What If…

Creative Expression, Creative Person, Creative Problem Solving, Imagination, Picture Books, Taking risks, Wonder, , ,

“What If…”

Samantha Berger’s rhyming picture book, What If…, celebrates creative expression. A determined girl uses paper and a pencil to create her stories. But happens when her pencil is gone. She’ll shape the leaves. What if the leaves are blown away? She’ll sculpt in snow. What if the snow melts? She’ll use sunlight and shadows. What if everything is taken away?

This story promotes creative components of imagination, persistence, resourceful, and valuing creativity.

WHY I LIKE THIS BOOK: I like this book for three reasons. First, when the main character is faced with obstacles, she chooses to use her imagination and resources around her to find ways to express her creativity. She does not let anything stop her. Secondly, I appreciate the last page of this book which states: “As long as I live, I will always create,” a personal mantra that I try to live by daily. Thirdly, my favorite question is what if because it promotes wonder. What if the world was square? What if I lived in another country? And so I ask you, What if?

TITLE: What If…

AUTHOR: Samantha Berger

ILLUSTRATOR: Mike Curato

PUBLISHER: Little, Brown and Company, 2018

AGE GROUP: 4-7

THEME(S)/TOPICS: overcoming obstacles, problem solving

CREATIVE COMPONENTS: imagination, persistence, resourceful, valuing one’s creativity

LEARNING EXTENSIONS:

1) Pick one of your favorite things to do. List the items you need in order to do your favorite thing. What would you do if those things were no longer available? How would you do your favorite thing?

2) In what ways are you creative? What would you do if you could no longer express your creativity in the way you always have?

3) Create list of “what if” questions. Share with your friends and see how their answers differ from each other. Teachers can use these what if lists for daily writing prompts.

EXTENDING CONNECTIONS:

To learn more about author Samantha Berger, visit:

http://www.samanthaberger.com/about.html

To learn more about illustrator Mike Curato, visit:

https://www.mikecurato.com/about

Meet My Family: Animal Babies and Their Families

Nature, Perspective, Picture Books, , ,

“Meet My Family: Animal Babies and Their Families”

Laura Purdie Salas’ nonfiction book, Meet My Family: Animal Babies and Their Families celebrates different family systems while informing about each animal.

   

Laysan albatross chick lives with two moms.

Chinstrap penguins are raised by two dads.

An elephant calf (baby) grows up with his mama in a herd of only female elephants.

When ladybugs are born they do not  like their parents.

Just like animals have all different types of families, humans do, too!

Backmatter presents a table explaining the language used for mother and father based on the animals’ origin and a world map to locate where the animals live.

This story promotes creative components of different perspectives, nature, and diversity.

WHY I LIKE THIS BOOK:  I like this book because kids can find their families in the animal kingdom while learning to appreciate other family types. Readers can see the similarities and differences of the words mother and father to compare it to their native language.

TITLE: Meet My Family: Animal Babies and Their Families

AUTHOR: Laura Purdie Salas

ILLUSTRATOR: Stephanie Fizer Coleman

PUBLISHER: Millbrook Press, 2018

AGE GROUP: 4-7

CONCEPTS: family, diversity, acceptance

CREATIVE COMPONENTS: different perspectives, diversity, nature

LEARNING EXTENSIONS:

1) What is your definition of family? After reading the book, count the number of different family types. How is your family alike and different from the animal families?

2) Pick two animals from countries different than the country you live in. What are your animals’ families like? How would you say “family” in the language of the countries your animals live in?

EXTENDING CONNECTIONS:

To learn more about author Laura Purdie Salas, visit:

http://laurasalas.com/how-laura-became-a-writer/

To learn more about illustrator Stephanie Fizer Coleman, visit:

http://stephaniefizercoleman.com/artist-info/

Magritte’s Marvelous Hat

Creative Expression, Imagination, Perspective, Picture Books, , ,

“Magritte’s Marvelous Hat”

When Magritte tries on a hat, it floats above his head. He buys the hat and discovers that his painting becomes better than ever.

   

The hat likes to play hide and seek which inspires Magritte to paint ordinary things in an unordinary way. One day the hat hides so well that Magritte cannot find it. Will he still be able to paint?

This book promotes imagination, wonder, different perspectives, and creativity.

TITLE: Magritte’s Marvelous Hat

AUTHOR: D. B. Johnson

ILLUSTRATOR: D. B. Johnson

PUBLISHER: Houghton Mifflin Books for Young Children, 2012

AGE GROUP: 5-7

CREATIVE COMPONENTS: imagination, wonder, different perspectives, creativity

LEARNING EXTENSIONS:

1) Create a new way to play hide and seek by changing the rules, seeking something unusual or using a different setting to play.

2) Surrealism artist Rene Magritte used juxtaposition of imagery in his paintings. Juxtaposition is placing together two contrasting/opposing objects to showcase their differences while forcing a connection(s) between the two. What is a connection that you make in Magritte’s painting titled Golconde?

Your turn: Create a picture that uses two objects that are not associated with each other to form an unlikely connection.

EXTENDING CONNECTIONS:

To learn more about author/illustrator D. B. Johnson, visit:

http://www.dbjohnsonart.com/about.html

To learn more about the Surrealism artist Rene Magritte, visit:

https://www.theartstory.org/artist-magritte-rene.htm