Author/Illustrator: Norton Juster/Chris Raschka
Plot Summary: Colorful, whimsical, and funny drawings illuminate the story of child's relationship with her grandparents. The book touches on the many special things that make "Nanna" and "Poppy's" house special such as the kitchen window, cleaning products under the sink, glass jars on the shelf, the harmonica, making breakfast, tending to the garden and being chased by the hose.
Comments: This book provides a glimpse in to a relationship fewer and fewer American children get to experience as they often live some distance from their grandparents and extended family members. My own children were fortunate to know their grandparents although none were as fun as those featured in the book. The illustration also hint at a bi-racial or multi-cultural family unit.
Extensions:
1. For first and second graders(maybe kindergarten,) the teacher could read the book as a read-aloud. Students would then draw pictures of their family members. The pictures could be shared with the class as a getting acquainted exercise and also to demonstrate the many different kinds of families that exist.
2. For first and second graders(maybe kindergarten,) after a read-aloud, children could write about their grandparents or some other special friend or person in their lives - ie. aunt, etc.
3. For first and second graders(maybe kindergarten,) in a collaborative effort with the art teacher, students could create pictures showing things they like to do with their families and using water colors similar to those in the book.
3. Great ideas for activities on this website. http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonplans/bookfairs/currconnection/hello_goodbye.htm
Themes/keywords: windows, salutations, family, grandparents
Age/Reading Level: K-3; ATOS - 3.4; Follett - 3.9;
Standards:
ELA2R4/ELA1R6 The student uses a variety of strategies to gain meaning from grade-level text.
ELA2W2/ELA1W2 The student writes in a variety of genres, including narrative, informational, persuasive, and response to literature.
Publisher's Info: Michael Di Capua Books/Hyperion Books for Children, p2005, c2005
ISBN-13: 978-0-7868-0914-1
ISBN-10: 0-7868-0914-0
Awards/Review Sources:
Wilson's Children 10/01/06 | Caldecott Medal/Honor 01/23/06 |
| School Library Journal starred 03/01/05 | Booklist starred 03/15/05 |
| Publishers Weekly starred 02/21/05 | Kirkus Review starred 03/01/05 |
| Horn Book 10/01/05 | Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 07/01/05 |
Genre/Dewey: Fiction; Easy/Everybody
Websites:
A brief article about the illustrator - http://www.bookpage.com/books-5526-Arlene+Sardine
Notes for Booktalk:
Vocabulary:
Comments