Tag: Perfect Picture Book

Books

PPBF: DIFFERENT LIKE COCO

Kirsten W. Larson

TITLE: DIFFERENT LIKE COCO

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Elizabeth Matthews

PUBLICATION INFO: Candlewick Press, 2007

ISBN:978-0763625481

SOURCE: library

INTENDED AUDIENCE: grades K-4

GENRE: picture book

OPENING and SYNOPSIS:

“At a time when France was the center of all that was wealthy, grandiose, and fashionable, Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel was born poor and skinny.”

From the publisher: “Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel was always different. And she vowed to prove that being different was an advantage! Poor, skinny, and orphaned, Coco stubbornly believed that she was as good as the wealthier girls of Paris. Tapping into her creativity and her sewing skills, she began making clothes that suited her (and her pocketbook) — and soon a new generation of independent working women craved her sleek, comfortable, and practical designs. Now an icon of fashion and culture, Coco Chanel continues to inspire young readers, showing just how far a person can come with spunk, determination, and flair.”

THEMES/TOPICS: be yourself/individuality

WHY I LIKE THIS BOOK: Matthews does a wonderful job of making this innovative woman accessible for kids. My eight-year-old has read this book over and over again. When I asked him what he most liked about it, he said it was the rags to riches story element.

RESOURCES/ACTIVITIES:

  • Play dress up! Have your kids use old clothes to make their own innovative fashions.
  • Help kids learn to sew. SewMama will get you started.
  • Simple sewing projects for you to try.

You’ll find way more cool books at Susanna Leonard Hill’s “Perfect Picture Books.” Every Friday folks review a host of new books. Join us!

Arts/Crafts, Books

PPBF: The Noisy Paintbox

Kirsten W. Larson

So I guess Perfect Picture Book Friday has become Perfect Picture Book Saturday. Sorry I’m a little late. Without further ado…

NoisyPaintbox

TITLE:  The Noisy Paint Box

AUTHOR: Barb Rosenstock

ILLUSTRATOR: Mary GrandPré

PUBLICATION INFO: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2014

ISBN: 9780307978486

SOURCE: library

INTENDED AUDIENCE: ages 4+

GENRE: historical fiction picture book

OPENING and SYNOPSIS:

“Vasya Kandinsky spent his days learning to be a proper Russian boy. He studied books of math, science, and history.”

From the publisher:

“Vasya Kandinsky was a proper little boy: he studied math and history, he practiced the piano, he sat up straight and was perfectly polite. And when his family sent him to art classes, they expected him to paint pretty houses and flowers—like a proper artist.

But as Vasya opened his paint box and began mixing the reds, the yellows, the blues, he heard a strange sound—the swirling colors trilled like an orchestra tuning up for a symphony! And as he grew older, he continued to hear brilliant colors singing and see vibrant sounds dancing. But was Vasya brave enough to put aside his proper still lifes and portraits and paint . . .music?”

THEMES/TOPICS: biography, art

WHY I LIKE THIS BOOK: I seem to be on a Barb Rosenstock roll lately, but she’s one of my all-time favorite historical writers. In this book, she uses onomatopoeia and repeated refrains to keep the story zipping along. GrandPré has done a masterful job of recreating the artist’s world and art.

RESOURCES/ACTIVITIES:

  • Random House has developed a CCSS-aligned teacher’s guide here.
  • The book itself includes back matter including some of Kandinsky’s paintings and Web sites for further information.
  • Do you have a noisy paint box? Can you paint a picture with no flowers or trees, but only intended only to make you feel?

You’ll find way more cool books at Susanna Leonard Hill’s “Perfect Picture Books.” Every Friday folks review a host of new books. Join us!