What Happens on Wednesday

As a single mother to Frances and Gloria, I have very specific routines.  None of us do well when we are not on a routine.  The girls feel secure knowing what will happen next, what will happen tonight or tomorrow.  Those routines keep us organized, keep us going, but can also frankly be exhausting.  Sometimes we trudge through the routine only because we are used to its predictability.  On the blog Mommy Shorts, Ilana has created a series called Wednesday Evenings in partnership with Allstate, and I love seeing it.  She chose all kinds of families, and sent a photographer to document their routines (there was also a series documenting family mornings too).  I find it so soothing to read this series - we are all in the same boat, where we do homework, eat dinner, read and give baths, no matter where we live or what we look like.

What Happens on Wednesdays is all about family routine.  The preschool girl who narrates the story begins with this line: "What happens on Wednesdays is I wake up when it is still dark out."  The mother in me groans at that idea, but there is the little girl, being swung out of her bed by her mother.  The other thing I love about this first page?  When the mom tries to kiss her daughter and is informed "...today is not a kissing day."  And with that statement, they are off.  The little girl revels in the structure - "Then she drinks her coffee and I drink my milk and maybe we have some strawberries while we read stories on the couch."  Even though this book shows one particular Wednesday, you get the feeling that for this little girl Wednesdays are blissfully similar.

After they wake up her dad, he takes his daughter out to the park to play before school.  Her mom has already gone to work on her computer in the back room of their apartment.  Another very developmentally appropriate thing about the narrator is her love of detail.  They don't just head off to school, they "walk past the store with the toy mouse you can ride for a quarter."  If you know any preschoolers, you are familiar with how long it takes them to recount something that has happened to them.  It is never straightforward and simple, the way busy adults prefer.  Instead their stories are embellished with all the details that they have noticed, all the details that are important to them.  And the details the little girl reports give color to her world.  When she and her mom stop at the library that evening, after swimming, she notes that it "has a stuffed duckling that's big enough to ride on.  There are shelves of scary grownup stories that spin around if you push them."  These are the details that make up our lives and that Jenkins celebrates here.

The day has many components to it - the morning routine, the school day, the afternoon (books, nap, swimming), and evening.  Sometimes the little girl notes where things are the same as every other day of the week - she lists out the school day schedule and then comments "Which  is the same on Wednesdays as any other day."  Or sometimes she explains what's different about Wednesdays: "What happens on Wednesdays is Daddy comes home early."  The routine is predictable but still has some flexibility in it.  "I put Band-Aids on Looga, my stuffed elephant or I make a puppet show, or I build a swimming pool of blocks, or I go through the laundry and try on grown-up clothes.  It is different every Wednesday." The other thing this daily routine helps the little girl manage is what is expected of her.  She knows that in the above quote, she is playing by herself while her mother cooks her dinner.  She must come up with a way to keep herself occupied until dinner is ready.

I noticed too that the parents are depicted having a very easy teamwork.  They often tag team in caring for their daughter.  I'm sure the handoff isn't always as seamless as it seems here, but while her mom gets up with her, her dad does school drop-off.  Her mom spends the afternoon with her and then her dad puts her in the bath after dinner.  "And what happens on Wednesdays is I can pick who puts me to bed.  So I pick Daddy."  The routine is very tied to her parents.  The book has a cozy feeling of family love in it - they are focused on their little girl's needs, but there are still other things going on.  They make dinner, return library books, empty the dishwasher - all those "other" tasks that need to be completed.

Lauren Castillo's illustrations for this story suit it perfectly.  Readers can look at any page and know exactly what's going on, even if their family doesn't look the same.  The routines depicted here are universal and comforting.  And the illustrations are packed full of the details the narrator finds so important.  There is the mom getting her daughter out of bed, still in her own pajamas.  Once the little girl pulls her dad out of bed, they go down to pick up the newspaper.  The dad is sporting mismatched pajamas and slippers as they head back up.   While the mom gets dressed and tidies up, the dad stays rumpled and unshaven all day (although he does change out of his pajamas!).  The illustrations work perfectly with the text to create that feeling of real, authentic family life.

While Wednesday isn't a special day - not a holiday or a day to be celebrated - it is a day full of love.  It is every day and yet it's a day that will be documented and remembered thanks to this lovely story.  I love the celebration of family life - it was comforting to the girls and to me as a parent.  It's a great choice for a Wednesday night or any other night for that matter.

What Happens on Wednesdays. Emily Jenkins; pictures by Lauren Castillo.  Frances Foster Books: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007.

borrowed from Lewis & Clark Library

Think About How Everyone...

I have always loved the kind of books that Harriet Ziefert creates.  I love them for a number of reasons - the silliness that is so simply incorporated in the text, the way the books aren't overly complicated, but are readable time after time.  Her comprehension of literacy and how preschoolers are attracted to reading about subjects is really superb.  Her books teach, but in a very natural way.  And her text always pairs so well with Emily Bolam's illustrations - Bolam has a simple, colorful style that coordinates so perfectly with Ziefert's text.  So last year, on a SLJ webinar, I heard about a new series from Blue Apple Books (Ziefert's own publishing company) from Ziefert and Bolam, and was thrilled to receive it from the publisher a few weeks later.

There were four titles sent to me from the First Nonfiction series: Does a Bear Wear Boots?, Does a Camel Cook Spaghetti?, Does a Panda Go to School? and Does a Woodpecker Use a Hammer?  Each one of  these titles encourage preschoolers to think about topics they might otherwise take for granted.  For instance, you might be able to predict that in Does a Bear Wear Boots?, preschoolers will be thinking about what everyone wears (a popular topic in daycares everywhere).  But there are also topics that encourage more complex thinking, such as understanding how everyone learns and how animals use tools.  Let's take a closer look at each of the titles, because they are each unique.

 



Does a Woodpecker Use a Hammer? focuses on tools.  Each section of the book starts out with a question about an animal" "Can an octopus hammer?"  The animal in question is attempting to use a hammer, which can look really silly, depending on the animal.  The octopus has eight hammers tightly grasped in its tentacles, but it's difficult to find something to hammer on underwater!  When the reader turns the page, they'll find one or two facts about how that animal really uses tools and why.  For the octopus, tools are used more for protection.  The illustration on that page also shows the octopus using the tool correctly.  The text transitions very smoothly from chimps, who use tools in some of the same ways humans do, to humans constructing and manipulating tools.  Astonishingly, Ziefert then takes on what could be the gargantuan task of summarizing the human history of tools...in a book for preschoolers!  And even though it feels like an incredibly difficult topic, she writes about it in a simple and informative way.  Ziefert travels from cavemen to plows, Egyptians and Romans, to modern-day tool use.  In the last double-paged spread, all of the tools are labeled so readers can begin to match the vocabulary with the picture.  The book ends with questions for the reader: "Does your mom use tools? Does your dad?  Do you?"

 

 

On the front cover of Does a Bear Wear Boots? ,  a polar bear is shown wearing very fashionable red polka dotted boots.  He might be able to carry off this look, except for the grouchy look on his face!  The pattern is much the same as the first book, where a question is asked: "Does a musk ox wear an overcoat?"  The musk ox looks very entertaining in a purple overcoat, but the next page explains that its thick fur acts as insulation, keeping it warm.  This text moves from silly questions "Do ducks wear diapers?" to facts - that babies wear diapers until they are potty-trained.  In this title, Ziefert and Bolam  go through many of the types of clothing we wear everyday (although it is fairly Americanized - there aren't any recognizably diverse pieces of clothing).  These are all clearly labeled.  There are also clothes for certain occupations, special occasions, or costumes.  As I mentioned before, this title in particular would be perfect in a preschool classroom as it is a standard classroom topic.  This book brings humor to the topic (reminiscent of Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing), while also challenging readers to draw comparisons and contrasts between ourselves and the animal kingdom.

 

 

 

If you are wondering Does a Camel Cook Spaghetti?, of course the answer is no.  But young readers may not have previously considered how animals get their food.  They can learn that a camel may go a month without food if necessary, or that a raccoon with food may "wash" it without water if none is available.  The human part of this book ties together themes from the other two, as it integrates tools and clothing for cooking.  It also briefly discusses gardening and how people eat in different cultures.  And last but not least, it explains that animals must eat what is in their territory.  They can't eat a taco since it isn't in their territory.  As in the other titles, the books finishes with questions pointed at the readers to draw them in.

 

 

 

The final book is Does a Panda Go to School?  And while we know the answer is no, it is interesting to observe how animals do learn in their own environments.  In this one, young children are guided through a typical school day with animals in the classroom.  An ostrich could not go to school, because it could not follow directions or put its backpack away.  The one animal who might have a good time in the classroom?  A chimp - they learn through very similar methods.  But even the chimp has its limitations!!  This book has a slightly different rhythm than the other three.  It has the added benefit of introducing school structure and routine to preschoolers in a non-threatening way.  They will enjoy the idea of animals cavorting in the classroom and then can learn more about how chimps learn.

 

 

I've said a little about the illustrations, but I love Bolam's ability to keep their illustrations clean, realistic and sharp.  Everything is outlined in black lines, which makes it easier to grasp what is going on.  And she has a real talent for showing what's going on in a realistic way.  But that realism also has plenty of humor in it.  An armadillo sits in the story circle, trying her hardest not to squirm.  A chimpanzee holds hands with a little boy as he crosses the street with a backpack on.  A duck looks bemusedly at its bottom, festooned in diapers.  Bolam helps emphasize the absurdity in us expecting animals to do things just like we do.

 

 

Each of the titles begins a letter from Ziefert to parents.  It addresses how parents can involve children in reading the books together.  It encourages parents to bring the books to life by drawing parallels to the child's own life.  She also discusses the illustrations and how readers can expand on those outside the story.  Finally, Ziefert explains the pages of questions and answers at the end of each book.

 

 

I think the Think About section at the end of each title in the series makes these books useful to a much larger population than just preschoolers.  There are questions to help readers compare and contrast different groups of animals and humans: "What are some things animals eat that you like to eat?"  "If animals don't go to school, what do they all day?"  There are also Research, Observe, and Write, Tell or Draw sections.  In families with children of various ages, this book might be a read-aloud to a younger child and then an older child could work through the Think About section.  It's a series that is equally at home in the picture book or nonfiction sections at the library too.  Blue Apple continues to add new books in this series, and I can't wait to read more of them.

 

 

Does a Bear Wear Boots? Harriet Ziefert; illustrations by Emily Bolam.  Blue Apple Books, 2005, 2014.

Does a Camel Cook Spaghetti? Harriet Ziefert; illustrations by Emily Bolam.  Blue Apple Books, 2007, 2014.

Does a Panda Go to School?  Harriet Ziefert; illustrations by Emily Bolam.  Blue Apple Books, 2003, 2014.

Does a Woodpecker Use a Hammer? Harriet Ziefert; illustrations by Emily Bolam.  Blue Apple Books, 2014.

 

sent by the publisher upon request





 

Eggs 1,2,3: Who Will the Babies Be?

Summer sped by for me - how about for you?  Some things in our lives stay the same all summer.  Gloria is in a year-round preschool/daycare, and obviously our general schedule each week stays the same.  But in Montana, summer is so short, and we took advantage of it this summer by packing in swim lessons, tending our vegetable garden, and outdoor time.  One thing we have enjoyed doing each summer is taking part in our local library's summer reading program.  It's called "Four to Score", and we record the titles and what we liked best about four books to earn a prize.  The sheet asks for three fiction books and one nonfiction title.  The librarians tell us that young children don't actually have to read nonfiction.  But you know me - I am such a nonfiction lover, and I want to read nonfiction with the girls.

It isn't always easy to find nonfiction that appeals to Gloria, though.  At 4 1/2, she is doing some reading on her own (Dinosaur vs. the Library was one she read to her preschool class recently), and she has pretty limited interest in the subjects Frances wants to read about.  Also, much of the nonfiction that Frances checks out is too long and detailed for Gloria.  So when Eggs 1,2,3 came up in my blog pile last week, I was really excited to share it with both Frances and Gloria.

When I first got Eggs 1,2,3: Who Will the Babies Be? as a nomination for the Cybils last year, I couldn't wait to read it.  I had reviewed Janet Halfmann's previous Cybils nomination, Star of the Sea  and all of us loved it.  So I had a feeling that we would all like this one too.  And the rest of the Nonfiction Picture Book panel agreed, making this a finalist for the Nonfiction Picture Book award.  Sadly, it didn't win, but I'd like to focus on why this is a perfect preschool-level book.

Eggs 1,2,3: Who Will the Babies Be? combines several ways of looking at information in a format that's very accessible for young children.  First of all, the book is a counting book.  Each double-page spread has an enormous number on the left-hand side of the page, corresponding to the number of eggs on that spread.  On the first page, Halfmann sets the tone.  There is a sentence describing the egg and its habitat.  Then she asks the reader to guess "Who will the baby be?"  Young readers can look at the illustration on the opposite page for clues.  Again, Thompson has carefully considered the readers and given fairly obvious indications of the answer.  Then they can open a sturdy flap to reveal the answer.  The number is repeated inside the flap: "5 wiggly glowworms, their tiny tails shining, growing up to be fireflies."  The eggs increase in number from 1 to 10.  And the number of eggs is appropriate for each animal, bird or reptile, which is no easy feat.  At the end of the book, there is one last chance to count all the eggs, and inside the flap, all the babies.

The book seems deceptively simple.  But Halfmann and Thompson are working some real magic here.  First of all, the sentence that gives clue to the egg's inhabitant including important information for the reader.  Those sentences might divulge details about the creature's habitat "a land of ice and snow", what the egg looks like "tiny and round", and whether the parents are involved.  The illustrations are crucial to helping readers identify the baby, and those might include details of the parents or habitat as well.  The eggs, too, are always prominent.  Once the flap is opened then readers see the babies once they hatch, as well as learning their identity and the specific name of the baby, if applicable: "6 babies called fry, eating, eating, eating, and soon they are fish".

There are many things I like about this book, and one of those things is its suitability for many audiences.  It's a natural learning tool whether used in small groups or read with a parent. But it comes alive when used in a storytime.  Listeners can participate by giving the numbers, counting the number of eggs and babies and guessing who might be inside the egg.  It is also a nonfiction book that reads more like a story.  The information has been incorporated into this format so seamlessly, which makes me appreciate the effort that must have gone in to writing this text.  

Finally, one of the best things about the book is the design.  The flaps are extremely sturdy and will hold up to repeated (and rough) readings.  The flaps also open in different directions to keep the experience interesting and fresh.  

One other thing I'd like to mention about this book is that there is no back matter in this title.  While I usually look very carefully at the back matter, this is one title where it is appropriate not to have back matter.  Halfmann has included enough detail for preschoolers in the actual text.  Young children don't need to use a bibliography as a jumping-off point for additional research.  They've been given everything they need already, and I admire the simplicity here.

The illustrations are collaged, with textured papers and layered cut-paper assemblies.  The art walks a fine line between realism and collage very successfully.  The collaged elements add depth to the pictures, but Thompson is careful to use natural colors and replicate the creatures exactly.  The eggs look very real as well, and you can almost feel their exteriors as you look at the pages.  The turtle eggs look tough and leathery; the tadpole eggs really seem encased in shimmering jelly.

This is such a terrific book.  The eggs are fascinating, and so are the animals that lay them.  Halfmann and Thompson have done a masterful job bringing the topic to life for the youngest readers.  I highly recommend it!

Eggs 1,2,3: Who Will the Babies Be? Janet Halfmann; art by Betsy Thompson.  Blue Apple Books, 2012.

Note: I am on the Cybils Nonfiction Picture Book panel, but this blog post does not represent the committee's thoughts about the book.  It only represents my personal ideas and thoughts.

sent by the publisher in consideration for the Cybils

Shout! Shout it Out!

I love Denise Fleming's exuberant style.  Her colors are always rich and saturated.  Her unique style of pulp painting gives so much texture to the illustrations that you can almost rub your hand across them.  Many of the books she creates on her own are perfect preschool books - she tackles topics simply, but creates a lot of excitement, too.  Some of my favorites are In a Small, Small Pond and The First Day of Winter.  I've blogged about Denise Fleming in a guest post here because I love her books so much.

I have always loved her book The Everything Book.  It is a compendium of lots of different information (the names of objects we use everyday, shapes, etc.), rhymes, poems and other fun things.  It is a great book for moms to use with their very young children (maybe 12-18 months), as they begin to learn language and how it connects to them.  There is even a board book version, but I prefer the larger format picture book because there's more space to pore over everything.  Unfortunately for me, Frances and Gloria never connected with The Everything Book.  Every once in a while, I will sneak it back into our book pile, but it often goes unread.

So when I saw Fleming's newest picture book, Shout! Shout it Out!, I wasn't sure what the reaction would be.  It is similar to The Everything Book in that it is pages of concepts every preschooler should know - numbers, letters, colors among others.  However, there is a dynamic framing device for these concepts that really drew my girls in.
On the first page, there is a teacher telling a group of preschoolers that if they know it, they should "shout it out"!  So the teacher is encouraging not only the participation of the preschoolers in the book, but also the preschoolers who are reading and listening to the book.  On each subsequent page, one of the group of children is clearly shouting out what is pictured on the page, their mouths agape.  Except for the teacher's encouragement each time a new concept is introduced "Shout! Shout it out!", there is very little additional text.  This makes the book very accessible to young children, as they don't need an adult reader to help them after the first time they go through the book.  Frances enjoyed this book several times by herself (at the top of her lungs, much like the kids in the book).

There is one tiny mouse (a trademark of Fleming's) who appears on each page to make a comment.  You can incorporate the mouse's remarks into your reading of the story, but young readers will more than likely skip over them.  At the end of the recitation of facts and concepts, the mouse is asked what he knows, and he has been paying attention on the previous pages.  He shouts out what he knows, again, with his mouth opened as wide as possible.

The concepts included in this book are basic, so all young children will be able to participate in this book.  The energy you feel when reading is so contagious - all the letters and numbers are dancing on the pages, full of color and movement.  It's really fun!  It would work very well on the first day of preschool or kindergarten, to help draw out shy children with something they already know.  It would help encourage them to connect with other students over their shared knowledge while showing teachers what students do and do not know.  But there was just as much shouting in my living room, so don't hesitate to use it one on one, either.

One final note - I highly recommend Denise Fleming's website which has lots of color, energy, activities and fun.  I also follow Denise on Facebook to get sneak peeks of art she's working on or which schools she's visiting.  Go check her out!  You won't be sorry you did!

Shout! Shout it Out!  Denise Fleming.  Henry Holt and Company, 2011.
borrowed from Lewis & Clark Library