Picture Books

The following reviews were made as part of an assignment for the Literature for Children course through Sam Houston State University.

Last Stop on Market Street

Pena, M. de la. (2017). Last stop on market street. Ill by Christian Robinson. Puffin.

ISBN 978-0399257742

CJ and his nana go to the bus stop after church as they do every Sunday. As they wait for the bus to arrive and along the trip, CJ spends most of the trip complaining about what he does not have. For each complaint, nana replies with positivity, helping CJ to see all the wonderful things he is experiencing on his bus ride. As they reach their stop and proceed to their destination we see that CJ is beginning to realize all the treasures there are around him even if he doesn’t have the physical things that others do.

This is a simple and sweet book about taking the time to appreciate all the things around us with all of our senses. As we reach the end of our journey with CJ and nana we see that they are arriving at a soup kitchen in a drastically different neighborhood than the one where they attended church. The illustrations are clean smooth brush strokes with a childlike quality to them. In the illustrations we can see the differences but in the words we can find the things that we all have in common whether we belong to the “haves” or the “have nots.”

From Kirkus Reviews: “Through de la Peña’s brilliant text, readers can hear, feel and taste the city: its grit and beauty, its quiet moments of connectedness. Robinson’s exceptional artwork works with it to ensure that readers will fully understand CJ’s journey toward appreciation of the vibrant, fascinating fabric of the city.” Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/matt-de-la-pena/last-stop-on-market-street/ 

Take a cue from the point of view in the story and have children write a story, or have younger ones draw pictures, from the perspective of one of the people CJ encounters in the story. Reading is Fundamental again has several activities for children to do in conjunction with this story from easy to hard. This book also opens up many areas for discussion for all ages on topics such as charity, gratitude, and diversity.

You may also like: The Giving Tree by Shel Silvertien or Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Really Bad Day by Judith Viorst.

A Ball for Daisy

Raschka, C. (2011). A ball for Daisy. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books.

ISBN 978-0-375-85861-1

In this wordless children’s book, Daisy the dog is content and happy with her favorite red ball by her side whether resting or playing. One day at the park another dog wants to play but is too strong for Daisy’s ball and it pops. Daisy is sad without her ball until another day at the park the other dog brings her a new ball to play with. Now Daisy has a new blue ball and a new friend!

Chris Raschka brings all of Daisy’s emotions to life without a single word. His simple illustrations in brushstrokes clearly convey the emotions of a dog with her ball, without her ball, and with a new ball and friend. This is a beautiful story that children can take in with little adult help as emotions are universal. It presents a great way to teach children vocabulary, about taking care of the belongings of others, and what to do when accidents happen. This is a must have selection for my family.

From Kirkus Reviews: “Even very young viewers will feel Daisy’s pain as she passes in stages through incomprehension, dismay and anger to, at last, a bone-deep sadness that is brilliantly evoked by successive views of the droopy dog slowly sinking into a sofa’s cushions. Doggy delight rekindles, however, when another visit to the park finds the offending pooch and its owner waiting…with a new, blue ball!” retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/chris-raschka/ball-for-daisy/ 

Multiple activities and lesson plans based on A Ball for Daisy can be accessed at https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=24162# including original resources and links to other websites and blogs. One linked blog had a freebie inference activity based on a single picture from the book where you could distribute multiple images from the book.

You may also like: Good Dog Carl by Alexandra Day or The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney.

Click Clack Moo Cows that Type

Cronin, D. (2000). Click clack moo. Ill by Betsy Lewin. Simon & Schuster.

ISBN 978-1416903482

Farmer Brown’s cows found a typewriter and all day long he hears “Click clack moo” but he is in for a surprise when one morning he is greeted by a typed demand from the cows. Appalled, he refuses and the cows go on strike. Then he is met with another demand but he stands firm. Finally, Farmer Brown and the cows use the duck as a mediator and come to an agreement but Farmer Brown didn’t count on what happens next!

This is a fun little book with brush stroke illustrations. The idea seems a little old for children but as was stated in several amature reviews that I read, it is never too early to learn how to advocate for yourself and learn to solve disputes peacefully.

Tressa, a user on GoodReads, writes of the book “We've all heard that the "pen is mightier than the sword" and "the squeaky wheel gets the grease," well in Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin, Farmer Brown learns firsthand just how true these adages are when his cows find a typewriter in the barn and demand better treatment.” Retrieved from www.goodreads.com 

This would be a great book to simply explain labor strikes to older students. It can be used to teach communication and conflict resolution to all ages. Younger children would enjoy hands-on farm themed activities.

You may also like: Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems or If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff.

Make Way for Ducklings

McCloskey, R. (1999). Make way for ducklings. Boston, MA: National Braille Press.

ISBN 978-0670451494

In this throwback children’s book, the story starts with a mother and father duck looking for a place to make a home for themselves and their soon to be arriving ducklings. Momma duck proves hard to please but at last they find a suitable home in a park pond. At least they thought so, they decide to move on again but this time momma duck has to be pleased because the time comes to lay the eggs. After the ducklings have hatched, daddy duck heads back to the park pond and momma duck agrees to bring the ducklings when they are ready for the journey. Once momma duck decides the ducklings are ready she heads out for the park but the dangers along the way overwhelm the little group. In to help steps a police officer with whom momma and daddy duck had built a relationship. With additional help, momma and her ducklings are reunited with daddy duck in the happy ending to this story.

Upon opening this book I was immediately taken back by the stunning illustrations. It is no wonder that McCloskey, who both wrote and illustrated the book, won the Caldecott Medal for his work in 1942  Simply done in sepia tone drawings the ducks’ experiences are captured in mid-century Boston where the story is set. Although there are some plot holes, why is momma duck not appalled at only one week to get 8 ducklings ready to walk to the park, the story of family and the value of community contribute to the timeless book. I will be adding a copy of this book to my son’s collection and look forward to many enjoyable reads together.

From the Common Sense Media Book Review by Sally Snider: “Family is the central theme in this engaging Robert McCloskey classic. The mallard ducks illustrate love and care in the family. McCloskey describes the adult ducks carefully selecting a nesting site and, later, teaching the ducklings basic survival skills. Tension and adventure are created in the story during their dangerous trip across busy streets to get to the Public Garden and safety.” Retrieved from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/make-way-for-ducklings 

As you read you can carefully count all 8 ducklings in each family illustration. Additional resources and activities available from Reading is Fundamental. https://www.rif.org/literacy-central/book/make-way-ducklings 

You might also like: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats or Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by  William Steig.