Visit Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders and Jen at Teach Mentor Texts to see what they've been reading, along with everyone else who post their favorites. Thanks to Penny Candy Books for the following two advanced copies, out April 2nd!
For someone who's feeling low, for others who want a lift and inspiration to write, this book is all of that! Shira Erlichman creates poetry for someone looking for a lift up, a twosome, a friendship! "Sweetheart, sometimes/when I'm feeling blue/I put my ear to the wind/and listen for you." begins the quest. In my eyes, the simple doodles entertain, show emotion, and make one smile as Shira writes the joyful words she wants us readers to see. If you noticed the compound words I used earlier, I was trying to introduce you to this clever text that underlies the message, make a friendship. One of my favorite poems is "Life's no cakewalk. It's Got its flaws./But I'll bring the milkshake/if you bring the straws." There is a special Afterword from Shira and a page to create one's own compound words. What a delightful book!
Like other boys, Henry has a great imagination. He walks with crutches, "click-click-click" that are decorated with stickers, make him feel like a heron. Nate Christopherson & Tara Sweeney illustrate his words with their own marvelous artistic inventions. We see Henry coming down the stairs, a heron leading the way! At school, he ends up not so happy. A classmate calls him a robot and even his friend, Joel, says he walks like a chicken. He escapes into the bathroom and, sad to write, takes a fall, admits his legs feel as if he could be a robot. Joel comes in and helps him up and they spend the time together after school. Colors help tell this tale, again with imagination. Black and white seem as if Henry is invisible; a heron, robot, and chicken tag along. Joel gives Henry his toy dinosaur, whom Henry names Audrey, a part of their play and later, Henry in the bath, tells stories to her, “Not about a heron or a robot or a chicken. About me—Henry the boy.” Henry's words and the background activities show he is more than his disability, he is A Boy!
I celebrate books that introduce all kinds of kids with the universal "want" and "need', to play, to have friends. This is a great addition to picture books of welcome to them all, just like "Henry, the Boy".
