Author/Illustrator: Jen Wojtowicz/Steve Adams
Plot Summary: An unusual boy from an unusual family meets a kindred spirit in one of his classmates. Simple illustrations compliment this story about celebrating differences and appreciating one's own unique gifts and the gifts of others.
Comments: Although the premise is a bit bizarre, this is a great story about being different. It would be a great way to encourage a class discussion about the acceptance of others. The illustrations were simple but appropriate to the story.
Extensions:
1. After reading the book, students are asked to pick something about themselves that is different or special. They would draw a picture to illustrate it, or write a paragraph about it.
2. After reading the book,the class would assemble a book for each student. Every student in the class would write/illustrate a page about each other highlighting something they like about that student. For example, Charles is good at tag, Grace is a good artist, David is nice and helpful, etc.
Each student would go home with a book containing a page from each classmate. The cover would be decorated by the owner of that book.
Themes/keywords: flowers, self-acceptance, shoes, schools, acceptance of others
Age/Reading Level: Interest level - K-3; ATOS - 4.7(Follett - 2.9) ; Lexile - 920
Standards:
Expeditionary Learning Design Principle - Diversity and Inclusion
ELA1R6/ELA2R4/ELA3R3 - The student uses a variety of strategies to understand and gain meaning from grade-level text.
ELA1W2/ELA2W2/ELA3W2 - The student writes in a variety of genres, including narrative, informational, persuasive and response to literature.
Publisher's Info: Barefoot Books, Massachusetts. 2005
ISBN-13: 978-1-84148-686-4
ISBN-10: 1-84148-686-8
Awards/Review Sources:
School Library Journal 02/01/06 | Publishers Weekly 12/12/05 |
| Booklist 10/15/05 | Horn Book 04/01/06 |
| Library Media Connection 04/01/06 |
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Genre/Dewey: Fiction; Easy/Everybody
Websites:
Barefoot Books - interesting concept - http://store.barefootbooks.com/the-boy-who-grew-flowers.html
The author's really cool web site - http://www.jennysdresserdrawer.com/The%20Boy%20Who%20Grew%20Flowers.htm
Notes for Booktalk: accepting differences in classmates, judgment and the importance of getting to know someone
Vocabulary: hotbed, exotic, luminous, rumor, forthright, snicker, wistful, tango
Comments