Swamp Angel by Anne Isaacs

Bibliography
Isaacs, Anne. (1994). SWAMP ANGEL. Ill. by Paul O. Zelinsky.  New York, NY:  Puffin. 
ISBN 0140559086

Plot Summary
A female counterpart to Paul Bunyan, giantess Angelica Longrider, possesses courage and unnatural strength.  At twelve, she single-handedly pulls a wagon train of settlers out of a swamp and earns a  new name, Swamp Angel.  When news that an enormous black bear, Thundering Tarnation, is stealing everyone’s winter rations, a reward is offered. The men tease her because she is a woman, but Angel is determined to defeat the wily beast and claim the title of Champion Wildcat.  When Thundering Tarnation comes face-to-face with Swamp Angel, a rowdy fight begins.  After several days, the battle ends unexpectedly when Swamp Angel’s snoring causes a gigantic tree to fall directly onto the bear.  From far and wide, folks turn out to celebrate and feast on “beary” delicious food.  As for that huge bear’s glossy black pelt, Swamp Angel moves to Montana just to have room to spread it out.

Critical Analysis
Isaacs creates an unforgettable tall tale heroine in the character of Swamp Angel, an extraordinary girl with super abilities.  Her “can do” spirit closely parallels that of the pioneers who conquered the Tennessee wilderness in the 1800’s.   If a log cabin needs to be built, she can do it.  If someone’s house is one fire, she can put it out.  And if the men think they’re the only ones that can defeat that black bear, Swamp Angel’s going to prove them wrong.   

The folksy narrative provided by Isaacs makes the story feel like it is being told by someone with firsthand knowledge of the events.  She vividly captures the values of the times and uses authentic dialogue to portray events throughout the story.  The bear hunters call out, “Hey, Angel! Shouldn’t you be home, mending a quilt?”  Her response is, “Quiltin’ is men’s work!”  When they suggest that perhaps she should bake a pie, she says, “I aim to, a bear pie.”  From “Tennessee daredevils are as plentiful as dewdrops on corn” to the first hunter “got licked in more ways than one,” Isaacs uses figurative language (i.e. metaphors, similes, and idioms) to add dramatic flair to the story. 

The simple text by Isaacs places the setting in Tennessee, but it is the primitive folk art oil paintings by Zelinsky that truly brings this particular era in American history to life.  The muted colors and wood grain frames make the illustrations seem antique as if they were painted a very long time ago.  Authenticity abounds with log cabins, prairie schooners, coonskin caps, and fiddle-players.  The story would lose a great deal of its excitement and flavor if not for the thoughtful and beautiful artwork created by Zelinsky.

Isaacs skillfully weaves this story to fit the mold of traditional tall tales.  The main character of Swamp Angel is extremely exaggerated in size, strength, and personality.  The plot focuses on her infamous exploits and leads up to her biggest challenge, that of defeating Thundering Tarnation.  Of course, this bear is larger-than-life and the duel’s outcome is unpredictable.  One minute Tarnation has Angel pinned to the bottom of the lake, but in the next minute she drinks the lake dry saying, “That was mighty refreshing.”  In true tall tale fashion, the story suggests that their fighting caused the smoke over the Smoky Mountains, a pattern of stars in the shape of a bear, and that the Shortgrass Prairie got its name from the bear’s huge black pelt.  Since good must overcome evil and tall tales usually end with a twist, Tarnation’s unintentional demise causes Angel to express admiration for such a worthy opponent, “Confound it, varmit, if you warn’t the most wondrous heap of trouble I ever come to grips with.”  

Readers of any age will enjoy this story for its Caldecott-winning illustrations and for the lively and entertaining text that highlights the Tennessee mountain culture.  This unique creation by Isaacs and Zelinsky is sure to remain a classic example of the American Tall Tale.  

Review Excerpts
1994 Caldecott Honor Book
New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year
1995 Boston Globe - Horn Book Honor Award
1994 ALA Notable Book
New York Public Library, 100 Books Every Child Should Read
New York Times Best Illustrated Books of 1994
Time Magazine's 8 Best Children's Books, 1994

A starred review from Booklist: (Ages 5 - 9)
"Isaacs tells her original story with the glorious exaggeration and uproarious farce of the traditional tall tale and with its typical laconic idiom--you just can't help reading it aloud."

From Kirkus Reviews:  (Ages 5 - 9)
"Matching the superb text stride for stride are Zelinsky's altered-state, American primitive paintings--gems that provide new pleasures, reading after reading. To say that you are entering Caldecott land doesn't begin to do this book justice."

Connections
Art
Learn more about the Early American Primitive Art form by:
- Researching the topic online and locating examples of this art style.  Look for biographical information about each artist.  Introduce students to renowned folk artist Grandma Moses at: http://www.squidoo.com/grandma-moses#module14299702
- Encourage students to discover additional examples of this art style (and their artists) from the school library, public library, or online.
- With the assistance of the school's Art teacher, have students create a project that depicts American Primitive Art.

Social Studies
Introduce Tennessee to the students:
-Students will identify its location on a U.S. map and name the neighboring states.  How near or far is away is Tennessee from where they live?  (Might connect this to Math by actually computing the mileage based on the map's key.)
-With a partner, students will research the state to learn about its history, famous people, natural resources, products, etc...  Each pair will select a fact or photo to share with the class.
-Guide a class discussion to compare and contrast Tennessee with their own home state.

Literature
Introduce other tall tales that feature heroic females:

Mora, Pat.  Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart.  ISBN 0375823379
Kellogg, Steven.  Sally Ann Thunder Whirlwind Crockett.  ISBN0688141024
Keehn, Sally M.  Magpie Gabbard and the Quest for the Buried Moon.  ISBN0399243402
Nolen, Jerdine. Thunder Rose.  ISBN 0152060065
San Souci, Robert D. Cut from the Same Cloth: American Women of Myth, Legend, and Tall Tale. ISBN 0698118111

Related Website
An Appalachian Literature website that provides book summaries, author information, lesson plans, links, and much more can be found at: http://www2.ferrum.edu/applit/

Visit Anne Isaac's website -  find out how she got the idea for this story.
http://anneisaacs.com/content/node/68

Compare and contrast the book to the movie or audio versions that are available at:
http://westonwoods.scholastic.com/products/westonwoods/catalog/product.asp?cid=567

The Three Little Gators by Helen Ketteman

Bibliography
Ketteman, Helen. (2009). THE THREE LITTLE GATORS. Ill. by Will Terry. Morton Grove, IL:  Albert Whitman & Company.  ISBN 978087578247
 
Plot Summmary

As three young gators set out on their own, Mama Gator warns them to build strong houses to keep out the Big-bottomed Boar.  The first gator spots some rocks and decides to use them to build his home, while his brothers choose sticks and sand, respectively.  "Snurf, Snurf! Snort, Snort!" The Big-bottomed Boar first demolishes the sand house sending its owner scurrying to his brother's stick house for refuge.  Soon afterwards, the Boar crushes the stick house and then both gators desperately race to the first gator's house of rock.  Although the Big-bottomed Boar bumpity-bumps his rump, he can't knock this house down.  As he squeezes down the chimney, the Boar has no idea that there is a fiery barbecue grill waiting for him at the bottom.  With sizzling stripes on his rump, the Big-bottomed Boar speeds out of the house never to return.

Critical Analysis
In this book, Ketteman and Terry combine their unique talents to create a riotous version of the classic story of The Three Little Pigs.  Like the original “good versus evil” tale, the plot remains basically the same - three innocent youngsters venture out into the world and encounter a malicious predator who wants to eat them.  The violent undertones of previous versions have been eliminated in that none of the pigs (I mean, gators) get eaten and the Big-bottomed Boar (barely) escapes becoming dinner himself.  Unlike the original with its justifiable, but abrupt ending, the comical twists in this version will have readers laughing long after the book is closed. 

With East Texas as the cultural setting, Ketteman highlights native animals by substituting the young pigs with gators and the big, bad wolf with the Big-bottomed Boar.  The alliteration in the villain’s name paired with caricature drawings showcasing the Boar's most prominent feature is extremely funny. Terry’s bold, full-page illustrations vibrantly capture the essence of swamp life.  The bright, sparkly green color used to depict the cartoon-like gators produces an eye-catching contrast to the earth tones used in the background scenes. Cultural details are plentiful and authentic with cypress trees, cattails, sandy banks, and a stilt cabin built over the water.  For that extra blast of fun, he's even added a bottle of Boar Sauce next to the barbecue grill!  

Ketteman’s distinct style is also apparent from Mama Gator’s advice to her “young ‘uns” to the catchy rhyme of “Little gator, let me come in. I smell tender gator skin.”  While the rhythm seems slightly off at first, it becomes downright hilarious when the Boar later says, “Chasing you has made me thinner.  I need two little gators for my dinner!”  As main characters, these gators have much more personality than their predecessors, the pigs.  Ketteman uses dialogue to express their thoughts and feelings as when the Third Gator says, “Ha! Big-bottomed boar won’t even know this is a house.”  Terry dramatically extends the text by depicting the gator standing smugly in front of his sand house with his arms folded quite like a human. With its clever text and artistic detail, this book is a rollicking good time for readers of any age.

Review Excerpts
From Booklist:  (Age 3-6)
"this would make a rip-roaring read-aloud."

From School Library Journal: (Age K- gr. 3)
"Ketteman's retelling, including a sassy Texas twang makes the story hilarious and bright."

Connections
Writing (Gr. 3-5)  Prior to reading this book to the students, gather other folktales from your school library.  To promote familiarity of the topic and to increase enthusiasm for the writing activity, be sure to create a mix of traditional tales, newer versions, and possibly even some fractured ones.  Here is sampling of books from which students may already be familiar:

Martin, Rafe. THE ROUGH-FACE GIRL.  ISBN 0698116267
Huck, Charlotte, S. PRINCESS FURBALL.  ISBN 0688078370
Schieszka, Jon. THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS.  ISBN
Young, Ed. LON PO PO: A RED RIDING HOOD STORY FROM CHINA.  ISBN 0698113829
Trivizas, Eugene.  THE THREE LITTLE WOLVES AND THE BIG BAD PIG.   ISBN 0689505698
Kellog, Steven. JACK AND THE BEANSTALK.   ISBN 0688152813
Hyman, Trina Schart. LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD.  ISBN 0823406539
Zelinsky, Paul. RUMPELSTILTSKIN.  ISBN 0140558640
Mayer, Marianne. THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES.  ISBN 0688080510

1. Read The Three Little Gators aloud to the class. (Use storytelling techniques to bring the story to life and to accent the region from which the story originates.)
2. Introduce the additional books and give students plenty of time to read or re-read them.  You may also encourage them to browse the library for additional titles. (Don't rush this part! You want them to expose them to as many different titles as time will allow so that they can more fully understand this particular genre.)
3. Guide a discussion on common elements (e.g. main character, how the story begins, the ending, the role of magic).
4.Working with a partner, students will select one of the stories to use as an example for creating their own unique tale.
5. Create an illustrated book cover for the story.
6. Share with the class.

For Texas Public Schools Week, these additional titles by Helen Kettemen are sure to be a hit with students.
BUBBA, THE COWBOY PRINCE.  ISBN 0590255061
WAYNETTA AND THE CORNSTALK: A TEXAS FAIRY TALE. ISBN 0807586870
ARMADILLY CHILI. ISBN 0807504580

Anansi and the Magic Stick by Eric Kimmel

Bibliography
Kimmel, Eric. (2001). ANANSI AND THE MAGIC STICK. Ill. by Janet Stevens. NY:  Holiday House. ISBN 0823414434.

Plot Summary
One sunny day, all the animals are working in their gardens except for the sleeping spider, Anansi.  When he awakens to hear them saying that his house and yard are a mess because he is lazy, Anansi replies, "I am not lazy. I am thinking."  Searching for a quieter spot, Anansi passes by Hyena's beautiful house and neat yard.  He is baffled because no one has ever seen the Hyena at work.  He soon discovers that Hyena possesses a magic stick that does all the work for him.  As soon as Hyena turns his back, Anansi steals the stick and uses its magic to clean up his yard and repair his house.  Unfortunately, when Anansi recites the magic words to command the stick to water the garden, he forgets to end the magic spell.  The stick continues watering the garden, the vegetables grow bigger and bigger, and the water turns into a raging river.  Luckily for everyone, Hyena finds the stick floating in the river and puts and end to the flood.  Although Anansi loses the magic stick, he acquires a brand new home, perfect for napping (and thinking).

Critical Analysis
Kimmel’s writing style expertly captures the tone and rhythm of the African culture, especially as it relates to oral storytelling.  The repetition often found in African folktales is present at the beginning in “It was a fine bright day.  All the animals were working working working in their gardens.”  This pattern continues throughout the story as “The magic stick kept watering watering watering.” Likewise, the main character of Anansi the Spider also remains true to his African folklore reputation as a conniving trickster always on the lookout for number one.  For readers familiar with other Anansi tales, the plot follows a similar design in which the spider tries to get whatever he wants with very little effort.   Anansi chooses to steal the stick and use its magic to have a beautiful house and yard rather than do the work himself.  The motif of magic is especially important in this story because its misuse results in a raging river which floods the village and ruins the animals' homes.  One underlying theme seems to be that taking a shortcut may result in negative consequences not only for oneself, but for others as well.      

Although his misdeeds lead to temporary trouble, the ever-thinking spider ends up on top and the surprise ending of this story is sure to leave readers with a smile.  Whereas Kimmel masterfully develops the characters and plot, it is the vibrant illustrations from Stevens that emphasize the African village setting and playfully depict the chaos that results from Anansi’s escapades. 


Review Excerpts
From School Library Journal: (Ages PreS-grade 3)
"...the whole adds up to an enjoyable offering that is clever, funny, surprising, and traditional all at once."

From Kirkus Reviews: (Ages 4-8)
"Kimmel and Stevens make a good team, with the text fonts echoing the action of the story and the illustrations bringing Anansi and all his antics to life."

Connections

Increase students’ knowledge of the African culture through Music, Arts & Crafts, and Reading.

Music – this is an awesome powerpoint that explains the importance of music in the African culture: http://sk056.k12.sd.us/Take%20An%20African%20Safari.ppt   Share African drum music with students by asking the school music teacher for assistance or downloading free music clips such as this one from http://www.africandrummingcd.com/free-african-drumming-mp3.html  These would really set the mood when preparing to read additional African folktales or perform reader’s theater.

Arts & Crafts – this link provides a wide range of ideas suitable for many different age groups. http://www.wartgames.com/crafts/africa.html

Reading – using a map or globe, have a student volunteer locate Africa.  Activate children's background knowledge of Africa by inviting them to share what they know about Africa (many children are at least familiar with Disney’s The Lion King or have learned about Kwanzaa at school).  Display a collection of nonfiction books for additional opportunities to look at photographs and learn new information.  Here are a few that I was able to locate rather easily:

Jacobsen, Karen. KENYA.  ISBN 051601112X
Laure, Jason. ZIMBABWE. ISBN 0516027042
Fowler, Allan. AFRICA. ISBN 9780516259796
Kras, Sara Louise. BOTSWANA. 9780516248745

Read and discuss additional African Folktales - The stories on this link also include formats for Reader's Theater: http://www.phillipmartin.info/liberia/text_folktales_spider.htm

Of course, two of my all-time favorite African Folktales include: (both are Caldecott Winners!)
Haley, Gail E. A STORY, A STORY: AN AFRICAN TALE. ISBN 0689712014
Aardema, Verna. WHY MOSQUITOES BUZZ IN PEOPLE'S EARS: A WEST AFRICA TALE.
ISBN 0140549056

More Anansi tales from Kimmel and Stevens:
ANANSI AND THE TALKING MELON.  ISBN 0823411672
ANANSI AND THE MOSS-COVERED ROCK. ISBN 0823407985
ANANSI GOES FISHING. ISBN 0823410226

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Keats, Ezra Jack. 1962. THE SNOWY DAY. New York, NY: Viking Penguin.  ISBN 0670654000

PLOT SUMMARY
A young child named Peter awakens one winter morning to find that the city outside his bedroom window is covered in snow. Bundled in his red snowsuit, he hurries outside to explore and play in this exciting world of white.  With imagination as his guide, Peter finds a new adventure at every turn.  He leaves funny footprints in the snow, builds a happy snowman, and even pretends to be a mountain-climber.  Finally, when he has had enough of the chilly weather, he places a snowball in his pocket as a souvenir and returns to the warmth of his home.  It has been a very special day, one that he shares with his mother and ponders over again and again. Just before bed, he checks his pocket to look at his snowball, only it is gone. Feeling disappointed, Peter goes to sleep and dreams that the sun has melted all the snow. But when he arises the next morning, one glance out the window assures him that it was only a bad dream. The snow is still there and there's more on the way.  This time he will share it with a friend.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In The Snowy Day, Keats skillfully combines text and illustration to convey the wide-eyed wonder of a young child and his eagerness to run out and play in the new-fallen snow.  On the first page of the story, the reader sees Peter gazing out his bedroom window with his lips slightly parted as if to say, "WOW!" This makes the reader anxious to find out "What's outside that window?" The story moves forward effortlessly because Peter's curiosity has instantly become the reader's curiosity.  Never wordy, Keats weaves the story with straightforward phrasing.  He describes Peter's impatience to see, to hear, and to touch this new world: "After breakfast he put on his snowsuit and ran outside."  This easy partnership of prose and pictures continues throughout the story and brings it full circle to Peter looking forward to another exciting day in the snow.  Keats leaves Peter (and the reader) anticipating a new day full of adventures.

In Peter, Keats creates a youthful character to which readers can easily relate.  Again, it is the merging of text and illustration that makes Peter so multidimensional and brings him to life.  His curious nature is seen when he finds "a stick that was just right for smacking a snow-covered tree."  But the surprise on his face as the snow falls down on him reveals Peter's childish nature.  In that moment, it seems that he has just learned that perhaps one shouldn't smack at things that hang over one's head.  Peter's unworldliness is also apparent when he puts a snowball "in his pocket for tomorrow."  Although this character seems naive in most respects, Keats shows Peter's wisdom in not joining the big boys in a snowball fight because "he knew he wasn't old enough - not yet."

Keats' use of watercolors and collage transforms a typical snowy "white" setting into one that is rich and multihued.  The watercolors are soft, almost pastel, on the snow and seem to change as morning fades into evening.  Throughout the story, brightly-colored collages add dimension to each scene making them appear more realistic.  The bold-red of Peter's snowsuit adds an extra spark of liveliness to this wintery tale and encourages the reader to flip the page to find the boy in red.  By doing so, the reader is greeted with vibrant panoramic views that invite them into the story, to come along and discover new things with Peter.

This story will resonate with readers of any age who remember their own snowy day adventures and will make those who haven't yet experienced the thrill yearn for it.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
1963 Caldecott Winner

From Publishers Weekly: 
"pays homage to the wonder and pure pleasure a child experiences when the world is blanketed in snow."

From School Library Journal:
"paved the way for multicultural representation in American Children's Literature."

CONNECTIONS

Ezra Jack Keats Website http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/
Learn more about this award-winning author (i.e. biography, other books, etc...).

A Snowy Day Action Story (PreS-K) 
This activity is adapted from http://wannabwestern.hubpages.com/hub/Snowy_Day
Perfect for a very cold day, snow or no snow, this activity provides children with the opportunity to pretend they are Peter from The Snowy Day.  Children will mimic the teacher's actions as she performs the following actions:

• It's time to wake up! (Yawn and stretch and rub your eyes)
• Ohhh, snow! (Raise your hands in the air in big surprise)
• Time to get my coat and hat. (Pretend to put on your coat, followed by your hat)
• Ooops! Can't forget my gloves! (Pretend to put on gloves)
• Wow! Look at my footprints! (Step, step, stop and look)
• There's a stick. (Pick it up)
• My stick  makes a line in the snow (Drag your pretend stick on the ground)
• Time to make a snowball. (Pretend to scoop some snow from the ground and make the snowball in your hands.)
• Wow it tastes cold! (Stick out your tongue and taste your snowball.)
• I hear Mom calling! (Put your hand to your ear)
• Time to go inside and have some hot chocolate! (Pretend to go inside, sit down, and drink some delicious hot cocoa)
• That was delicious! Mmm good! (pat or rub your tummy and shake your head up and down).

Writing Activity for kids without snowy weather (Grades 1-2)
Using a Language Experience Approach, encourage the students to help you create a story similar to The Snowy Day, but based more on their own local weather and experiences (e.g. The Sizzlin' Day to depict a hot summer day's activities at a South Texas beach). The teacher will write the story on lined chart paper.  Children will make their own books by copying the class-created text and creating individual illustrations to show the kinds of activities they enjoy on this special day (i.e. building sandcastles, trying to ride boogie boards with the big kids, etc...).

city dog, country frog by Mo Willems

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Willems, Mo. 2010. CITY DOG, COUNTRY FROG. Ill. by Jon J. Muth. New York, NY: Hyperion.
ISBN 9781423103004

PLOT SUMMARY
Set among the changing seasons, the story begins in the Springtime as the city dog arrives in the country. Freedom from a leash is glorious and he runs as fast and as far as he can.  Soon, he comes across something he has never seen before - a country frog. The dog asks, "What are you doing?" The frog replies, "Waiting for a friend. But you'll do." Country frog decides to teach his new friend how to jump, splash, and croak. That Spring, the city dog and the country frog become the best of friends.  Returning to the country during the Summer, the city dog rushes to find his good friend so that he can share his own favorite games of sniffing, fetching, and barking.  They have lots of fun playing together in the summer sun.  When the two friends reunite in the Fall, the country frog is too tired to play any games. He would rather sit on their favorite rock and remember the good times that they have shared.  Sometimes just hanging out together can be great fun too. Winter has covered the ground in a blanket of white as once again the city dog races across the fields to meet his good buddy.  Spot after favorite spot, he is unable to find the country frog anywhere. This unexpected loss of his friend leaves the dog sad and lonely throughout the long winter months.  But as spring inevitably reappears, the city dog once more returns to the country.  This time, however, it's a chipmunk who spies something that she has never seen before - a city dog. "What are you doing?" asks the country chipmunk. "Waiting for a friend," replies the city dog.  Remembering the spirit of his dear friend, the frog, he smiles brightly and says, "But you'll do."

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Combining understated text with a straightforward narrative between the two main characters, Willems has created a bittersweet tale of friendship, loss, and new beginnings.  His choice of the changing seasons is the perfect backdrop for a story about the cycle of life. To demonstrate the passage of time, the story has been divided into seasonal episodes. With each new season, Willems has kept both the language and the characters’ actions to a minimum.  This keeps the reader’s focus on the growing relationship between the dog and the frog.  It is not so much what is said, but rather what is left unsaid that makes this story so powerful.  The reappearance of spring brings the plot full circle and renews hope not only for the story’s main character, but for its readers as well.  

It is Muth’s illustrations, however, that awaken a strong emotional response to the story.  His soft watercolor pictures vividly capture the seasons presented in the text.  The uniqueness of each season comes to life with its own special hues whether it is the bright yellow-greens and pinks of springtime or the red, golds, and browns that signify the end of summer.  More importantly, each turn of the page brings new depth to the characters. Through actions and expressions, Muth reveals their distinct personalities and true feelings for one another.  At the beginning of the story, city dog’s wagging tail shows his excitement and playfulness, whereas a longing gaze across the winter landscape graphically depicts his deep feeling of loss.  His friend, the country frog, appears sublimely content as he takes a boat ride on the dog’s head.  Readers can almost feel the love and concern as frog lays his hand on the sleeping dog’s paw.  

While the story will stir unique feelings in readers of all ages, the vivid images that represent the theme of loss may be too unsettling for very young readers. The perfect pairing of Willem’s simple prose and Muth’s evocative illustrations make city dog, country frog a poignant picture book that once read will not easily be forgotten.  

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
2011 Zolotow Award Honor Book

From Kirkus Reviews: (Ages 3-18) "a smart and subtle meditation on life, love, and loss."

A Starred Review from Booklist: (PreS-grade 2)
"It's hard to imagine a picture book that more consistently (and touchingly) hits all the right notes." 

CONNECTIONS
Books on friendship for young readers: (PreS-grade 3)

Bourgeois, Paulette. FRANKLIN IS BOSSY.  ISBN 0590477579 (you can't always have it your way)
Carle, Eric. DO YOU WANT TO BE MY FRIEND?  ISBN 0399215980 (not everyone does)
Lobel, Arnold. DAYS WITH FROG AND TOAD.  ISBN 9780064440585 (good times together)
Pfister, Marcus. THE RAINBOW FISH.   ISBN 9781558584419 (sharing, making new friends)
Silverstein, Shel. THE GIVING TREE.  ISBN 0060856656 (selfishness)
Viorst, Judith. ROSIE AND MICHAEL.  ISBN 0689712723 (two friends who share their troubles)

Friendship activities:
*Design a "Friendship" bulletin board with children contributing related words, pictures (drawn by the children or clipped from magazines), personal photos, stories, poems, riddles, or jokes.
*Create a web with "Traits of a Good Friend" as the main idea. (Whole class or individually) Ask students to share their ideas of what constitutes a true friend. 
*Form a Friendship Circle whereby the teacher and students form a large loose circle. The teacher starts the activity by describing herself (eye or hair color, siblings, hobbies, birthplace, favorite food, etc...).  When one of the students hears something that they have in common with the teacher, they join hands with her. Then they begin describing themselves and the activity repeats until everyone has joined the circle of friends.

Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

    

     



     

      BIBLIOGRAPHY

      Henkes, Kevin.  2004.  KITTEN’S FIRST FULL MOON.  New York, NY: Glenwillow.    

      ISBN 0060588284

           

PLOT SUMMARY

Innocence and youthful exuberance come to life in this tale of a kitten’s quest for a bowl of milk.  From the porch step one evening, a kitten spies a delicious bowl of white milk shining brightly in the dark distance.  Desperate to have a taste, the kitten tries every trick possible from licking and jumping to chasing and climbing.  Nothing seems to work and the kitten soon realizes that the gleaming and oh so delicious bowl of milk cannot be reached.  Exhausted from these misadventures, the kitten returns home to find that his owners have left him the very treat that he so desired.  

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

From the very first page, Henkes’ minimal and straightforward use of language immediately draws the reader into the thoughts and actions of a naïve kitten.  The young kitten’s character parallels its human counterpart, the experienced young child, who upon spying a desirable object will try various ways to acquire it for himself.  The author has strategically placed meaningful repetition throughout the story with the sentence:  “Still, there was the little bowl of milk, just waiting.”  These words move the story forward effortlessly and tempt readers to turn the page to find out which trick the kitten will try next. 

The choice of black and white drawings simply and masterfully complements the story by highlighting the darkness of the night, the aloneness of the kitten, and the shiny white fullness of the “bowl of milk.”  The innocence of the kitten’s character is dramatically enhanced through a wide range of facial expressions including surprise, curiosity, fear, and disappointment.  

This story is a delight for children of any age who enjoy books about animals.  Very young children will enjoy listening to the kitten’s escapades and trying to predict the results of his actions, while older children will more readily catch on to the fact that the bowl of milk is really a full moon.  Though not explicitly stated, the story implies several themes including: “Try, try, try, before you give up,” and “There’s no place like home.”

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
2005 Caldecott Winner
From School Library Journal: Age PreS-K
“Kids will surely applaud this cat’s irrepressible spirit.” Wendy Lukeheart, Washington D.C. Public Library, (3/22/04).

From Kirkus Reviews: (Age 3-5)
“Artful in its gracefulness and naiveté, just like a kitten.  Simply charming.”  (2/15/04).

CONNECTIONS
These two books can be used to guide children’s understanding of the difference between daytime and nighttime. 

Tafuri, Nancy. WHAT THE SUN SEES, WHAT THE MOON SEES. ISBN 0688144934
Viola, Karen. GOOD NIGHT SUN, HELLO MOON. ISBN 0794421024

*Have children fold a large piece of drawing paper in half and illustrate “daytime” on one side and “nighttime” on the other.  Discuss the specific elements in each picture.
*Through “acting” contrast the activities that take place during the day and at night.  You might even contrast human activities with those of nocturnal animals (e.g. owls, raccoons).
*Invite students to contrast their daytime experiences (i.e. going to school, playing in the park, etc…) from their nighttime experiences (i.e. camping in a tent, driving in the car, etc…). Describe sights, sounds, feelings, the sun, and the moon.

Marzollo, Jean. PRETEND YOU’RE A CAT. ISBN 0140559930
Let children “become” other animals through movement. Prior to presentation, locate appropriate musical selections to accompany actions (e.g. “Baby Elephant Walk” by Henry Mancini, etc..).

Two beloved classics also from Kevin Henkes.
OWEN, ISBN 0688114490
CHRYSANTHEMUM, ISBN 0688147321