PPBF: Moustache

Author: Gracia Iglesias
Illustrator: Guridi
Publisher: Lata de Sal, 2015
Age: 3-7
Themes: cats, whiskers, vanity
Opening: Ser gato y ser curioso son dos cosas casi inseperables.
Summary: (from my library catalog) Here’s what they had in Spanish: Ser gato y ser curioso son dos cosas casi inseparables. Moustache era un gato elegante, refinado y guapo, un gato con buenos modales y muy coqueto. Pero un día sus preciados bigotes se quemaron con tanta curiosidad. ¡Horror! ¿Qué hará Moustache? Quizás unos bigotes postizos sean la solución… O quizás la solución esté en la mano de un niño igual de curioso.”– Provided by publisher. And with the help of Google translate, I will give you summary: Being an elegant and refined cat and at the same time a curious cat can be dangerous. After Moustache gets too close to a flame and loses his prized whiskers but he does not lose heart. He sets out to replace them and finds a thoughtful friend along the way.

 

Why I like this book: I don’t know enough Spanish to read a picture book like this, but, lured by the marvelous artwork of Guridi, I made an effort with Google translate to learn more and was not disappointed.

 

Resources/Activities: learn Spanish (that note is for me!); at the very least, check out the foreign language section at your local library for books, some of which that might not even look like what you are used to; try to surmise what is going on based on the artwork; ask a member of the community to come and read a favorite book from their language/heritage to read a picture book to your class and explain the text.

For more Perfect Picture Book picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE.

PPBF: The Gingerbread Man Loose at the Zoo

Author: Laura Murray
Illustrator: Mike Lowery
Publisher: G.P.Putnam’s Sons, 2016, originally publ. in France by L’école des loisirs, 2013
Age: 4-8
Themes: gingerbread man, zoo animals, scavenger hunts
Opening: I woke to the sound of a rumbling ROAR! And hooting, and howling, and growling galore.
Summary: (from my library catalog) When the gingerbread man gets separated from his class during a field trip to the zoo, he uses his teacher’s animal scavenger hunt clues to find his way back to them.

Why I like this book: Another fantastic read-aloud from Laura Murray, layered with information on animal identification and fun! The illustrations are bright, comic-like (in composition too) and cheerful – bound to engage the whole class

Resources/Activities: great read for a science unit on zoology; create riddles about animals not included in the book: make a classroom scavenger hunt.

For more Perfect Picture Book picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE.

PPBF: Strong As a Bear

Author/Illustrator: Katrin Stangl
Publisher: Enchanted Lion, 2016 (Originally published in Germany in 2013 as Stark wie ein Bär.)
Age: 2-6
Themes: metaphors, concept books
Opening: *see first spread image below the endpaper image.
Summary: (from my library catalog) A series of children show how they are free as a bird, quick as a hare, mischievous as a monkey, quiet as a mouse, and strong as a bear.

Why I like this book: I actually liked this so much more at the second look – as with too many things, we move too fast and don’t savour the journey, but kids are still smart about that and I believe they will see straight off that this is an invitation to role play, to thinking out of the box, and the robust use of color and composition grabs a tight hold!

Resources/Activities: discuss the analogies made and make a new list and act them out; use in an art class to discuss how to use a limited color palette to extend powerful messages and imagery.

For more Perfect Picture Book picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE.