How to Eat Fried Worms Book Talk

Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood

Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood
Written by Mike Artell
Illustrated by Jim Harris
Published by Dial Books for Young Readers
Text copyright 2001
32 pages
Genre: Fractured fairytale

As soon as I saw this cover of Petite Rouge, I knew I had to pick it up! I love New Orleans and the artwork took me right back to vacations there with my Mom and Dad. The story is basically the same as Little Red Riding Hood, but it has a cool Cajun twist complete with authentic Cajun language all throughout the book. The big bad gator (not wolf) is no match for little red riding duck and her pet cat.

The illustrations in Petite Rouge were prepared using watercolor and pencil on Stathmore rag bristol. The illustrations just really bring the story to life and give it that great Cajun vibe. It makes you feel like you're on a swamp tour down in Louisiana, seeing gators pop out of the water. The text can be a little difficult to read for a child because of all the Cajun language, so the illustrations are essential for understanding the story.

This book would be great for grades first through fourth. I would perhaps read this story and cook some Cajun inspired food (like gumbo) with my class, so that they can experience another culture. You could make a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting Petite Rouge to the traditional Little Red Riding Hood. You could even use it as a writing activity to allow the students to make up their own version of the story.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Retold and Illustrated by Jan Brett

Published by Dover Publications, Inc., New York 1987

Genre: Traditional Literature/Folktale/Mythology

32 pages

 

The cover of this little storybook captured my attention. First of all, I adore Jan Brett so I knew that it was going to be a good read with lovely illustrations. I am just in love with the illustrations in the story. Those borders and attention to detail sweep me away every time! In case you don't know the old folktale, the story is about a sweet little blond girl who turns out to be very rude as she barges into the home of the three bears and makes herself comfortable! I won't tell you how it ends, but it is a cute story that teaches a good lesson on morality.

The illustrations are just stunning, wouldn't you agree? I love the details. I like going through the book and trying to find all of the little hidden things (like the little mice under the bed.) Jan Brett actually uses watercolors to illustrate, even though that surprised me. The illustrations in this story basically are what is telling the story. There is text of course, but the story would be perfectly understandable to a child who could not yet read. The pictures really bring to life the feel of the tale.

This book is appropriate for children in Pre-K to first grade. Although, I am an adult and I still enjoy it! You could use this as a character study by asking the child, "How do you think it felt when the bears discovered that someone had used their things? How do you feel when someone uses your things?" You could use a Venn diagram to compare the difference between Goldilocks and the Three Bears to The Three Snow Bears (also written by Jan Brett and a similar story.) You could also do a sorting activity with things that are small, medium, and large. 

Check out this blog post! ----->   http://onceuponadayinpreschool.blogspot.com/2011/01/goldilocks-and-three-bears.html

Where The Sidewalk Ends

Where the Sidewalk Ends

Written and Illustrated by Shel Silverstein

Harper and Row Publishers, 1974
166 pages
Poetry Book/Comedy and Humor

 

I remember enjoying this book of poems when I was a child, so when I rediscovered it at the local library, I was very excited! The illustrations in the book are great because they are very quirky. They remind me of  doodles you would see in someones notebook. The poems in this collection use very   descriptive language and are just silly, fun to read, and imaginative.

Shel Silverstein uses black and white pencil drawings for his illustrations in this poetry collection. The illustrations show a basic sketch of the main idea in each poem. They are not overly detailed; therefore, it allows the reader to imagine the poem in their own way. The poems are very quirky and I feel as though the illustrations reflect the tone of the text.

In my opinion, this collection is appropriate for any age. If the children are very young, they can still have the poems read to them and appreciate the rhythm of the words. Older children generally enjoy silly poems like this, so it would be great for them as well. However, it is listed as being in the interest level of 3rd to 5th grade. I think this story could be used as a tool for practicing fluency, a read aloud, or just for interest's sake while doing a study on poetry. This book won the 1974 New York Times Outstanding Book Award and the 1981 Michigan Young Readers' Award.