It’s Monday and I’m happy to be participating in a weekly event with a community of bloggers who post reviews of books that they have read the previous week. Check out more IMWAYR posts here: Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers
It’s November and that means it’s time to celebrate Picture books! November is Picture Book Month and I’m planning on sharing LOTS of picture books with you! Today is my first of what I hope to be many posts this month as I celebrate my favorite thing!
“Some collect purses, some collect shoes,
some collect hats and trading cards too.
Some collect cars and some collect tools
I collect picture books. To me, they are jewels!”
I just made that up!
So here are the picture books I’ve read recently…
How to Bake a Book – Ella Burfoot
How do you write a perfect story? This book has the recipe which includes….a pinch of good, a dash of bad, some big words, and carefully cut out characters! A playful picture book with rhyming text outlines what goes into the writing process. I don’t usually love rhyming texts but this one was fun and didn’t feel forced. Cheerful and playful illustrations with great references to story elements and word choice. A great book to share at Writer’s Workshop!
Sometimes You Barf – Nancy Carlson
After stuffing your with Halloween candy – I think many children might be able to make CONNECTIONS to this book! Hard to believe that a book about barfing could actually be cute but Nancy Carlson manages to take the gross factor away from the topic of vomiting and make you giggle! “If you are going to barf at school, make sure you do it on your Math Test!” Nancy Carlson’s message is simple: Everyone, including people and animals get sick and then you get over it. The text is simple and straight to the point and the charming illustrations are not over the top or gross. Funny and a great book to have on hand at school… just in case!
The New Kid – Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
Just because someone is different, doesn’t mean they can’t be your friend. This is a wonderful book with a great message about acceptance and friendship without being too “teacherish”. It just so happens that I have a new student starting tomorrow in my class and this is the book I will be sharing! Soft, gentle illustrations – this book is charming.
Why? – Tracey Corderoy
I love books that celebrate questions ! Otto is a curious rhino who wants to know everything! “Why does toast make crumbs? Why is milk splashy?” His parents decide that a trip to the museum might be just the thing. But Otto has even MORE questions than ever! Delightful!
Any Questions? – Marie-Louise Gay
Speaking of asking questions… where do stories come from? In this extraordinary new book by the author of the Stella books, Marie-Louise Gay takes her readers on a journey of writing process – from topic choice, to word choice, from developing characters and plot to finding the perfect ending. This book is a celebration of the creative process, of asking questions and of sharing stories. I loved the way she includes the actual story within her story – while taking us through the process through her own voice. Whimsical illustrations and detailed features – this book is one to savor.
Hunters of the Great Forest – Dennis Nolan
I love wordless picture books and often use them to help young readers understand the strategy of inferring. In Hunters of the Great Forest , a fantastic new wordless story, we follow a band of curiously tiny hunters as they embark on a journey full of adventure and danger. This book is filled with small details and many surprises! You have to look carefully at the illustrations or you will miss something! This book is charming and clever – and perfect for inferring, questioning and predicting! LOVE it!
Before After – Mathias Arigui
Another clever and surprising wordless picture book. This book takes objects, landscapes, animals, situations and presents them in their “Before After” states. Appealing, simple, graphic illustrations – the colors pop off the black page. While you might predict that an acorn grows into an oak tree or a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, you will be surprised to discover the “afters” of some of the other examples in the book. I was hooked on page 1 – this book is beautiful!
Thanks for stopping by! Which book(s) caught your eye?
I’m just not a big picture book fan! Unless the book is about dogs and I can read it to my constant companion, Sylvie, I tend not to pick them up. Since I am in a middle school, that’s okay. I’ve bought some picture book biographies and history titles, and my students are reluctant to look at them. I’ll have to think of a way to celebrate November!
Well you have motivated me to do a post on my favorite picture books for Intermediate students! There are SO many books that are not suitable for anyone BUT middle school students! Stay tuned!
Wow, Adrienne, it’s so great to see all these new picture books. I put them all on my list, especially love the idea of “before-after” & the writing process book-will work so well for different lessons. I’ve used a ‘before/after’ format for a poetry idea in the past. Students create some of the best topics from just that. Thanks very much for all!
I love the sound of your “before and after” poems! Can you send me a sample? This book would fit perfectly for that lesson I think! It is beautiful to look at – so colorful and very clever. I think you will like it!
Such lovely picture books today! I’ll have to check these out and see if I can wriggle them into my sixth grade class.
I think they would enjoy the Before and After book – and then they could design their own “Before and After” pages!
Before/After sounds interesting! I just learned about Picture Book Month! So happy to share in this celebration!
Yes – it is certainly something to celebrate! Check out my facebook page – I post a book a day and am celebrating picture books this month!
https://www.facebook.com/readingpowergear
Put in a request for Any Questions? sounds like a great one to use with students. I am intrigued by Hunters of the Great Forest, but wondering if it would be tough for a read aloud with so many tiny details.
If you had a document camera – it would really help! There are some very small details that can’t be missed! But well worth it – a great wordless picture book!
Adrienne – There are so many here that I have to look for. Thank you for sharing these titles. Sometimes You Barf looks particularly fun.
Sometimes You Barf is great – my students LOVED it! Love Nancy Carlson books so much. Have you read “How to Lose All Your Friends”? It’s another classic Carlson!
If you had a document camera – it would really help! There are some very small details that can’t be missed! But well worth it – a great wordless picture book!
Sometimes You Barf is great – my students LOVED it! Love Nancy Carlson books so much. Have you read “How to Lose All Your Friends”? It’s another classic Carlson!
I love Any Questions? Planned to share it with the kids today but we had a time glitch so on the books for tomorrow. I have a signed copy! Have you seen the trailer? Is adorable. Showed it to my class today. Great titles here!
Just watched the trailer! Adorable! I read the book to a K class today – they practiced asking different kinds of questions – so fun! Great for oral language! The best question was “Why do you talk so much?” (directed at me!) Ha!
I love Any Questions? Planned to share it with the kids today but we had a time glitch so on the books for tomorrow. I have a signed copy! Have you seen the trailer? Is adorable. Showed it to my class today. Great titles here!
Just watched the trailer! Adorable! I read the book to a K class today – they practiced asking different kinds of questions – so fun! Great for oral language! The best question was “Why do you talk so much?” (directed at me!) Ha!
What a great selection! Wow! Love the questioning ones…
Thanks! Why? is a great book!
Thanks! Why? is a great book!
Such gorgeous picturebooks you have here Adrienne. I’ve been seeing “Any Questions?” quite a bit recently and I am definitely intrigued. Will definitely look for it. I love wordless picturebooks so I was also taken by your description of Hunters of the Great Forest – thanks for sharing so many beauties this week!
Such gorgeous picturebooks you have here Adrienne. I’ve been seeing “Any Questions?” quite a bit recently and I am definitely intrigued. Will definitely look for it. I love wordless picturebooks so I was also taken by your description of Hunters of the Great Forest – thanks for sharing so many beauties this week!