The Patchwork Quilt/Jerry Pinkney

The Patchwork Quilt

Written by: Valerie Flourney

Illustrated by: Jerry Pinkney

1986 Corretta Scott King Award

In this book, Tanya's grandmother had begun to make a patchwork quilt using scraps from old shirts, Halloween costumes, and any other materials that had meaning to them. Tanya was so interested in how her grandmother so carefully cut pieces of material and sewed them together so she spent much of her time watching and helping her grandmother produce this "masterpiece." On Christmas morning, Grandma becomes sick and is no longer able to work on finishing the quilt. With the help of her mother, Tanya takes it upon herself to help finish the quilt for her grandmother. Finally, when Grandma is able to begin working on the quilt again, she finishes it by stitching on the last square, which reads, "For Tanya From your Mama and Grandma".

I really enjoyed reading this book. This is a wonderful story about Tanya, her grandmother, and their family. A patchwork quilt brings the family together while the children develop a new appreciation for Grandmother’s quilts making skills.The story reminded me that every family is different. Every family has diversities in shape, size, colors, and a uniqueness of love.

Other books illustrated by Jerry Pinkney:

The Song of the Trees. New York: Dial, 1975.
The Tales of Uncle Remus. New York: Dial, 1987.
Back Home. New York: Dial, 1992.

John Henry. New York: Dial, 1994.
Sam and the Tigers. New York: Dial, 1996.
Black Cowboy, Wild Horses. New York: Dial, 1998.
The Little Match Girl. Adapted by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial, 1999.
The Nightingale. Adapted by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial, 2002.
Little Red Hen. New York: Dial, 2006.
The Old African. New Tork: Dial, 2005.

The Thorax by Dr. Seuss

The Lorax is a children's book written by Dr. Seuss and first published in 1971. It chronicles the plight of the environment and the Lorax - a creature who speaks for the trees against the greedy Once-ler. The Lorax is didactic in the fact that it teaches that greed and wastefulness can lead to the destruction of our Earth. This book makes children think about and discuss pollution and the harm that is done to our animal populations too. It also opens the door to discussions about animal extinction. It is a great book to read on Earth Day. The following site is an excellent resource for this book! http://www.seussville.com/lorax/

Some didactic books are still written today. The Berenstain Bears’ books offer many lessons, but they often portray Papa Bear as a big buffoon. His anger and incompetence is problematic in that it paints a picture of fatherhood that is not at all pleasant or admirable. Another book that I found was Midnight the Cow. This is an adorable children's book with a moral lesson that teaches good character traits. Patricia Polacco books oftentimes discuss issues too. For example, "Thank you, Mr. Falker," is an autobiographical account of Polacco's battle with dyslexia. This book deals with bullying and teasing issues, and shows kids how words can hurt others.

What is the difference between Caldecott and Newbery Awards?

The Newbery Medal was named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

Simply stated, the difference between these two awards is that the Caldecott Award is for children’s book with great drawings and the Newbery Award is for a chapter book that has a great story. I don't believe either award is better than the other because they are for two very different things.

Corretta Scott King/Newbery Award Book

Bud, Not Buddy

Written by: Christopher Paul Curtis

2000 Newbery Medal Winner

2000 Corretta Scott King Award

Bud, Not Buddy tells the story of a young boy who lives in Michigan during the Great Depression. After living in an orphanage and escaping from a foster home where he's forced to sleep in a shed, Bud travels on his own to find a musician, Herman E. Calloway, who he believes is his father. On his way, he finds a Hooverville, a city made up of the homeless and jobless, where people treat him well. He also meets a kind limousine driver, who warns him about the dangers of a black person traveling alone. When Bud finally meets Herman E. Calloway, he is welcomed by Herman's entire band. Herman, though, isn't so sure how he feels about this boy who claims to be his son. Herman and Bud are both in for a surprise when they find out that Bud isn't Herman's son, but his grandson

Bud, Not Buddy is set during the Great Depression and offers students the opportunity to think about the hardships that the American people experienced during this time in history. Through the homeless main character, students are asked to explore the themes of family, survival, and hope. They are also challenged to think about how racism further threatened the lives of African Americans during this period. Though the living conditions in the novel seem bleak, the main character never loses his sense of humor and offers young readers a survival story with a happy ending.

Caldecott Medal & Honor Books

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
Written by: Doreen Cronin

Illustrated by: Betsy Lewin

2001 Caldecott Honor Book

This book book tells the story of Farmer Brown's cows, who find an old typewriter in the barn and proceed to write letters to Farmer Brown, listing various demands. When their demands aren't met, they go on strike.

This innovative and smart story introduces children to the concept of bargaining and compromise. Using the tools at their disposal, the cows worked hard for their basic needs. Skills and smarts add up to a successful outcome. It is also a great tribute to fair play and introduces the power of communication in a way that even the youngest listener will enjoy.

This story is funny, engaging, and was one of my daughter's favorite books when she was younger. Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type is a great read aloud book that offers many opportunities for learning. Please check out http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=847 and http://www.webenglishteacher.com/cronin.html for some great lesson plan ideas!

Related Books

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Williams

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

Caldecott Medal & Honor Books

So You Want to Be President?

Written by: Judith St. George

Ilustrutated by: David Small

2001 Caldecott Medal Winner

This book introduces the reader to our past presidents by showing some of their most human qualities. Through anecdotes and fun facts, the reader finds out what made these men both great and ordinary. This fun book contains some great presidential quotes, and plenty of other comments to laugh at as well. David Small plays up the humorous points with his cartoon-inspired mixed media (watercolor, ink and and pastel) illustrations.

I loved reading this fun book to my 4th grade class! Throughout each page we were informed of brief history and trivia of forty-nine presidents. It was a wonderfully, enjoyable read with lots of colorful and comical art work. I would recommend it to anyone who would like their child to gain a better understanding of U.S. History!

Check out this site for some great lesson plan ideas! http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=798_type=Book_typeId=2649

Caldecott Medal & Honor Books

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

Written and Illustrated by: Mordicai Gerstein

2004 Caldecott Medal Winner

2004 ALA Notable Children's Book

2004 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Picture Book

This award winning book is a very interesting story. It is about a man that is extremely gifted at walking tight ropes. After gazing at the Twin Towers of New York City he decides that he wants to be the first to walk between the Towers. One night he sneaks into one of the towers with his equipment and attaches the rope between the towers. By morning he proceeds to walk between the towers, a crowd gathers to witness this magnificient feat. When the policeman comes to arrest him he continues with his stunt until he is safe at the other tower. Instead of serving time for this dare devilish stunt he is assigned to perform community service for the children as entertainment. This is a true story that I would recommend to children in grades 3rd and 4th. Since the Twin Towers no longer stand in New York City, it is also an important part of the Towers history. Please check out the following site for some great lesson plans! http://eduscapes.com/library/m/man_who_walked_between_the_towers.htm

Caldecott Medal & Honor Books

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale

Written and Illustrated by: Mo Willems

2005 Caldecott Honor Book

In this book, Trixie and her pop are off to the local neighborhood Laundromat one bright and sunny day. They get there, load the clothes, and take off for home when little Trixie comes to an awful realization. Knuffle Bunny, her beloved favorite toy, is missing. Unfortunately for her, she has not yet learned to talk. After some valiant tries (my favorite being the single tearful 'snurp') she feels she has no alternative but to burst into a full-blown tantrum. This doesn't make her father any happier and since he hasn't realized what the problem is, he takes her home as she kicks and screams. Once home, however, her mother quickly asks, 'Where's Knuffle Bunny'? Back runs the whole family to the Laundromat where, at long last, the beloved bunny is recovered and Trixie says her first real words."

Anyone that has a child with a favorite toy can totally relate. For my daughter, it was her bunny Isabella. Although she didn't take it everywhere (she was afraid to get it dirty), she couldn't sleep without it. This sweet and funny book is great for parents and children!

Mo Willems has a great website too! http://www.mowillems.com/

Caldecott Medal & Honor Books

Olivia

Written and Illustrated by:

Ian Falconer

2001 Caldecott Honor Book

Olivia is a little girl (drawn as a piglet) with a mind of her own and a family that has the grace to take her as she comes. The character is well-developed (based on the author’s own neice) and hilarious. This book is fantastic for pleasure reading with young children, or for early independent readers. The illustrations are stunning, done in stark black and white with splashes of true red. Other books in this series include Olivia Forms a Band, Olivia and the Missing Toy, Olivia Saves the Circus (one of my favorites), and Olivia Helps with Christmas.

I love this book! Olivia's confident, creative personality and her love of playing dress up remind me very much of my own spunky daughter Anna. We first bought Olivia when she was three and we read this book so often that she was able to recite the book! This book alone created her love for reading and help build her confidence as she developed her early reading skills.

The educational uses of this book seem limitless. It can be used to teach story elements, music and movement, transitions and art just to name a few. Please check out this site http://hubpages.com/hub/Favorite-Childrens-Books--Olivia. The site offers many creative lesson plans for this book and is a great resource. Also check out the official Olivia the Pig website featuring games, activities, books, products, history and more. http://www.oliviathepiglet.com/

Related Books

Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson

Angelina Ballerina by Katherine Hollabird and Helen Craig

Oh, What a Busy Day! by Gyo Fujikawa