Corduroy by Don Freeman
Freeman, D. (1968). Corduroy. New York, NY: Puffin Books.
National Friendship Day is the first Sunday in August. What better way to emphasize the importance of a friendly embrace than reading Corduroy. The innocence of Corduroy makes him not only a lovable bear, but the best thing to embrace at the end of the day. Noticed by a lovely girl, Lisa, Corduroy believes he’s found someone to treasure and take him home. But when Lisa’s mother shuns his damage appeal—he’s missing a button for his overall trousers—Corduroy decides to make himself more attractive and find the best button for his overalls. On an adventure to discover the perfect fastener, he learns he lives in a grand palace (a department store). Though it’s a lovely place, Corduroy craves a home. As his button-searching adventures ceases with the night watchman noticing his out-of-place location, he gives up; discourage that no one will love him just as he is. When Lisa returns to choose him, imperfections and all, he learns the importance of sharing a home with someone who loves and cares for him; the importance of a friend. Freeman teaches acceptance and having someone to love you, despite your “missing button” and simplistic nature. This illustration demonstrates the value in white space, watercolors and hand-drawn grace. Corduroy also challenged the turbulent times of the 1960s, when most children’s book did not feature diverse faces. The “against the tide” feature of a young Black girl as Corduroy’s heroine added to the endearing lovability of acceptance—and that’s just the right love for Corduroy.
Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
Bemelmans, L. (1998). Madeline. New York, NY: Puffin Books.
"Mad Maddie"
A pioneer before her time
was a little girl named Madeline.
Yellow was the color for the heroine,
a petite and pungent French dandelion.
Madeline made her nun, Miss Clavel,
worry with regret and come unraveled.
Madeline's dalliance on the edge of Pont Neuf
almost make Miss Clavel shout "ENOUGH!"
For Madeline, with her audacious behavior,
never once found a challenge not her favor.
Until one unghastly night,
Madeline woke in such a fright.
Her tummy turned taut with a twist
because her unruly appendix had come unfixed.
After days of rest and visits from friends,
Madeline's adventure came to an end.
-Penned by Jean Darnell
Madeline has received many awards and has stood the test of time. Whether you take this book, as an accompaniment for your 4 year old little girl on a trip to France OR whether you take your class on a virtual trip through Paris on the computer, this picture book will connect to the hearts of those young and old.
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
McCloskey, R. (1976). Blueberries for Sal. New York,NY: Puffin Books.
A long loved book, McCloskey captures the hungry, sweetness in a young girl assisting her mother with "picking to preserve" blueberries. More interested in munching than collecting, Sal loses track of her mother but finds another blueberry picking mother to suffice. An innocent and comical switching of places: Sal and her mother, separate and are mismatched; a bear cub following Sal's mother and Sal trotting along behind mother bear. It's only when mother bear realizes that instead of her blueberry munching cub following behind her, she has a berry munching girl, that both mothers calmly panic! McCloskey's detailed depiction of the landscape in a perfectly matched berry inked blue. The endpapers reflect the remembrance of a life not too long ago, when canning and preserving your food for the winter was just as important as a bear store up fat and food for hibernation. This book would work well in a science class, when the discussion centered on the importance of eating natural foods, free of harmful pesticides, and growing your own garden. There's something connective in going into the earth to pull or pick nourishment. It's a connect lost to many that needs retribution and Blueberries for Sal will simply take you to that frame of mind, simply naturally.
Parade by Donald Crews
Crews, D. (1987). Parade. New York, NY: Mulberry Books.
Parades have a fascinating way of turning adults into children and little ones into awe-struck statues. The anxiety waiting for the big floats, marching bands and waving participants just stuns most crowd-goers. I recall when I took my son to Disneyworld and Mickey Mouse waved and danced before him, the bottle rocket of energy that is my son became a statuary dud, stuck in a stupor. Crews captures the many facets to pulling off a parade. The gathering of vendors, the police barricading and establishing order and the lining of the crowds, everything a child fails to notice when stunned into awe. Crews illustrations are vibrantly enriched with faceless crowds of diverse races, which mimics all the beautiful colors beside a parade watcher and before him, marching and rolling in celebratory fashion. Use this book when teaching the importance of steps and chronology. See if the children can accurately dictate all the steps involved in pulling off a parade. The unbeknownst winner has the most steps!
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