PPBF: The Turnaround Wind

Author/Illustrator: Arnold Lobel
Publisher: Harper & Row, 1988
Age: 4-8
Themes: wind, chaos, perspective

Opening: One afternoon in summer, the sky was clear and blue. The countryside was filled with happy beings.

Summary: (from my library catalog) The reader turns the book upside down to see what happens when a fierce wind blows through a country town one afternoon, affecting many different people and animals out enjoying the summer air.

I like this book because: I love novelty books that invite the reader to interact and see things from another perspective – sometimes literally! The strength and energy brought with the pencil illustrations refreshing now, maybe because we see less of it in contemporary picture books. Both the humor and the interaction is something kids would return for , and that’s all a creator wants – for kids to return!

Resources/activities: look at more books that either break the 4th wall (The Monster at the End of This Book), ask the reader to move the book (Shake the Tree!), or break the idea of what we assume picture books to be (Peter Newell Books).

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

PPBF: I Hate Everyone

Posted by julie rowan zoch

Author: Naomi Danis
Illustrator: Cinta Arribas
Publisher: POW!, 2018
Age: 3-7
Themes: emotions, parties, frustration
Opening: It’s my birthday, so boo! I hate all of you.

Summary: (from my library catalog) “I hate everyone.” In your worst mood, it’s a phrase you might want to shout out loud, even if, deep down, you don’t really mean it. Set at a birthday party, this disgruntled, first-person story portrays the confusing feelings that sometimes make it impossible to be nice, even or especially when everyone else is in a partying mode. A gorgeous, poetic contemplation, sure to elicit a reaction from readers.

I like this book because: That cover! And I do have a weakness for the magic artists can create with a limited palette. I get this character, we’ve all been in her shoes, and it’s so easy to identify with her situation, even if we don’t know what brought on the initial frustration. I also appreciate the close-up perspective in most of the spreads, which allow the reader to be right there as an ally.

Resources/activities: discuss what might frustrate us. Are these BIG deals or is it okay to be frustrated when they are not. Can we think of strategies to help us get through them, can we be kind to ourselves and be with our feelings even when it doesn’t please others? Draw yourself in a situation where you might feel frustrated.

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

PPBF: Willy and Hugh

Posted by julie rowan zoch

Author/Illustrator: Anthony Browne
Publisher: Knopf, 1991
Age: 3-8
Themes: bullies, friendship, fears

Opening: (sorry! I returned the book and forgot to write it down!)

Summary: (from my library catalog) Willy the chimpanzee is lonely until he meets Hugh Jape in the park, and the two become friends. BUT read this much better one to know why decent recommendations matter: (From goodreads) It’s not easy being a chimp in a world of oversized gorillas, and in WILLY AND HUGH, our scrawny hero is lonely for a pal. Hulking Hugh seems an unlikely candidate, but as Willy discovers, the oddest couples can make the best of friends.

I like this book because: the awe inspiring illustration and design (I melt over Browne’s artwork!), but I love unexpected friendships, don’t-judge-a-book-by-it’s-cover surprises, and books that are easy to read visually. We often don’t talk about the levels of visual understanding for the youngest among us, but we should!

Resources/activities: Talk about what fears we have and reasons why we might have them, as well as strategies we can use to overcome as well as accept them. Yes, same tip from a few months ago with Don’t Worry, Little Crab/Chris Haughton – so read that book too!