Post #2 Children's Picture Book

Author: Margaret Wise Brown
Published: 1947
ISBN: 0064430170







      Picture books were first published in 1484. The first one that was published was Aesop's Fables. Fables are short stories which depict a moral and teach a lesson to children. The theme of the fable and the characters are appealing to children.

      The characters of the fables are usually or always animals who act and talk just like humans but are still an animal. The fables are short reads to keep the child focused and the fables feature animals that children love.

      A Picture book consists of a high concentration of Dolch words (sight words), the 3 Rs (rhyme, rhythm, repetition), good picture to text match, and promote interactive discussion. 

     There are many types of picture books. Some are baby books, interactive books, toy books (pop-up), alphabet books, and counting books. There are Concept books (explain an activity), Pattern books (picture books that strongly emphasize word patterns) and sometimes Predictable books (Brown Bear Brown Bear).

     The book I chose to blog about is "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd. The book was first published in 1947 and is depicted as a highly acclaimed bedtime story.Goodnight Moon is a classic children's tale. The text of the book is a poem written in rhyme, describing a rabbit's bedtime ritual of saying goodnight to objects in the rabbit's bedroom.

     As popular as this book is, I did not read it until 2009. My son had come home from school and he kept repeating, "Good night cow jumping over the moon." When I asked him what he was saying, he told me, "Goodnight Moon Mommy." He then said his teacher read this book to him in class.

     We took a ride to Barnes and Noble  and purchased the book. That night, I sat down with my son to read Goodnight Moon. To my amazement, my son spoke every line on the page (he memorized the story). After putting him to bed, I sat on the couch and read the book to myself. I enjoyed reading every line, looking at every picture, and the sentiment behind this book.

     Goodnight Moon is truly an amazing children's picture book and I would love to read this book to my students. I do not know as of yet how I would share this book with students, but I know I will come up with a phenomenal lesson for it.

      

Reading with Brendan

Written By: Anne Bowen

Published: September 2008

ISBN: 0822579847

          In reflection of "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed  a Fly,"  Bowen shares the story of an old teacher, named Miss Bindley, a true kindred spirit of the infamous old lady who also has an ever-growing appetite of unappetizing objects. While a group of students spy on her, Miss Bindley devours a flea, a spider, a fish, etcetera, and as she feasts on one class pet after another, her students begin to wonder if children are on the menu too.

         My favorite book of all time is "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly." My son also shares my love and favortism of this book as well. So it is with such delight that I recommend "I Know an Old Teacher" by Anne Bowen. 

         Brendan found this book, while searching through the picture books on the shelf at the library. He fell in love with the picture on the book and asked me to read it to him. We found an empty table and sat down. I opened the book and began to read.

         I read this book using the technique I use in reading  "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly." While reading the book, my son had this huge smile on his face. He laughed hysterically at the idea of her eating different kinds of animals.  When she would swallow an animal, my son exclaimed with a look of fear and laughter on his face, "Mommy look out, she's gonna eat him."

       While watching him, I was brought back to the same look I had on my face when I first heard my favorite book read to me. I could not stop staring at him while he looked back through the book. After we left, book in his hand, he kept telling me about the book on the way home. He tried reading to his younger brothers, but they weren't listening as my son said. When he could, he sat by himself and read this book either out loud (in his own way) or to someone who would listen.

      I am happy to report that my son found his favorite book (for now) on our weekly visit to the library

       

      

     

Post #1 Caldecott Medal Of Honor 1998

Author: Simms Taback
Published 1997
Caldecott Medal of Honor 1998
ISBN:0670869392






      "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" was awarded the Caldecott Medal of Honor in 1998. Before it was a book, it was originally a song written by Alan Mills in 1953. The song was originally turned into a book written and illustrated by Pam Adams (ISBN 0-85953-727-7) The book did not receive recognition until Simms Taback wrote and illustarted it in 1997.
      
       The book tells the story of an old lady who swallows animals to catch the previous animal she swallowed. Through illustrations we see the swallowing of each animal through a hole on each page of the book. It is phrased for each animal making a comment when a new animal arrives into her stomach.
      
        I chose this book because this is the book that began my foundation into reading. When I was in Kindergarten, my teacher Mrs Pizzano, told the class it was story time. She held up the book and said "We are reading "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly." When she began reading the story, my eyes opened wide and I stared at the book in amazement. I wondered how and why she was swallowing all these animals.

        Every time the old lady swallowed a new animal, my teacher made the sound effects for each one. Reading the book this way, made the story come to life. By adding a level of personification, she made this tale interesting, exciting,  and  most of all inspiring to me.

       Years later when I became a teacher, I read  "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly," to my students. Like my teacher, I used the same technique she used in reading this book.  As I began reading, I looked at my students faces and noticed the stunned amazement that was gleaming in their eyes. This response from the students showed that the book has not lost its luster, and is still effective at influencing impressionable children.

        At some point in our educational career, we as students can relate to this story. Hearing this tale makes us reminisce to the time when we were young and first heard this story read to us in class. I strongly believe that this book is the best tool to encourage students to read.