Collections about Authors and Illustrators--Places to Visit!

Wow!  Look at these great sites about authors and illustrators!

Eric Carle Museum of Picture Art--This museum looks like a fun place to visit!

The Complete Listing of All Public Children's Literature Statues in the United States--We think this is a wonderful compilation of places to put on our trip list!  Wouldn't it be fun to visit all of these?  So much work went into this list.  Hope you enjoy it!

Marion E. Wade Center, Wheaton College, Illinois--See the wardrobe that inspired C. S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien's desk, and C. S. Lewis's desk and chair.  This is a small museum that we enjoyed visiting for the history and inspiration!

Enjoy visiting all of these sites!  Let us know of other fun places about authors and illustrators you've found!

Ponyella

Ponyella, by Laura Numeroff and Nate Evans, is a retelling of the fairy tale, Cinderella, with a pony representing Cinderella.  This is a fun retelling, especially for girls who love anything about horses and/or ponies!

Ponyella is living a charmed life until new owners bring their ponies, Bun Bun and Plumpkin (the wicked stepsisters) to live on the farm.  They quickly make life miserable for Ponyella.  The story turns when it’s announced that Princess Penelope is going to pick the winner of a pony championship.  Of course, Ponyella is left behind when the other ponies leave for the show.  Fortunately, her fairy godmare appears to grant her wishes to go.  Instead of the traditional glass slippers, Ponyella receives sparkling diamond horseshoes!  As can be predicted, the story has a happily ever after ending!

This is another great book to spur children’s writing and storytelling skills.  It’s fun to compare this story with the traditional Cinderella fairy tale.  One interesting thing we noted was that the story ends with a look at Plumpkin and Bun Bunn after Ponyella is chosen and says there’s another story. Because this book is by Laura Numeroff of the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie series, we wonder if Plumpkin and Bun Bun may appear in another book! 

Have fun reading this with your children!

Question Collection:

*What’s your favorite part of this story?

*How does Ponyella compare to Cinderella?

*How is Ponyella different from Cinderella?

*What kind of story could you write that’s based on Cinderella?

Here Comes Trouble!

If your child likes reading humorous books, Here Comes Trouble!, written by Corinne Demas and illustrated by Noah Z. Jones, is a great read!  A dog, named Toby, very clearly doesn’t like cats.  The author uses great descriptions of the kinds of cats Toby doesn’t like.  Trouble starts when his owner, Emma, agrees to keep the neighbor’s cat, Pandora, when they go on vacation.  Toby tries to get Pandora to notice him by doing various mischievous things.  Of course, Pandora doesn’t notice, but she starts doing things and nobody notices.  Toby is not happy about all of the things Pandora does until he discovers Pandora can’t get down from the tree she has climbed.  Then Toby does everything to get Emma’s attention so that Pandora can be rescued.  Pandora is rescued, and it is quickly apparent to the reader that Pandora and Toby become friends. 

This book would be a great mentor text for children in writing discussions.  The author uses alliteration to describe the kinds of cats Toby doesn’t like.  The simple narrative is a great study for character development.   One quickly gets a sense of the personalities of Toby and Pandora.  There are many ways in which children could build upon this book to develop their own stories about Toby and Pandora (or other animal characters).

We hope you enjoy the humor of this book as much as we do!  It’s a book that will make you laugh out loud!

Question Collection:

*Do Toby and Pandora remind you of any dogs or cats you know?

*Why do you think Toby helped Pandora?

*What do you think Toby and Pandora will do next?

Muddy As A Duck Puddle

Muddy As A Duck Puddle and Other American Similes, by Laurie Lawloer and illustrated by Ethan Long, is a good resource to learn more about similes.  The book, done in an ABC format, gives examples of many similes.  They are very humorous and great conversation starters as you read the book with children.  There were some we had never heard of, while others were recognized.  One of the nicer features about this book is found at the conclusion of the book.  A thumbnail sketch of each page is accompanied by the place of origin of the simile and a brief explanation of the simile’s meaning.  Enjoy exploring similes!

Question Collection:

*What’s the funniest simile to you?

*Which ones had you heard?

*Which ones are new to you?

The Girl's Like Spaghetti

The Girl’s Like Spaghetti (Why You Can’t Manage Without Apostrophes!), by Lynne Truss and illustrated by Bonnie Timmons, is a great companion piece to Eats Shoots and Leaves.  The purpose of the book is readily seen in the way an apostrophe changes the meaning.  Side by side drawings accompany identically worded sentences that use apostrophes in different ways.  The drawings help children visualize how an apostrophe changes the meaning of a sentence.  The book is really quite humorous as you look at the sentences and pictures.  We think this book is a fun teaching resource!

Question Collection:

*What did you learn about apostrophes?

*Which one was your favorite example?

*Can you think of some sentences you could add to the book?

ABC School Riddles

ABC School Riddles, compiled and edited by Susan Joyce and illustrated by Freddie Levin, is a fun compilation of school words from A to Z.  This was another great find for us since we love reading alphabet books! 

Rhyming riddles give clues to a word.  The first letter is given with blanks that denote the number of letters that must be completed to answer the riddle.  This is a good book to read as a family activity.  I think even reluctant readers who like to solve riddles would be encouraged to try solving these riddles.  An answer key is given with additional ideas for parents and teacher.

Question Collection:

*Which puzzle was the hardest to solve?

*Which was easiest?

*Can you make up some riddles like these?

Mirror, Mirror

How does a poem about a fairy tale show a new way to read?  Be sure to read Mirror, Mirror, by Marilyn Singer and illustrated by Josee Masse, and you'll find out!  It is one of the most clever books we’ve ever read! 

Singer uses the “reverso” technique that takes classic fairy tales and reverses the telling of them.  The first line of her poems becomes the last line in the next poem, the second line becomes the next to last line, etc.  The effect is amazing!  The artwork by Masse parallels the reverse idea with split drawings that capture your eye. 

We think this is a book that can spur conversations about poems, fairy tales, writing techniques, and visual strategies!  I think this book will keep stirring our imaginations.  We hope you enjoy Mirror, Mirror!

Question Collection:

*What do you think about the reverso technique?

*Which poem is your favorite?

*Which fairy tale do you think lends itself best to this technique?

*Can you write a reverso?

*Can you draw illustrations to go along with your reverso?

Wake Up, It's Spring!

Wake Up, It’s Spring!, by Lisa Campbell Ernst, is a beautiful book that has a succession of characters who tell each other that it’s Spring.  It’s fun to follow the progression of each character as they tell the next one about Spring.  The author uses very vivid verbs making this story a great mentor text for writing.  Retelling this story is fun because each scene builds to the next.  Making a chart/timeline would help children develop the story for retelling.  Most of all, it’s just a fun way to introduce Spring!

Question Collection:

*Can you retell the story?

*What descriptive words does the author use?

*What’s your favorite scene in the book?

One to Ten...and back again

One to Ten…..and back again is a fun, interactive book that helps children visualize numbers in a creative way.  The board book has cut out handles on each page to help children turn the page as the story is read.  Black and white looped moving ribbons are imprinted with various insects to represent each number.  As the brightly illustrated pages are turned, the ribbons reveal the insects.  After one to ten is counted through the pages, directions are given to turn the book around and upside down, revealing a reverse countdown back to one.  This book’s colors and fun in turning the pages just invites children to count and have fun.  The descriptive adjectives and verbs also add to the reading quality and visualization.  As your child learns to write, this book is a great one to pull out and use as a mentor text.  One to Ten…and back again would make a great gift for children learning to count (and write)!  Have fun!

Question Collection:

*Which insect do you like best?

*Do you like this book counting up or counting down better?  Why?

*What’s your favorite word in this book?

The Biggest Snowman Ever

The Biggest Snowman Ever, by Steven Kroll and illustrated by Jeni Bassett, is a story about two mice who enter the town snowman contest.  Both are trying to build the biggest snowman ever to win.  The book follows them and their friends as they go through the steps in building their snowmen.  The rivals soon discover the same idea---they can work together.  Their cooperation leads to winning the contest and developing their friendship. 

This book can be enjoyed for its story, a mentor text for writing instructions, and a discussion starter for social skills needed to develop friendships.   It’s a fun book that young children will enjoy!

Question Collection:

*Which snowman did you like best?

*What do you think Clayton and Desmond learned?

*What did you learn from this story?

ABC I Like Me!

ABC I Like Me!, by Nancy Carlson, is a great book to use with young children.  Each letter of the alphabet is used to describe the main character, a pig, by telling something the pig is or has.  The descriptions can be good conversation starters between children and parents.  It could also be used as a mentor text to write a book about things that describe oneself.  It’s a fun read with some good applications for life.

Question Collection:

*Do any of the pages describe you?

*Do any of the pages describe something you’d like to be?

*What would you write in a book about you?

Read more children's ABC books here!

A To Z, by Sandra Boynton

A To Z, by Sandra Boynton, is an amusing board book that can be read to young children and serve as a mentor text for older children.  Her illustrations are typical of her style:  simple, expressive, and colorful.  Each letter of the alphabet names an animal with an alliterative action verb.  The action verbs could serve as a good springboard for using descriptive words in older children’s writing.  Boynton’s books always bring smiles as we read them.  A To Z is another great example of her style!

Question Collection:

*Which animal is your favorite?

*Can you think of some more verbs to describe each animal?

*Could you write an alphabet book in this style?

Read more children's ABC books here!

Meeting Gloria Houston

Spruce Pine, North Carolina

What a blessing to meet a children’s author!  We were privileged to meet Gloria Houston and visit Spruce Pine, North Carolina (home of the Perfect Christmas Tree).  As we read books we try to talk about authors and illustrators, so it was very inspiring to meet an author whose books we’ve read.

Meeting Gloria Houston was delightful!  She is very personable and takes time to converse as she signs books.  We have some signed books that were gifts to our family, but this is the first noted children’s book author that we’ve had the pleasure of meeting.

We had fun reading her newest book, Miss Dorothy and Her Bookmobile.  It was fun to listen to her talk about how she gathered ideas for writing it.  Look for a book review of it here later this week.

Also, look for 31 days of children’s ABC books during the month of October!

What Time Is It, Mr. Crocodile?

What Time Is It, Mr. Crocodile?,  by Judy Sierra, is a fun book for children learning to tell time.  Mr. Crocodile’s hilarious antics with the monkeys in this book will have you and your child laughing!  On each page, the monkeys ask Mr. Crocodile what time it is.  He tells them in rhyming verse, while the reader can look at the clock and read the time.  We won’t spoil the twist in the story that makes Mr. Crocodile change his schedule.  You and your child can read to find out the change!

Note:  This book could also be used in primary grades to teach editing marks.  Mr. Crocodile’s change of schedule involves editing and revising which could be pointed out to children as they are learning about writing.

Question Collection:

*What do you think is the funniest thing in this book?

*What rhyming words did you hear?

*What’s your favorite time of the day?

Collecting Memories, Part 2

I love to scrapbook with Project Life, and I’ve found that our daughter also loves having her own photos of favorite events.  At first, I put pictures for her in a small 4 by 6 photo album.  This made it easy for her to carry and handle.  However, as she has developed more writing skills we’ve begun using a larger photo album that has space for writing beside each photo.  This has been a great way for her to label her photos as she goes back and looks at pictures of friends, family, and events.  Labeling the pictures with names has become very important to her.  We think it’s a great way for her to develop writing skills while she collects memories.  For another way we collect memories, check here.  


Do you have a way to for your children to collect their memories?  We’d love to hear about them!

Ideas for Photo Albums with Children:

*Let children pick from a variety of photos.

*Photos don't need to be in chronological order.

*Ask young children what they'd like to write about the photo.

*We label some photos with names only and others with dates, places, and other information.

*Leave space to add to the collection.  We like to do a few at a time so it's not overwhelming, but still remains fun.

*Ask children what photos they would like to take/have parents take at new events.

*Keep things fun!  Use colored pencils, stickers, etc. to add creativity to the writing spaces.

Collecting Memories, Part I

Summer is an especially great time to be making memories with your children.  Because of the changes in daily schedules, it can often be hard to capture those special memories.  One activity we’ve added to our routine is using journaling to record favorite child-chosen memories.  We’re using the Mead Primary Journal because it has lined paper with space at the top to draw pictures.  It’s such a great way for early writers to collect memories with pictures and writing. 

If you have a younger child who is not yet writing, you can use this journal for their drawings and have an adult record the child’s dictation to you.  If your child is a beginning writer, it’s a great tool to combine pictures and writing.  We’ve also used it to collect and share memories when a parent is out of town.  We labeled the days and then had our child draw pictures of various daily events.

Children love to read their own writing so this journal is often re-read which helps them form memories.  We hope you are having a great summer full of good memories too!

Collecting Memories Ideas:

*We use colored pencils or crayons to draw the pictures.   Markers have a tendency to bleed through to other pages.

*Spelling is not important.  We strive to write sentences, but lists are fine for some memories.

*To reinforce the importance of journaling, parents may want to write in their journals while children are completing their journal entries.

*Pictures and/or postcards from travel can be affixed in the space at the top.

*Enjoy collecting memories with your children!