inviting children to “come and play!”


Sunny Day: A Celebration of the “Sesame Street” Theme Song written by Joe Raposo

To mark its 50th anniversary, 18 artists lovingly illustrated the lyrics of “Sunny Day,” the show’s beloved opening melody. From Christian Robinson’s cheery jacket cover to Ziyue Chen’s nostalgic endpapers, each line of “Sunny Day” is thoughtfully reimagined and illustrated through artists’ signature art styles. The spreads include familiar “Sesame Street” characters along with a cast of diverse and happy neighborhood children. The love and respect that the illustrators feel toward the show is evident in each and every stunning illustration filled with intentional detail. Brief biographies of each artist are included in the back matter.

Make it a “Sunny Day” and invite students to join you on a trip “to where the air is sweet” and friendly neighbors meet. Show them how to get, how to get to Sesame Street!

  • Illustrator Identification

    After reading (or in my case, singing) the book aloud, ask students what they noticed about the illustrations. This is an ideal opportunity for identifying the parts of a picture book with students. Point out the book’s jacket, casing, endpapers and title page. Each of these parts has a different illustrator. Discuss how each illustrator has a different style and interpretation of the lyrics.

    If possible, collect 10 to 12 books by the contributing illustrators and assign them a number. I used the whiteboard ledge and wrote the number on the board above each book. Give students a form labeled with the page numbers and lyrics. Throughout the week, let students work in pairs to identify the illustrator of each spread using the previous books as evidence. I paperclipped together the last two pages of Sunny Day to discourage students from peeking at the illustrator’s biographies, although they enjoyed figuring out the puzzle so much that looking at the answer wasn’t even an issue.
     

  • History of “Sesame Street”

    For older grades, dispel the notion that “‘Sesame Street’ is just for babies” by showing them how it changed children’s television programming. Newsela has a collection of articles available for a wide variety of reading levels; creating a Newsela account is quick and free. We read articles on the impact of “Sesame Street” on preschoolers, the story behind Oscar the Grouch and the introduction of a homeless muppet. Scholastic News published an article celebrating the show’s 40th anniversary. My students loved watching clips of celebrity guests throughout the years. And I have a strong feeling that many of them will be turning in for the 50th anniversary prime-time special. I mean, just look at the lineup!


Daniel’s Good Day written and illustrated by Micha Archer

Daniel knows many of his neighbors. They always tell him to have a good day. On his way to grandmother’s house one morning, Daniel decides to ask his neighbors, “What makes a good day for you?” His neighbors’ distinct answers reflect their specific jobs. For the newsstand seller, “Busy sidewalks and friendly faces” make a good day, and for the baker, “birthdays” make a good day. Upon returning home, Daniel is happy to discover each of his neighbors experiencing their version of a good day. Like Archer’s collage illustrations, Daniel’s Good Day is a multilayered story sure to spark discussion about students’ “good days” and the simple joy of knowing our neighbors.

  • Neighborhood Identification & Collage Cards

    After sharing the book with a group of first graders, I realized that most students thought that the word “neighbor” meant the people living directly next door. After a few comments like, “Wait, the bus driver isn’t Daniel’s neighbor!” I decided we needed some conversations and activities to clarify the notions of “neighbor” and “neighborhood.” I defined neighbors as “friends and helpers in our community.”

    Watch the “Sesame Street” song, “People in Your Neighborhood.” As a class, make a list of neighbors (bus drivers, our community librarian, physical neighbors, clergy, local booksellers, the teenager working at the donut shop, etc.) and their roles in our neighborhood. The students’ task is to find out the name of one of these neighbors. At the end of the lesson, tell students, “Next week, we’re going to make collage thank-you cards for these neighbors, so it is important to remember your neighbor’s name.” The following week, watch this video of Micha Archer creating her collage and rubber stamp illustrations. Provide various different materials and rubber stamps, and watch the students’ creativity come to life as they make cards for neighbors.
     

  • What is a good day?

    Daniel asks his neighbors, “What makes a good day for you?” Ask students if the neighbors’ responses are big things (i.e. a new car or big vacation) or just small simple things. Share a few things that make a good day for you, then give them a few minutes to consider their own good days. Record their responses on a piece of chart paper with the heading, “Our Class Good Day.” Encourage students to emulate Daniel and ask their neighbors (see above activity), “What makes a good day for you?”


Saturday written and illustrated by Oge Mora

Ava’s mother works Sunday through Friday, so of course, “Saturday was the day they cherished.” On Saturdays they spend the day visiting their favorite places—the library for storytime, the hair salon for new hairdos and the park for a picnic. This Saturday is special because they have tickets for “a one-night-only puppet show.” When small details go awry, Ava’s mother reminds her not to worry because the day is still sacred and special. We know that Ava absorbs her mother’s wisdom, because when the biggest disappointment occurs, it’s Ava who comforts her mom, reminding her that Saturdays are wonderful “because I spend them with you.” Heartfelt without being saccharine, Saturday shows students the inevitability of bad days and the magic that can be found amid unfortunate circumstances.

  • Dynamic Verbs

    Zipped, zoomed, lounged, picnicked, boo-hooed, chirped . . . Saturday is filled with vivid action verbs. Reread the text aloud, stopping to record the verbs. Create a T-chart with columns labeled dull and dynamic. Put the words from the text in the dynamic column. For each dynamic verb, let students decide which dull word it replaced. For example, “zipped” is more dynamic and specific than “went.” Invite students to take out their writing journals and reread their entries. Can they find dull verbs and replace them with more dynamic verbs? Let older students use computers or thesauruses to practice finding synonyms.
     

  • Recycled Book Art

    Mora incorporated pages from old books into her brightly colored collage illustrations. Examine the illustrations again with students and let them share their thoughts. If a prompt is needed, “I wonder why Oge Mora decided to use pages from old books in some of her illustrations . . . ” will spark a myriad of hypotheses and ideas. Ask your librarian if she has old books that have been weeded from the collection, or stop by a used bookstore and pick out some old books with interesting fonts, designs and illustrations. Tear the pages out of the book, and spread them out on a table along with bright construction paper, scissors and glue sticks. Give children time and space to create!

On November 10th, 2019, “Sesame Street,” arguably the most significant and influential children’s television show of the century, celebrated its 50th anniversary. Inviting children to “come and play!” these three books sparkle with the joy of neighbors and neighborhood days.
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Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers.


In late October, I pull out my “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” wooden sign and prop it up next to my teaching area. My students know that even though the holidays are right around the corner, my most wonderful time of the year is the lead-up to the American Library Association’s Youth Media Awards, which are usually announced in late January or early February. For ten weeks we learn about the Caldecott Medal, read past Medal winners, and then read books that might win that year’s award. The weeks of Caldecott chatter culminate with a schoolwide Mock Caldecott and a Monday morning ALA awards viewing party.

The first year of my Mock Caldecott unit was challenging. I felt inadequate as I tried to explain to students just what it was about a picture book that made it “distinguished.” Six years later, I feel more confident in my ability to teach the art of picture books to students—but each year teaches me new things about picture book art, the Caldecott process, and of course, children! Consider the following a work-in-progress method of teaching Caldecott books.

What IS the Caldecott Award?
Begin at the beginning. Give students a strong foundation by providing basic facts. I have a slideshow presentation with visuals that support my narration, which usually goes something like this:

“The Caldecott Medal is given every year to the illustrator of the most distinguished picture book,” I begin. “Why is it called the Caldecott Medal? Well about 150 years ago, children had to learn how to read with books with no pictures. Why? Because there were not very many picture books! Then along came a man named Mr. Randolph Caldecott. He started making books for children that had artwork to illustrate and extend the stories, poems and songs.” I always show a picture of the medal next to the illustration from Caldecott’s “The Diverting Story of John Gilpin” so that children know why there is a man riding a horse on the medal.

“In order for a book to win, it must have been published this year. Can a book that was published in 2018 win? No! How about 2020? No, of course not! Only books published in 2019 can win. It must have an American publisher and the illustrator must be an American citizen or live in the United States. Each year, only one book can win the Caldecott Medal. These books have a gold sticker. There can be several Caldecott Honor books and these books have a silver sticker.”

“Thousands of new picture books are published each year. Who decides which ones earn a medal? There is a group of smart librarians and teachers called the Caldecott Committee. All year long, the delivery person drops off piles of packages at their houses. These packages are filled with picture books! In early January, each committee member chooses their seven favorite picture books. Just seven! And then the members of the Caldecott committee take a trip so they can gather to discuss the books together. For two days, the committee talks and talks and talks about the picture books. Finally, they vote. The book that receives the highest number of votes is the new Caldecott winner! This year, the Caldecott committee chose Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall!”

I usually finish by reading the most recent Caldecott Medal winner.


ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read our review of Sophie Blackall’s 2019 Caldecott Medal-winning Hello Lighthouse.


Parts of a Picture Book
For the next three to four weeks we learn how to read a picture book like the Caldecott committee.

Week 1: Size & Shape—How is a book’s size and shape important?

  • Show examples of various sizes of books and encourage discussion as to why the size is important to the story. I like to use Richard Scarry’s What Do People Do All Day? and Maurice Sendak’s Chicken Soup With Rice to illustrate why size is important.
  • Define and provide examples of the three types of picture book orientation: portrait, landscape and square. I hold up a book and ask, “Portrait, landscape or square?” and then, “Why do you think the illustrator chose this orientation?” Students love this exercise and it’s neat to see them realize that orientation makes a difference. A few examples I find particularly strong include Emily Arnold McCully’s Mirette on the High Wire (portrait orientation), Chris Van Allsburg’s The Polar Express (landscape orientation) and Kevin Henkes’ Kitten’s First Full Moon (square orientation).

 

 

Week 2: Book Jacket & Cover—“Just like we need jackets to protect us from the rain and wind, books need jackets too. The illustration on the front of the book jacket has an important job. It must grab your attention. It must make you wonder. It must make you want to read this book!”

  • Discuss how the back and front jacket images connect or relate to each other. “Is it a wraparound cover? Does the image on the back cover give us a hint of what happened during the story? What about the spine? Why is the spine important?”
  • Usually at this point I hand each child a copy of a Caldecott medal or honor book and let them ask and answer these questions.
  • “Underneath the book jacket is the book’s cover. Sometimes it has a different picture or pattern!” We call these the book’s “undies,” and for the rest of the year children excitedly show me their latest undie discovery.

 


Students show off their exciting “undie” discoveries.

 

Week 3: Endpapers & Title Page

  • Discuss front and back endpapers. There are all different types of endpapers and children love examining them. Endpapers can be solid colors, patterns or informational. For some books, the story “changes” the front and back endpapers.
  • Identify the elements of a title page and explain that sometimes the narrative actually begins with the title page illustration.

 

Week 4: Style and Artistic Medium

  • I could spend weeks on this category, but I limit it to a single week. We discuss all of the ways illustrators create images and the various tools and supplies that they use. Encourage children to tell you how the illustrations make them feel and how they help tell the story.
  • I use Caldecott Award winners to show students the wide variety of different illustration styles and mediums. Some of my favorite examples include Beth Krommes’ A House in the Night (scratchboard and watercolor), Simms Taback’s Joseph Had a Little Overcoat (collage, watercolor, gouache, pencil and ink), Erin E. Stead’s A Sick Day for Amos McGee (oil ink woodblock prints and pencil) and Chris Van Allsburg’s Jumanji (conte pencil and dust).

 

 

Now we can be the Caldecott Committee!
For the next four to five weeks, we read the books that are on our Mock Caldecott ballot. I usually choose 12 to 15 books and make sure to create a diverse list, with respect to both artistic mediums and illustrators/characters. The first time I read each book, I simply read the story straight through without stopping to discuss the parts of the book or the art. Next, we circle back and examine the elements that we have discussed in the weeks prior. I’ve created “parts of a book” flashcards cards that help students remember and use the vocabulary.

Caldecott Questions
I took the ALA’s Caldecott criteria, translated it into child-friendly vernacular and then created four questions to consider about picture books. These questions are also in rubric form on one side of our Mock Caldecott ballot.

  1. Are the illustrations amazing, different, beautiful and detailed? Are they special?
  2. Did the illustrator pay attention to book details, such as endpapers, text placement, feel of pages and so on?
  3. Are the illustrations necessary to understand the book? Do they help tell the story?
  4. Will children like this book? Would you check it out from the library?

Voting
I create a ballot with pictures of the books one on side and the Caldecott questions on the other side. I create a voting table in the library with ballots, pencils and star stickers. The tables around the voting table have several copies of each book. Throughout the day, students come to the library and vote. Most of them spend time rereading or looking at books before casting their vote. On the ballot, they put a gold star sticker on top of the book they think should win the award and silver star stickers on their second and third choices.

Viewing Party
The Mock Caldecott winner is announced over the school’s morning announcements, and the library is open for students who want to watch the announcements with their excited librarian. I usually provide snacks that coordinate with our Mock Caldecott award and honor books. I have Caldecott stickers (these can be purchased from ALA) and after the awards have been announced I make a big deal about put the stickers on the newest Caldecott books.

My 2020 Mock Caldecott Ballot
Here are the titles included on my Mock Caldecott ballot this year. The Horn Book magazine’s Calling Caldecott blog can be a great resource for discovering more Caldecott-eligible titles.

Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers. In late October, I pull out my “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” wooden sign and prop it up next to my teaching area. […]
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Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers.


Charlotte Mason, an English teacher living at the turn of the century, is one of my heroines. She once wrote, “We cannot measure the influence that one or another artist has upon the child’s sense of beauty, upon his power of seeing, as in a picture, the common sights of life; he is enriched more than we know in having really looked at even a single picture.” Her writings have significantly influenced my views on childhood, teaching and the purpose of education. One of her strongly held beliefs was that children should be served “a delectable feast” of literature, music and art. Well-illustrated picture books are all miniature works of art, influencing a “child’s sense of beauty.”

The following books introduce children to three significant illustrators and their art, but they also go beyond just that. They, too, are works of art in their own right that offer children delectable feasts of illustration, information and inspiration.


It Began With a Page: How Gyo Fujikawa Drew the Way written by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Julie Morstad

Growing up in a Japanese American family, Gyo Fujikawa knew from an early age that she wanted to be an artist. “She loved the feeling of a pencil in her hand.” Though she often felt invisible to her white classmates, her drawings caught the eye of two of her high school teachers. Their encouragement and monetary assistance opened the door for Fujikawa to attend art school and then to travel to Japan for further study.

Upon her return to the United States, she began working as an animator on the East Coast. When her family was sent to an internment camp, however, she struggled to continue drawing. Inspiration returned when she realized that her drawings could help fight the racial prejudice that pervaded the country. Her groundbreaking book, Babies, published in 1963, showed babies of all races playing together, and the book was a great success. Full of action and determination, the story of Fujikawa’s life shows children their natural talents can go far to fight injustice.

  • Comfort and Creativity

    In school, Fujikawa often felt invisible; when her family was sent to an internment camp, her heart was broken. At first, she was so sad that she could not draw, but eventually she began to take comfort in color. Color lifted her spirit, and she wondered, “Could art comfort and lift others too?” Allow time for students to think and journal about a time when they felt invisible, worried, anxious or sad. Come back together and discuss strategies for working through these hard feelings. Ask another question: “What comforts and lifts you when the world feels gray?” For many children (and adults), expressing feelings through a creative project can be a comforting and healthy way of processing emotions. Provide art supplies and let students get lost in a creative project.

  • Women at Disney

    The book’s excellent back matter has a timeline of significant events of Fujikawa’s life. One of the events mentions a Glamour magazine article spotlighting “Girls at Work for Disney.” Show the article to students and ask them what they notice about the caption under Fujikawa name. It reads, “Gyo, a Japanese artist.” What is wrong about this caption? Show students the article and then research some of the other women who worked at Walt Disney. Read aloud Amy Guglielmo’s Pocket Full of Colors: The Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire and parts of Mindy Johnson’s Pencils, Pens & Brushes: A Great Girls’ Guide to Disney Animation.

  • Sketching a la Gyo

    Set up a Gyo table. Provide copies of her books, white paper, black ink pens and colored pencils. Throughout the week, let students read her books, study her illustrations and create their own Gyo-inspired artwork.


Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist written by Julie Leung, illustrated by Chris Sasaki

Tyrus Wong emigrated from China to the United States when he was only 9 years old. Due to the Chinese Exclusion Act, he was forced to become a “paper son,” to take on a false identity in order to pass through the rigorous strictures of the immigration process. After being detained at Angel Island for weeks, he finally passed the intense interview with immigration authorities and was reunited with his father. He worked hard to graduate from high school and art school.

Landing a job as an “in-betweener” at Walt Disney studios, Wong was excited when production plans were announced for an upcoming film, Bambi. His combination of Western and Eastern artistic styles heavily influenced the film, but he was only credited as a “background artist.” Shedding a light on the difficulties of immigration and showing the practical implications of racism, Wong’s story is sure to spark classroom discussion.

  • Immigration Stories

    Wong was detained for weeks at Angel Island. Read other stories about children who emigrated from China to the United States and compare them to Wong’s experience. My 4th grade students and I read Helen Foster James’ Paper Son: Lee’s Journey to America, parts of Russell Freedman’s Angel Island: Gateway to Gold Mountain and Bette Bao Lord’s In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson, which is one of my very favorite novels.

  • Song Dynasty Art Study

    Tyrus attended art school in Los Angeles and studied artwork from China’s Song dynasty. Combining Western and Eastern styles and influences in his painting allowed him to offer a unique artistic perspective to Bambi. Enlarge a few landscape paintings from the Song Dynasty. Give students time to study them and write down or orally share their observations. Then compare the paintings with stills from Walt Disney’s Bambi. Invite students to share how they think the Song Dynasty paintings influenced Wong’s work in Bambi.

  • History of Animation

    Wong was featured on an episode of the PBS series “American Masters.” Show students the portion of the episode (which starts at the 31:00 minute mark) that discusses Wsong’s work with Walt Disney studios and specifically his work on Bambi, the film that Walt Disney considered to be “the best picture I have ever made, and the best ever to come out of Hollywood,” as he told TIME magazine at the time.


Hi, I’m Norman: The Story of American Illustrator Norman Rockwell written by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Wendell Minor

Grabbing readers’ attention with engaging first-person narration (“Hi, I’m Norman. Norman Rockwell. Come on in.”), Robert Burleigh’s account of Rockwell’s life and work is a solid introduction to one of America’s most recognized and beloved illustrators.

Starting with his childhood love for “telling stories with pictures,” Rockwell explains how he worked his way through art school and, in an attempt to outrun the fear that he “wasn’t good enough,” accepted menial jobs until five of his illustrations were accepted by the Saturday Evening Post. He recounts how he got his ideas, shares stories about his use of various types of model and informs readers about how major American events, including World War II and racial segregation, influenced his artwork. Inviting and informative, the stories behind the illustrations had my students eagerly begging for me to show them Rockwell’s “real” artwork.

  • The Four Freedoms

    When America entered World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Rockwell was too old to enlist. He decided that he would fight “with the one weapon I had—my art.” Watch a small portion of Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms speech. As a class, discuss the four freedoms. Give older children time to copy down the four freedoms; give younger students an index card with the four freedoms listed. Print out oversize copies of each of the paintings in Rockwell’s Four Freedoms series and hang them around the classroom. Label them numerically, one through four, and let students participate in a silent gallery walk. Can they match each of the four freedoms with its respective painting? Emphasize the power of observation and unhurried art study. After students have spent time studying the art (perhaps the next day), gather back together. Going one painting at a time, let students share their observations and explain which freedom the painting represents. Invite children to discuss, “Do we still have these freedoms today?” and “Do you think everyone in the United States or the world shares these freedoms?”

  • The Problem We All Live With

    Give students two minutes to take a visual inventory of Rockwell’s “The Problem We All Live With” and then let them share what they notice. Ask them if it reminds them of anything or anyone they have encountered in previous learning. Read Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story by Ruby Bridges. Allow time for students to reflect on Bridges’ story. Invite them to consider ideas such as, “Do things like this still happen in our neighborhood, city or world today? Where and how?” Write down their responses on the board or piece of chart paper. Show students the video of Ruby Bridges looking at “The Problem We All Live With” alongside President Obama.

  • Cover Stories

    In the book, Rockwell explains, “Doing covers is doubly hard because a cover has to tell the whole story in just one picture.” Give students time to share or journal about a humorous or meaningful small moment from their life. Can they tell this story through a single illustration? After students have had time to experiment, brainstorm and doodle, provide blank white paper or a Saturday Evening Post template and let them illustrate their story.

Three books introduce children to illustrators and their art and serve as works of art in their own right, offering delectable feasts of illustration, information and inspiration.
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Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers.


In my first year of teaching, I taught fourth grade in a school where the students were mostly African American. My students familiar with the names Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, Abraham Lincoln and Ruby Bridges. They connected these names with African American history, but their understanding was fragmented. When one of my students asked, “Was Abraham Lincoln at the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech?” I knew that something needed to be done to clarify—and more importantly, to honor—these figures and the history they represented.

An oversized hallway timeline was the answer. I started in February, and for the next three months, I shared books that recounted the contributions of African Americans to our shared history. After each title, my students and I printed pictures and wrote down facts to add to our timeline. This was the beginning of a tradition.

For the past ten years, when February arrives, I pull out the pieces of the timeline and coordinating books. But now, the row of books is far longer than the timeline. Each year brings new stories. There are stories of hatred and heroism, of injustice and integrity, of bigotry and bravery, of pain and perseverance. The stories in the following three books were new to my students—and new to me as well. Share them knowing that stories can be the most powerful weapon in our fight against injustice and the most effective tool for raising compassionate human beings.


Overground Railroad
written by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by James Ransome

One morning, Ruthie and her Mama and Daddy wake early to board the Silver Meteor, which will take them from North Carolina to New York. Author Lesa Cline-Ransome tells of their journey through simple poems, each describing significant moments of their Great Migration. Though they are “free,” Ruthie’s family continues to face persecution; for example, they are not allowed to eat in the dining car and are ignored by some passengers. Their dream of a life with new freedoms helps them persevere with optimism and hope. The Great Migration is a period often overlooked in African American history curricula, and my students were full of questions sparked by Ruthie’s odyssey.

  • Compare & Contrast

Most students are familiar with the Underground Railroad. On a piece of chart paper, write “Underground Railroad,” then create a list of what students know about it. Supplement a few details if needed. After reading Overground Railroad, explain that Overground Railroad is a term that refers to a historical period known as The Great Migration. I told students, “At the end of World War I, many African Americans left their homes in the South and traveled North for a better life in cities, where most of them had better chances of finding work. Ruthie’s family was going to New York. Other families went to big cities in Illinois, Pennsylvania or Michigan.” Read aloud Jacob Lawrence’s The Great Migration: An American Story and Eloise Greenfield’s The Great Migration: Journey to the North. On another sheet of chart paper, write what the students know about the Overground Railroad. Using the class’s information, create a Venn diagram comparing the Underground Railroad to the Overground Railroad.

  • Biographies

Ruthie’s teacher gives her the a copy of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. It becomes her companion as she undertakes a journey much like Douglass’. Though they lived many years apart, Douglass and Ruthie both share feelings of hope and trepidation. Like Douglass, Ruthie is “running from and running to at the same time.”

Gather several picture book biographies and place them in a designated spot in your classroom. For the next few days, encourage your students to read several (ideally more than 10). Prompt them to consider which biography resonated with them. Ask, “How is this person’s life like your life? How is this person like you?” Turn this into a larger biography project with the understanding that, as a part of the project, students must connect this person’s life with their own.


A Ride to Remember
written by Sharon Langley and Amy Nathan, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

In this biographical picture book, Sharon Langley recounts the story of her monumental carousel ride. Prior to 1963, children like Shirley and their families were not allowed to enter the local amusement park because of a segregation law. The process of integration was not easy; it included peaceful protests and a series of arrests before the park became open to everyone. The narrative thread, a conversation between Sharon and her mother, makes the Civil Rights Movement accessible for the youngest of readers. By focusing on a small yet universal childhood experience, Sharon’s story will spark empathy as students see the weight and grief of injustice and how segregation affected the daily life of all African Americans.

  • Significance of Objects

The Gwynne Oak Amusement Park carousel, renamed the Carousel on the Mall, was installed on Washington’s National Mall in 1981. Using Google Earth, show students the carousel. Ask, “Why is this carousel so important that it is deserves a place along the National Mall?” Guide them to the idea that historical objects are valuable and special because of what they symbolize. The carousel itself is just painted wooden horses, but it serves as a reminder of the our Civil Rights journey. It is a tangible representation of the idea that equality means “nobody first and nobody last, everyone equal, having fun together.” Show students other historical objects that are significant for what they represent. Using the Smithsonian’s online collection, we looked at the Greensboro lunch counter and a broken bus window and discussed what these objects represented in the fight for Civil Rights.

  • Local Civil Rights History

A Ride to Remember focuses on an incident in a local community that was a small representation of what was happening on larger scale around the country. Contact your local library and ask if they have any Civil Rights resources that tell stories from your community. If possible, invite a guest speaker to come share their experience of growing up during this time.

  • The March on Washington

Sharon’s historical ride occurred on Aug. 28, 1963—the same day that Martin Luther King addressed the crowd at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Give your students more context about this event by watching footage and reading aloud two excellent picture books, Shane W. Evans’ We March and Angela Johnson’s A Sweet Smell of Roses. Both books are told through the eyes of a child. Invite students to use what they have learned to write a first-person narrative imagining what it was like to be part of the march. Encourage them to include the sights, sounds, smells and sensory details of the day.


Big Papa and the Time Machine
written by Daniel Bernstrom, illustrated by Shane W. Evans

When a young grandson expresses first-day-of-school nerves, he becomes a passenger in Big Papa’s vintage car on a journey through the past. Together, the pair visits the places that formed Big Papa and determined the course of his life. Each stop shows Big Papa taking action despite his own nervousness and fear of the unknown that accompanies all significant transitions. Bernstrom writes dialogue between the two that’s honest and full of wisdom. Without veering into didactic or overly saccharine territory, Big Papa shows his grandson that courage is not the absence of fear, but the choice to carry on through it. Both the textual story (the journey through historical events) and the subtextual story (acknowledging and facing our fears) are strong testaments to the courage and sacrifices of older generations and will help students understand that the freedoms and privileges they enjoy today were hard-earned.

  • Time Travel

Oh, time travel, that most magical of concepts! Invite older students to plan their own journey though the past. As a class, brainstorm historical events to get ideas flowing, then let students take over with their own ideas. My students’ journeys included everything from “The 1998 National Championship game,” “my mother’s high school graduation,” “the 1960 Olympics, so I can watch Wilma Rudolph” and “my first day of kindergarten.”

Use butcher paper to create a long timeline. Let students work together to determine the earliest year of their journeys and then to decide how to mark the other years. After the timeline structure is in place, let each student add their journey stops to the timeline.

  • Bravery Interviews

Big Papa acknowledges his fear and nerves at each new situation, but he explains, “ . . . sometimes you have to jump in an ocean of scared.” Later, Big Papa tells his grandson that being scared never goes away.

When I was in elementary school, I thought adults were never afraid. After I read this book to my students, I shared a few understandable instances in my life when I felt nervous and scared. Like Big Papa, persevering through these fears resulted in growth and joy. Ask students to interview parents, grandparents or other adults in the school. As a class, create some questions so that students will have purpose and clarity in their interviews. Realizing that everyone has fears and uncertainty can be a liberating concept for children. This exercise gives them assurance that their personal fears are not unusual or wrong.

Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers. In my first year of teaching, I taught fourth grade in a school where the students were mostly African American. My students familiar with the names […]
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Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers.


I loved history until the fifth grade. In my TV-less house, I spent most of my free time as a child reading, and historical fiction was one of my favorite genres. At the time, I didn’t realize it and wouldn’t have been able to articulate it—I just read and reread the books I knew I loved.

Sydney Taylor’s All of a Kind Family series? Check. Ask me about about the traditions, holidays and routines of Jewish families living on the Lower East Side at the turn of the century.

Doris Gates’ Blue Willow? Check. It pulled my nine-year-old self into the world of Janey, the daughter of migrant farmers, and her life the Great Depression. (Later, my deep fondness for it caused The Grapes of Wrath to fall flat.)

Bette Bao Lord’s In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson? Check. I adapted it into a screenplay, which I produced with my dear (read: manipulated) little sister in the lead role of Shirley Temple Wong, the young Chinese immigrant living in New York City during the golden age of Jackie Robinson and the New York Yankees.

And, yes. I read The Little House on the Prairie series in its entirety. I can thank Laura Ingalls Wilder for my button collection and a summer spent hand-washing clothes in my backyard. The washboard is still in my parents’ attic.

Reflecting on these memories and the books behind them, two things stand out to me. The first is that these books have been rooted in historical detail, without going so far as to claim complete historical accuracy, by authors who lived similar stories or felt deep personal connections to the period and its circumstances.

The second is that children (and perhaps adults, too) learn best through story. Beginning in the sixth grade, history class took the form of lectures, note taking and textbook reading, and my interest in and love for history took a nosedive. I remember very little from my Advanced Placement U.S. History class, but I’ll never forget how I felt when reading Mildred Taylor’s Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry for the first time and encountered the plethora of cruel racial injustices that occurred in the South during the 1930s.

How can children best begin to understand history? I believe it is through authentic characters and author connection, two elements the following books deliver with insight, thoughtfulness and grace.


Prairie Lotus
written by Linda Sue Park

Since the death of her Chinese Korean mother three years earlier, 14-year-old Hanna and her white father have been on the search for a town where they can settle down. When they reach LaForge, a frontier town in the Dakota Territory, Hanna wonders whether she will be accepted or ostracized by the other settlers. As her father works to open a dry goods store and Hanna begins to attend school, the townspeople’s racial prejudice and xenophobia, which is both subtle and deliberate, quickly becomes apparent. Thoughts of her mother and of the women in the nearby Ihanktonwan community give Hanna the strength and courage she needs to persevere through hard months of isolation. A sensitive and much-needed response to the Little House series, Park’s novel offers students a new perspective on the era of westward expansion and its impact on the lives of those whose stories are often overlooked.

  • Quote-Led Discussion

By the time they reach the end of middle school, many children have personally experienced suffering. Fear, loneliness, death, prejudice—these things cause lasting pain in a child’s life that we can’t ignore or trivialize. But children often lack emotional awareness or aren’t developmentally ready to express or even name these hard feelings. Encountering them in the context of a book can be comforting for students who are experiencing similar circumstances. It can even help them give words to a feeling they previously could not articulate. For other children, reading about a character’s hardships and hurts can provide them with a small empathy-sparking glimpse into what their classmates might be experiencing.

A book like Prairie Lotus can provide a point of entry for rich discussion. Start with Hanna’s story. Type the following quotations from the text (or find others) and print them out for students. Arrange desks in a circle or gather in a circle on the floor. Review classroom discussion guidelines, reminding students how to listen, express and respond. Read the quotations and ask a few open-ended questions, then release teacher control and let students do most of the talking. This exercise can also be done in small groups of students if you are able to rotate around the room enough to monitor the discussions.

“No, thank-you,” he said. Again, Hanna recognized the kind of astonishment she’d perceived before in so many other people. She speaks, she speaks English, she speaks English politely!”

“Their mothers were seldom better, and often worse. On spotting Hanna, they would cross the street hastily, sometimes covering their mouths as if she were diseased. Or they would pull their smaller children behind their skirts, protecting them. From what? Hanna always wondered.”

“Except for Hanna. She and Mama had never spoken about it, but Hanna had somehow absorbed the knowledge that there were times when it was useful—crucial—to hide her thoughts.”

“Then there were those like Dolly, perhaps not meaning to be unkind, but still unthinking. Cruelty was painful. Thoughtlessness was merely exhausting.”

“That’s no excuse! What’s got into you, Hanna—since when did you care so much about the Indians?” It was a reasonable question. I always cared about the unfairness. But I used to think only of how white people treated Chinese people. Now I know it’s about how white people treat anybody who isn’t white.”

  • New Perspectives

For generations, history was taught through a single perspective. Read Linda Sue Park’s author’s note aloud to the class. Discuss how Prairie Lotus was a response to her childhood feelings as she read the Little House series. Read a few passages from the Little House series and prompt discussion about how narration and perspective can negatively influence a story and offer inaccurate or misleading information.

Read Brittany Luby’s Encounter or Rosalyn Schanzer’s George vs. George: The American Revolution as Seen From Both Sides and discuss the varying perspectives. Read aloud more picture books and ask students, “Whose story is not being told?” and “How might this story change if another character was telling the story?”

For older grades, connect this to the social studies curriculum by guiding students through a classroom story-shifting exercise. For example, tell the story of the California Gold Rush through from the perspective of the Native Americans who had lived for centuries in the areas where gold was found.


Show Me a Sign
written by Ann Clare LeZotte

It’s 1805. Mary Lambert lives in Chilmark, a community on Martha’s Vineyard where about a quarter of the population is deaf and almost everyone communicates in Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language. Mary feels safe in her community but is aware of mounting racial tensions between the English, black and Wampanoag people, all of whom call the Vineyard home. Mary’s peaceful life is upended upon the arrival of Andrew Noble, an arrogant young scientist who wants to study the community and its deaf population. In need of a live specimen, he kidnaps Mary and takes her to Boston, where she becomes part of a cruel “experiment.” Against the backdrop of a riveting and well-researched story, LeZotte handles big issues with sensitivity while opening doors for rich classroom discussion.

  • Chilmark vs. Boston

In Part 1 of the book, Mary lives a normal life. She is not treated any different from the other people in her community. She is surprised when she finds out, “We have the highest number of deaf residents on the island. I hadn’t noticed that before. He concluded that one in four residents are deaf compared with one in six thousand on the mainland. You could have knocked me down with a feather!” In Boston, Mary is considered a living specimen and begins to understand how deaf people are treated outside of the Chilmark community.

As you read Part 1 together, make note of people and their daily lives in Chilmark. How do they treat each other? How do they treat Mary? What is considered normal? When you reach Part 2, do the same for the people and life in Boston. I suggest recording these observations at the end of each chapter instead of recording posthumously.

Use this exercise as a launching point for a discussion about how we view and treat others. Before you begin, review the classroom discussion guidelines. I always remind students, “What is shared in our circle STAYS in our circle.” Prompt students with open-ended questions. You might ask, “Do we let others’ differences (because we all have them) change the way we treat them? If so, how can it be for the better?” “How can we learn from each other’s differences?” or “How do you feel when someone asks you questions in an effort to know more about you?”

  • Ownvoices Narratives

Ann Clare LeZotte is a deaf author and librarian. Ask students how this might influence the story she wrote. Students might be unfamiliar with the concept and term “ownvoices.” (This explanation, from the term’s creator, YA author Corinne Duyvis, is a good place to start.) Use this as an opportunity to discuss the importance of writing and telling such stories, and what can occur when people attempt to write a fiction story without personal experience or thorough research. Guide the students through an exercise that helps them identify a topic or experience that they can use to draft an ownvoices narrative of their own. If possible, model it with students.

For example, as a child, I had a moderate to severe speech impediment. Years of speech therapy helped, but it’s still very much present today. When I shared childhood memories and a few of the thoughtless comments that I still receive, student began to grasp how we truly don’t know the many nuances other people experience, and how even thoughtless comments can be hurtful and exhausting.

Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers. I loved history until the fifth grade. In my TV-less house, I spent most of my free time as a child reading, and historical fiction was […]

Banish the I’m-Bored Blues from your house with this smorgasbord of activities drawn directly from the pages of some of BookPage’s favorite picture books!

Every month, experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart offers Tips for Teachers, a column of book recommendations accompanied by guides for classroom teachers. Now that homes have become classrooms, BookPage children’s and YA editor Stephanie Appell has selected the most at-home-friendly suggestions from the Tips for Teachers archive to help parent-teachers organize educational, boredom-busting activities with supplies readily available around the house.


A Ride to Remember
written by Sharon Langley and Amy Nathan, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

Sharon Langley tells the story of her first ride on a carousel in a park that she and her family helped to desegregate. The Gwynne Oak Amusement Park carousel, renamed the Carousel on the Mall, was installed on Washington’s National Mall in 1981. Using Google Earth, show children the carousel. Ask, “Why is this carousel so important that it is deserves a place along the National Mall?” Guide them to the idea that historical objects are valuable and special because of what they symbolize. The carousel itself is just painted wooden horses, but it serves as a reminder of the our Civil Rights journey. It is a tangible representation of the idea that equality means “nobody first and nobody last, everyone equal, having fun together.” Show children other historical objects that are significant for what they represent. Using the Smithsonian’s online collection, we looked at the Greensboro lunch counter and a broken bus window and discussed what these objects represented in the fight for Civil Rights.


It Began With a Page: How Gyo Fujikawa Drew the Way
written by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Julie Morstad

Children’s book author-illustrator Gyo Fujikawa faced many challenges. In school, Gyo Fujikawa often felt invisible; when her family was sent to an internment camp, her heart was broken. At first, she was so sad that she could not draw, but eventually she began to take comfort in color. Color lifted her spirit, and she wondered, “Could art comfort and lift others too?” Allow time for children to think and journal about a time when they felt invisible, worried, anxious or sad. Come back together and discuss strategies for working through these hard feelings. Ask another question: “What comforts and lifts you when the world feels gray?” For many children (and adults), expressing feelings through a creative project can be a comforting and healthy way of processing emotions. Provide art supplies and let children get lost in a creative project.


Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist
written by Julie Leung, illustrated by Chris Sasaki

Tyrus Wong immigrated from China as a young boy and grew up to become an artist who worked at Walt Disney Studios. Wong attended art school in Los Angeles and studied artwork from China’s Song dynasty. Combining Western and Eastern styles and influences in his painting allowed him to offer a unique artistic perspective to Bambi. Enlarge a few landscape paintings from the Song Dynasty. Give children time to study them and write down or orally share their observations. Then compare the paintings with stills from Walt Disney’s Bambi, or screen the film together as a family. Invite children to share how they think the Song Dynasty paintings influenced Wong’s work in Bambi.


Hi, I’m Norman: The Story of American Illustrator Norman Rockwell
written by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Wendell Minor

Hi, I’m Norman is a solid introduction to one of America’s most recognized and beloved illustrators. In the book, Rockwell explains, “Doing covers is doubly hard because a cover has to tell the whole story in just one picture.” Give children time to share or journal about a humorous or meaningful small moment from their life. Can they tell this story through a single illustration? After they have had time to experiment, brainstorm and doodle, provide blank white paper or a Saturday Evening Post template and let them illustrate their story.


The Hike
by Alison Farrell

Best friends Wren, El and Hattie hike together and learn that the joy really is in the journey. As author-illustrator Alison Farrell mentioned in this interview, at the heart of her book are some lines from a Mary Oliver poem, “Sometimes.”

Instructions for living a life.
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.

Write these lines on a big sheet of paper and let children share their interpretations. Ask, “Do you do this?” and “What does Mary Oliver mean when she says, ‘Pay attention?’’ When we did this in the classroom, I showed my students this Norman Rockwell painting and this photograph; the two images prompted a cacophony of indignant and incredulous responses! Give children time to copy the lines (goodness, children still need handwriting and fine motor skills!) onto an index card. Their assignment is to “Pay attention,” “be astonished” and decide how they will “tell about it.” This exercise gave me new insights into each child’s individual personality, not only because of what astonished them but also through the way they chose to tell about it. Song lyrics, watercolor paintings, digital presentations and Lego creations are just a sampling of the ways my students communicated their astonishments.


Tiny, Perfect Things
written by M.H. Clark, illustrated by Madeline Kloepper

A young girl and her grandfather walk around their neighborhood and notice the small splendors that surround them. Read the book once through, then read it again and record each of the tiny, perfect things that the little girl noticed on her walk. In the classroom, I wrote each item on an index card and used magnets to stick them on the white board, but you could stick your notes on a refrigerator or bulletin board. Let children determine categories, then divide the items into the appropriate categories. Animals/nature/people was the first (and most obvious) category, but with encouragement, children will expand their thinking. My students recategorized items into living/nonliving, singular/plural, and red/not red; what categories will you create?


My Papi Has a Motorcycle
written by Isabel Quintero, illustrated by Zeke Peña

Daisy cherishes her motorcycle rides with Papa. Ask children to reflect on a ritual or tradition they share with a special person. Invite them to write a narrative explaining the tradition. Walk them through a sensory writing exercise and encourage them to address all five senses in their writing. What are the sights, smells, sounds, tastes and textures of their special memory? After they have crafted their narrative, let them use various art supplies to illustrate their memory.


This is My Eye: A New York Story
by Neela Vaswani

Neela Vaswani’s story of a young girl living in New York City is told with photographs “taken” from the girl’s perspective. Write the phrase, “It’s not what you look at, it’s what you see” on a big piece of paper. Give children time to think about the meaning and then read the book again. Go on a walk around your house, and let children use the camera app on your phone (or a camera, if you have one). Their mission is to take 10 photographs while keeping the phrase “it’s what you see” in mind. When you’re finished, give them time to write sentences to go along with their photographs. When you’re able, you can extend this project by asking children to take photographs in the local community.


Dreamers
by Yuyi Morales

When author and illustrator Yuyi Morales and her infant son migrate to the United States, the library becomes like a second home for them. My students loved identifying the familiar picture books that Morales includes in her illustrations. In the back of the book, she includes a list of “Books That Inspired Me (and Still Do).” Gather some books that have influenced your life. Hold each one up and explain why and how it influenced/es your life. Challenge children to make a similar list. Give them a few days to think about their books. My students and I created life timelines, drawing and labeling our books at the specific points when they first influenced us.


Zola’s Elephant
by Randall de Séve, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski

A new girl named Zola moves in next door, and the narrator is convinced that inside her big box is an elephant. At the end of the book, one of my nonfiction-loving students inquired, “How big of a box do you need to move a real elephant?” I didn’t have an immediate answer, but I was delighted to discover this article by the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. It covers all the fascinating transportation details that were required to move an elephant from the Smithsonian Zoo in Washington, D.C., to the Calgary Zoo in Calgary, Alberta. We looked at photographs of the journey and even did a few math equations with the details provided. Afterward, we watched a video of an elephant being transported from a conservatory to a wildlife compound.

Banish the I’m-Bored Blues from your house with this smorgasbord of activities drawn directly from the pages of some of BookPage’s favorite picture books! Every month, experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart offers Tips for Teachers, a column of book recommendations accompanied by guides for classroom teachers. Now that homes have become classrooms, BookPage […]
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Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers.


In the spring of my junior year of high school, I was assigned The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. But staying true to form, I went rogue. My wayward book of choice was Anna Quindlen’s How Reading Changed My Life, a slim book I discovered nestled on my mom’s bookshelf. And change my life it did. In her personal love letter to reading, Quindlen writes:

“In books I have traveled, not only to other worlds, but into my own. I learned who I was and who I wanted to be, what I might aspire to, and what I might dare to dream about my world and myself. More powerfully and persuasively than from the ‘shall nots’ of the Ten Commandments, I learned the difference between good and evil, right and wrong.”

I have never posted rules in my library. I have never delivered an anti-bullying lecture. I have never given a child a “you can be anything you want to be” pep talk. But I believe deeply in library behavior, compassion for all and student empowerment. So how do I address these issues with my students? Through bibliotherapy.

Bibliotherapy uses books to create an entry point into the social and emotional lives of students. Any teacher will tell you that SEL (social emotional learning) is a hot topic in the education world—as it should be. Children often have trouble naming and expressing their emotions. Sometimes they express their feelings in ways that violate the peace of the library and of other students.

Books offer children places to see feelings validated through characters and story. Stories help children encounter issues from an objective viewpoint before gently guiding them to personal application, sparking self-awareness and empathy. For teachers, books can be nonthreatening points of entry, doorways into sensitive discussions. When unkindness or deliberate exclusion occur among our students, we can stand and lecture like Charlie Brown’s teacher, or we can gather the children around us on the rug with Eleanor Estes’ The Hundred Dresses: “Today, Monday, Wanda Petronski was not in her seat. But nobody, not even Peggy and Madeline, the girls who started all the fun, noticed her absence.”

In the spirit of Quindlen’s description, the following books invite students to travel through words and pictures into the worlds of others, as well to the worlds of their own minds and hearts. These books help them discover who they were, who they are and who they aspire to be, whether in the next hour or in their dreams. They serve as validation, affirmation and excellent launching points for classroom discussions.


Paolo, Emperor of Rome
written by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Claire Keane

Paolo the dachshund lives in Rome, the Eternal City filled with “fountains, food, and music.” It is, “above all, a place of freedom”—but for Paolo, Rome is not a place of freedom. He is confined to Signora Pianostrada’s hair salon, where he sits with his nose pressed against the window and longs for a chance to explore the city. One morning, someone leaves the salon door ajar, and Paolo escapes into the beauty and chaos of Rome. He scampers around the city, visiting cafes and cathedrals, temples and statues. When challenges (city cats, alley dogs and falling nuns, among others) arise, Paolo confronts them with a tenacious spirit and heroic energy. With a lovable pup at its heart, this cinematic tale heralds bold self-assurance and valor.

  • Self-perceptive art

Signora Pianostrada calls him “Lazy Paolo,” but Paolo’s heart and self-perception is the opposite. In his dreams, he zooms around on a scooter and balances trays of Italian food on the tip of his nose. (Be sure to show children this illustration.) Discuss how our self-perceptions (try using the word “view”) are sometimes different and much more important than how others perceive us.

Ask the following questions: “Can you think of a time when someone called you something that hurt your feelings because it wasn’t true? Maybe they called you lazy, mean, shy, dumb or too rowdy? Do you see yourself this way, or do you see yourself differently?” Tell students that they are going to be like Paolo and draw versions of “their best self.” Before having this discussion with a first grade class, I drew a picture of myself as a first grader. I was holding a book and looking down at the floor, but in my dreams, I was building my own backyard flower shop and running track like Wilma Rudolph.

  • Peaceful hearts

When he watches the sunrise wash the city in a pink light, Paolo’s heart is “at peace.” Walk your students through a peaceful heart mindfulness activity. Before beginning the exercise, invite students to articulate why they think Paolo’s heart is at peace. I made a script to use with my students. You can find it here.


ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read our starred review of Paolo, Emperor of Rome.


An Ordinary Day
written by Elana K. Arnold, illustrated by Elizabet Vukovic

At first glance, it seems to be another ordinary day in the neighborhood. Mrs. LaFleur waters her roses, Kai and Joseph hunt for reptiles, and Magnificent the Crow caws in disapproval. Amid the morning neighborhood bustle, two houses sit “unusually quiet.” A car pulls up in front of each house, and two stethoscope-wearing visitors emerge. A female doctor quietly knocks on the door of one house, and a male veterinarian quietly knocks on the other. Two stories unfold simultaneously. What is an ordinary day for most of the neighborhood becomes an extraordinary day for these two families.

In one house, the doctor helps a mother as she brings new life into the world. In the other house, the veterinarian oversees the death of the family’s pet dog. When the “final breath was exhaled” and the “first breath was inhaled,” each is surrounded by family and love. Spare and sensitive, An Ordinary Day gently addresses the fragility of life, the nature of love and the power of small moments.

  • “I spy” awareness activity

Without fail, when I pull out blocks or building logs and let students have free building time, an unfortunate event inevitably follows: One student always accidentally knocks over another student’s creation. I always wonder, how did they not see that tower in the middle of the floor? Many children have trouble noticing their environment. Use an awareness game to help students practice social and spacial awareness.

An Ordinary Day begins with small, ordinary neighborly activities. Ask children, “What are some of the things on your street, in your home or in our classroom that happen every day?” List student responses on the board. Invite children to wonder with you. “I wonder if we are forgetting things because they are so ordinary that we don’t even notice them.”

Take students to the playground or another school room or hallway. Tell them that it is their job to “spy” the details that are happening around them. When you return to the classroom, help students connect their observations with an appropriate behavior. For example, “I spy a long line by the slide. Maybe I should go to the fort first.” If you observed a hallway, you might say, “The first graders’ artwork is hanging on the wall, so I’m not going to lean against this wall.”

  • Bibliotherapy

The birth of a sibling and the death of a beloved family pet are enormous and impactful events in the life of a young child. The classroom can be a safe place for them to discuss the big feelings that accompany these changes. Hearing friends share similar feelings can be comforting. Encountering these experiences and feelings in the context of a book can be equally comforting.

If possible, purchase or check out books that deal with new siblings, the death of a pet and other common changes. Keep them in a special basket and encourage children to read them whenever they are sad, confused or frustrated because of changes in their lives. Some of my favorite titles include Judith Viorst’s The Tenth Good Thing About Barney, Corinne Demas’ Saying Goodbye to Lulu, Bill Cochran’s The Forever Dog, Susan Eaddy’s Poppy’s Best Babies, Kevin Henkes’ Julius, the Baby of the World and Russell Hoban’s A Baby Sister for Frances.


Are Your Stars Like My Stars?
written by Leslie Helakoski, illustrated by Heidi Woodward Sheffield

This lyrical concept book invites children to consider how families around the world experience color. Each double-page spread showcases a color through a sensory-filled stanza that concludes with a refrain in the form of a question. A family picking apples begins the red exploration: “When you stroll in an orchard, / do sweet smells fill your head? / Is the fruit bold and flashy? / Is your red . . . ” The page turn reveals a family surrounded by red Chinese New Year lanterns and finishes the refrain, “ . . . like my red?” Without resorting to didactic or heavy-handed prose, the book invokes curiosity, empathy and global unity. To quote one of my kindergarteners, “The world is big. Huge. I mean, it’s the whole universe! But we all see colors, so it’s actually really small.”

  • Color association

Gather oversized sheets of colored paper. Have students sit on the floor with clipboards or at their desks. Stand or sit in front of your students and tell them, “Close your eyes. When I say open them, I want you to look at me. In my hand will be a piece of colored paper. Write down one or two images that come to mind when you see the color that I am holding. For example, when I first saw this dark green paper, I thought of my ivy plant and the couch that was in my family’s den for years.” After the exercise, invite children to share their associations. Remind them that this is not a time to think of the funniest thing to share, but rather a time to understand how colors represent different things for all of us.

  • Culture study artwork

Provide children with photo atlases and books with vibrant and clear photographs of children and places around the world. National Geographic Kids has a great collection of online videos, as well. Let students choose a country and create a piece of artwork based on a color association that represents the country. For example, for a child living in England, red might mean the color of double-decker buses, while for a child living in India, blue might be the color of a peacock. Incorporate social emotional learning concepts by discusing how daily life is different for children around the world. Use the discussion to introduce the understanding that, although these differences can seem big, the similarities in our lives are even bigger. For further reading, I recommend Jenny Sue Kostecki Shaw’s Same, Same but Different and Norah Dooley’s Everybody Cooks Rice.

Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers. In the spring of my junior year of high school, I was assigned The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. But staying true to form, I went rogue. My […]
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Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers.


I’ve been meeting with my students virtually for about eight weeks. Last week, I asked them to share what they miss most about school. Most of them answered without hesitation: They miss their friends.

Childhood friendships are some of the most formative, intense and enriching friendships we’ll ever have. My best friend from kindergarten came to town this weekend. Spending time with her renewed my weary spirit and reminded me that there is life beyond face masks and virtual happy hours. As Alexander McCall Smith writes in The Ladies’ No. 1 Detective Agency, “You can go through life and make new friends every year—every month practically—but there was never any substitute for those friendships of childhood.”

The following two books demonstrate the tenderness and joy of childhood friendships.


My Best Friend
By Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Jillian Tamaki

A little girl meets a new friend at a park. Her new friend “laughs at everything” and is “so smart.” The two girls learn more about each other as they twirl, create, pretend and explore the park together. Their adventures and commonalities lead the narrator to the conclusion that “she is my best friend / i think.” Only at the story’s end does author Julie Fogliano reveal that the girls have yet to know each other’s names.

Making predictions before reading
Students who are asked to make predictions before they read will form connections between their own personal knowledge and what they discover in a book. This is a great strategy for keeping readers actively engaged.

Before reading, hold up the cover of My Best Friend and ask, “What do you predict will happen to the two girls you see here? Why do you think the illustrator used only two shades of colors? Do you have a best friend? What makes a best friend? How do we make new friends?”

The whole book approach
Educator and children’s literature scholar Megan Dowd Lambert created the whole book approach as a way to invite children to engage with all the parts of a picture book—not just the story but also the illustrations and production and design elements—in order to support both visual and verbal literacy. My Best Friend provides ample opportunities to try this approach with young readers. Here are some elements you can discuss.

Typography
Text placement throughout the book varies; there are only a few capital letters (the words “LOVES” and “HATES” are written in all caps), and the only punctuation is a period after the book’s final phrase. Show students the page with “skeleton hand” leaves; the word “Boo” is capitalized and set in a larger size that spans across the page. Ask, “How does the size and shape of this word show us how to read it?” A few cursive letters illustrate the narrator’s “fanciest” handwriting. Ask students whether they think these letters are part of the book’s text or its illustrations.

Color
My Best Friend employs a limited color palette dominated by warm, rosy peaches and deep forest greens. Ask students why they think illustrator Jillian Tamaki chose these colors.

Lines and white space
The illustrations’ ample white space and the book’s white background keep visual focus on the book’s vignettes and full-spread images. Several of the vignettes run off the edge of the page. The illustrations contain many fine lines that add texture and movement, and the girls’ adventures are dominated by curves and swirling lines. Prompt students to speculate about what kinds of artistic materials illustrator Jillian Tamaki used to create the images. What is the effect of her choice to “cut off” some of the images on the edge of the page?

Production elements
Underneath the dust jacket, the book’s case cover features a wraparound illustration of the girls playing hide-and-seek. Ask students to reflect on this image before and after reading the book. The book’s front and back endpapers are a warm chestnut shade of brown, while its back jacket is forest green. Ask students to speculate about why these two colors were chosen. The book has a strong portrait orientation. Discuss why this shape was the best choice for the book.

Cross-curricular activities
With a little creative thinking, it’s easy to create activities that incorporate picture books into many parts of the curriculum. Here are a few ideas for activities to extend learning after reading My Best Friend.

Personal reflection
Discuss what activities students like to do with friends. What is something about ourselves that our good friends understand? Invite younger students to respond to these prompts and the discussion through drawings or other visual art. Invite older students to respond through journaling.

Nature art
The two girls in My Best Friend make skeleton hands out of leaves. Take students outside and give them time to create something from items they find. Divide them into small groups to share their creations.

Similarities and opposites
The narrator of My Best Friend hates strawberry ice cream, but her new best friend loves it. Divide students into pairs and let them interview each other. Each pair must determine one way in which they are alike and one way in which they are different. Gather students back together and prompt them to share what they learned about one another.

Creative movement
The narrator makes her new friend laugh by pretending to be a pickle. Divide students into pairs. Ask one partner to name a noun; their partner must act out the word.


How to Be a Pirate
By Isaac Fitzgerald, illustrated by Brigette Barrager

When her aspirations are squashed by neighborhood boys who tell her she can’t be a pirate, CeCe visits her grandfather. She asks him, “What’s it like to be a pirate?” Using his tattoos as inspiration, Grandpa tells CeCe that pirates are brave, quick, fun and independent—but the most important thing a pirate needs is love. Her spirit renewed, CeCe returns to the boys with an emboldened and tenacious spirit. How to Be a Pirate wonderfully explores themes of intergenerational friendship, self-confidence and imaginative play.

Dialogic read aloud
Read How to Be a Pirate once straight through without stopping. Then read it again and pause to ask the following questions and to discuss students’ responses.

  • How do you think CeCe feels on the title page of the book? What makes you say that?
  • Before CeCe goes inside Grandpa’s house, what do the illustrations tell us about Grandpa?
  • Once the illustrations show us Grandpa’s living room, what clues can you find to tell you even more about him?
  • Why does CeCe believe that Grandpa can teach her how to be a pirate?
  • Are CeCe and Grandpa really on a ship or in a jungle? What evidence can you find in the illustrations?
  • Do you notice anything about the dog?
  • Grandpa says pirates must be independent. Do you agree? Why or why not?
  • How does Grandpa show CeCe that he loves her?
  • What other traits can you think of that would help CeCe face the boys and be a pirate?

Writing letters
Ask students to think about different types of friends. For many students, conceptualizing a grandparent, a beloved pet or a cousin as a “friend” will be a novel idea, so ask students to think about a friend who is not in their classroom or in their grade level. Give them time to make a list of the ways this friend enriches their life, then guide students in transforming their lists into letters to their friends. Be sure to provide logistical instructions on how to fold, address and mail the letter.

Future homes
Readers learn so much about Grandpa through Brigette Barrager’s illustrations of his home. Ask students about their goals for when they are older. Provide pieces of oversized drawing paper and drawing supplies and challenge them to draw a house that reflects their future aspirations. For example, a librarian’s house might have lots of bookshelves and a Little Free Library in the front yard. An artist’s or musician’s home might have a studio. Encourage them to add details to their houses’ interiors and exteriors.

Gender stereotypes
Children receive messages about gender norms from birth. Invite students to categorize imaginative play activities as “for girls” or “for boys.” Let their responses guide you toward questions that give them space to consider why they consider activities to be divided between these categories. Provide time for them to share moments when they were excluded from playing with others or stereotyped because of their gender.

Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers. I’ve been meeting with my students virtually for about eight weeks. Last week, I asked them to share what they miss most about school. Most of […]
Feature by

Tips for Teachers is a monthly column in which experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart shares book recommendations and a corresponding teaching guide for fellow elementary school teachers.


Driving home one night, I stopped at a red light behind an SUV. Because it was dark outside, I had a clear view of its two flip-down television screens, and I decided to try to determine which animated movie or TV show the passengers were watching. I looked for a familiar character or setting—an image of Woody or Buzz, or perhaps a city street built with Legos.

The light turned green before I could figure it out, but I thought about the animation’s fast pace for the rest of my drive home. In the brief time that we were stopped together, I saw several characters with animal-ish features and oversize eyes, a couple of explosions, an underwater scene and what looked like some type of monster or . . . dinosaur?

Child psychiatrists Jay N. Giedd and Judith L. Rapoport assert that 95% of brain development and growth happens before a child turns 6 years old. Babies are born with all their brain cells, but the connections formed between these cells are what enable the brain to function. During a child’s first 5 years, the brain forms at least a million new neural connections as it grows. These connections, created through daily experiences, build upon each other and provide a strong foundation for more complex thinking and learning. After the brain is finished growing, it is harder to form new neural connections or to break existing ones.

What are the short- and long-term effects of hours of fast-paced media consumption on children? What happens when a developing brain is saturated by a steady stream of rapidly changing images designed to capture and keep a child’s attention—for the primary purpose of maintaining either the value of ad sales or a reliable subscription-based income? How and why has the visual pacing of children’s audiovisual media increased over time? If you think it hasn’t, watch a few minutes of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” then flip to whatever’s currently airing on the Cartoon Network. Thoughts?

In my library classroom over the past decade, I have noticed a steady decline in my students’ ability to focus independently. Looking page by page through a picture book is a skill most children do not possess when they begin kindergarten. I usually spend the first four months of each school year teaching my kindergarteners how to look independently at a picture book. It’s a painstaking process, but by winter break, the children develop strong visual thinking habits. For example, they know how to use a book’s cover to make predictions about the story. They notice a book’s front and back endpapers. They can identify the title page and know that sometimes, the story begins on the title page. They can “read” the pictures, even if they can’t yet read the words.

One of my favorite habit-forming activities is to give each student a familiar picture book. After they read the pictures, I prompt them, “Find your favorite illustration and study it for 30 seconds. What small details can you discover?” After a quiet and focused 30 seconds, the students practically burst with excitement and eagerness to share what they discovered. This quick visual thinking exercise gives children the time and tools they need savor illustrations, but I don’t expect them to do it with every illustration and every book.

How can picture study translate to longer periods of independent focus? How can illustrated books increase a child’s mental stamina and attention span? Seek-and-find books are one excellent way to do this. The four books below span a wide audience range, and their range of format and content is just as wide. But all four share a few elements in common. They’re all imports, originally published outside of the United States; the challenge and thrill of a seek-and-find transcends continents and cultures. They also all incorporate a seek-and-find challenge within a larger narrative or conceptual context. As children search for characters, animals and artwork, they will also be strengthening their mental stamina and learning more about the world and its people.


All Around Bustletown: Summer
by Rotraut Susanne Berner

It’s summertime, and the people of Bustletown are fully embracing the season. Karen serves cool treats from her ice cream cart; Ellen and her son, Tommy, watch the construction of the new school; and babysitter Silva keeps the kids occupied with a trip to the museum and a picnic. The playgrounds are full, and the roads and train station are busy with vacationers. A sudden summer thunderstorm pops up but passes in time for everyone to make it to the park for Cara’s birthday party.

Readers can trace storylines of characters identified on the book’s back cover through each of the seven oversize colorful spreads. Children will love diving deep into the book’s detailed illustrations and searching for the mouse who is hiding on each page. In the spirit of Richard Scarry, this German import welcomes children into a bustling community that will capture both their attention and their heart.

  • Phonic practice

Its oversize dimensions make All Around Bustletown: Summer ideal for buddy reading. Emergent and early readers can work on their phonics through an I Spy activity. The activity can be adjusted in conjunction with current classroom learning or targeted to specific skills for students who need reinforcements. Laminate the activity cards and keep them in tucked in the cover of the book.

  • Oral narration

Partner narration is an effective and natural way for young learners to develop and refine strong speaking and listening skills. Invite children to choose one of the Bustletown characters identified on the back cover. Starting with the first spread, children will locate their character in each illustration and narrate what they think is happening with the character’s story to their partner. Encourage the listening partner to ask questions that encourage elaboration.


Everybody Counts: A Counting Story From 0 to 75
by Kristin Roskifte

This import won several awards in its home country of Norway, and it’s easy to see why. Beginning with “no one” in a forest, it takes readers on a counting journey in individual increments up to 30 and then in larger increments that culminate with “seven and a half billion people on the same planet.” Author-illustrator Kristin Roskifte interweaves small human narratives into the numerical progression. For example, there are a hundred people in the schoolyard. Readers learn that “One of them will soon fall and get hurt. One of them will develop a vaccine that saves millions of lives.”

Astute readers will pick out the clues Roskifte provides and begin to make associations and connections within the illustrations. An illustrated grid at the end of the book asks about “secrets” that require flipping back through the book to hunt for the answers. Roskifte intersperses these search-and-find questions with more philosophical questions that include “Does everyone share the same truth?” and “What is outside our universe?” Is Everybody Counts a counting book or a seek-and-find book? Is it a celebration of humanity or a philosophical primer? It’s all of the above and more, a brilliantly composed and crafted picture book that will keep children engaged for hours.

  • Puzzle drawings

Gather two boxes and label them “Numbers” and “Feelings.” Place folded slips of paper with various numbers and feeling words in the respective boxes, and let children take a slip from each box. Children will use their slips to create a page in the style of the book. Each page will contain the number and two sentences that give clues about what is happening in the picture. The feeling word must be incorporated into one of the sentences. Allow time for students to share their puzzle drawings with each other.

  • Act of kindness

Write the lines of the last page of the book on the board: “Seven and a half billion people on the same planet. Every single one of them has their own unique story. Everybody counts. One of them is you!” Take time to discuss these lines with students. Ask open-ended questions to ensure that children do most of the talking. Afterward, extend the book’s central theme and encourage children to commit a few intentional acts of kindness for others. Check in with students through the next few weeks to hear about their experiences.


All Along the River
by Magnus Weightman

Bunny and her two brothers are playing in the river at the base of a glacier “high above the clouds.” When Bunny’s toy duck floats away, the trio goes after it in their little red boat. Their pursuit takes them on a river journey through forests, meadowlands, marshes, waterfalls, fields of flowers and past various buildings and and other structures. The two-page spreads are full of detail and a feeling of purposeful busy-ness. Readers will enjoy searching for the toy duck and the story’s other readily identifiable anthropomorphic animal characters, including the Road Hogs and Chuck, a roller-skating chicken. A surprise ending makes it impossible to resist turning back to the book’s beginning for another journey along the river.

  • River research

The river takes Little Duck and her crew from “way high in the clouds” all the way “out to sea.” The back endpapers contain an aerial view of the river that shows all the different biomes it passes through on its way out to sea. Read more about rivers and their journey to the sea, or research some rivers of the world.

  • Can you find?

There is so much to spot in this book! Print out these checklists, or create your own and let children work individually or in pairs to find the items.


What a Masterpiece!
by Riccardo Guasco

Originally published in Italy, this wordless story follows a boy on a journey through recognizable pieces of Western art. The boy wakes up in his Vincent Van Gogh-esque bedroom by a Salvador Dali clock, descends an M.C. Escher staircase and is followed to the bathroom by a shadow that resembles a statue by Alberto Giocometti. The boy ends his pilgrimage at a large sculpture composed of pieces and parts of the artworks he encountered during his journey. A key in the back of the book provides detailed information about each work of art that will prompt students to go back and identify each iconic piece.

  • Mix and match

Print, laminate and cut out Masterpiece Artwork Cards. Put them in a plastic bag or envelope labeled “Can you match the masterpieces?” Invite children to work individually or with a partner to match the photos of the art with events in the book.

  • Masterpiece mashup

Provide several books about fine arts and allow time for students to peruse them until they find a piece of art that that captures their attention. In the spirit of Guasco’s story, invite students to create a piece of art that incorporates or alludes to their chosen masterpiece. Provide different art mediums (colored paper, pastels, graphite pencils, markers, clay and so on) for children to use. Older students can write a story to go along with their mashup, or they can research and provide more information on their chosen piece of art and its artist.

Experienced teacher and children’s librarian Emmie Stuart explores four fabulous seek-and-find books and suggests activities to incorporate them into the curriculum.

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