Author: Brenda MacNaughton

I am very excited to share with you a book for elementary students written by Lindsay Christina King. King is a member of Pikangikum First Nation in Northwestern Ontario. Pikangikum is a community that is accessible by plane and by boat in the summer. Her book, Storyteller Skye: teachings from my Ojibway Grandfather, was part of TD summer reads and is widely available to purchase or borrow.

The story introduces us to Skye, a young girl who loves telling stories. She invites readers to listen closely as the stories she tells have important messages within them. She then goes on to relate stories about animals like skunk, beaver, rabbit, raccoon and wolf. I greatly appreciate that the animals are introduced with their names given in Ojibway, the language of Pikangikum. Each story is told with humour that will appeal to all readers.

Each animal in the story is featured because of one of their unique traits and Skye has a story behind how they got that trait. For example, why does the skunk have a foul smell? Why does a raccoon have a mask? The lessons taught to each animal tie in to the Seven Grandfather Teachings. This book leads seamlessly into an oral language lesson and there is an activity outlined in the back of the book on how to get storytelling started in our classes. Beyond oral language I have some cross curricular connections for this read aloud.

Social Studies: 

This book gives us an opportunity to learn about a fly-in First Nation community of Northwestern Ontario. Millions of Ontarians have never been to a community in Treaty 5 territory, like Pikangikum, so it is important to share the photographs at the end of the book showing Lindsay King’s family and community. The author’s daughter, Maddy King, had her photography of Pikangikum featured in a CBC News article in 2020. Maddy King’s photos show the beautiful boreal forest of the Canadian Shield and promote an understanding of the interconnectedness of all.

Both Lindsay Christina King and Maddy King were interviewed for a video series called Portraits – Pikangikum First Nation, available on YouTube. The YouTube channel highlights community members and some of their challenges. For older students, we can examine ongoing impacts of colonialism. In particular, the video about Maddy King has beautiful photography and demonstrates her connection to the land. There are community leaders interviewed in the Portraits series and they outline the ways they are promoting traditional values to counteract the challenges being faced in Pikangikum. Some of the initiatives include promoting youth connection to the land, support for young mothers, and working toward more modern infrastructure.  The school there has 1700 students and its own teacher education program in partnership with Queen’s University. I highly recommend learning more about this community!

Science

Storyteller Skye connects language and science in the several grades:

Grade 1: Needs and Characteristics of Living Things;

Grade 2: Growth and Changes in Animals;

Grade 4: Habitats;

Grade 6: Biodiversity.

Reading this book during a science unit or as a review of the concepts gives our students a different perspective filled with humour and enjoyment.  This story allows students to respond to discussion and comprehension questions and to review the characteristics, growth, habitats and biodiversity of our science curriculum.

Visual Art

Each of Skye’s animal stories can be an inspiration for art as well. Whether it is drawing, painting, or creating a 3 D model, our students enjoy making changes to animals, using their imagination. The art they create can lead to an oral storytelling activity which allows them to share what characteristics they have changed and how the change could teach the animal an important lesson. Animals do not have to be the only subject of this art.  It could be about making changes to a certain environment or building as well. 

Drama

I envision students working in groups to create skits about the different animal stories that Skye has in this book. Creating or finding some simple props for students to use in their dramatization will add another level of creativity to this lesson.

This is definitely a book I will carry from class to class and use for my supply teaching assignments!

Storyteller Skye: teachings from my Ojibway Grandfather by Lindsay Christina King and Carolyn Frank; Medicine Wheel Publishing, 2022.

Happy Reading!

Brenda

Today’s blog features unforgettable classroom experiences that I had in elementary school. I benefitted from these rich learning tasks and in turn these memories spurred me on to design similar experiences for my students. I hope some of my students remember what I taught decades later!

Cross Curricular Drama Lessons 

As a kid who loved to play and use my imagination, I have vivid memories of combining science and history with role play.  One year, we were allowed to include costumes with environmental presentations. One student came dressed as a raindrop as he explained acid rain.

 In French class we often performed skits to practice new vocabulary. The teacher would have children’s clothes or food on hand so we could pretend we were shopping.

In language class in grade 3 we read plays and were challenged to perform a scene. I remember being a mountain goat, kicking and bleating my heart out! Then in grade 7 English we studied Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Carol” and I got to take my performances to the stage.

Guest Speakers

A change from the routine made for a very memorable day in elementary school. Meeting artists and singers brought us joy and learning. In grade 2, one of the parents in my class came to teach origami and talk about her country of origin, Japan. 

In grade 5 we had a musician visit the class and play a variety of instruments that were not normally available to us. Rich learning experiences are easily created when teachers invite guests into the classroom. 

As a teacher, some of my favourite days have included bringing guest speakers, especially Indigenous elders or dancers/drummers/singers. It is a responsibility we carry as treaty people to build these relationships.  I also appreciate having older adults as guest speakers. Some students have no exposure to seniors and they may not realize the importance of a lifetime of experiences.

Two First Nation guest speakers who were presented with a quilt and a blanket made by my colleague, ETFO member Shelley Miehe.

Hands-On Learning

Paper airplane making was the task we were given in grade 5 for a study of manufacturing. Our group members each had specific roles and responsibilities. My group did not make the most airplanes but we had high quality! 

Our grade 6 teacher had us create a relief map of Australia using salt/flour dough. We then painted the project. This was a fantastic way to help us interpret a 2D map.

Learning Outdoors

When I attended an urban school in grade 4, we walked through the area trying to find where the water traveled above and below ground. We looked for evidence of sewer grates and then mapped out  the nearby stream and reservoir. We also went around the area taking tree bark rubbings to use for collages in art. The idea was to cut out various shapes and glue them down to make a very eye-catching piece of art.

 By grade 6 I was in a rural school with more snowy winters. We were allowed to create snow sculptures as art. Colour was part of the experience, but I don’t remember if we had spray bottles or brushes. Was it paint or food colouring? I remember being very proud of our giant, snowy caterpillar.

Current events, Poetry and Sharing

From this top 5 list, you have probably gathered that I enjoyed speaking in front of a group!

In primary grades, my teachers used the show and share model to help students get used to public speaking. We were always encouraged to bring something to share that had educational value. For example, in grade 1, I brought in my corking tool and wool to show the class how to create a craft. 

Performing magic was a hobby I developed in grade 4 and my teacher allowed me to show the class some tricks and I had background music playing from my tape recorder.

Sharing current events and poetry was encouraged in grade 5 and our teacher gave out a certificate if shared 200 times. Yes, I achieved that goal along with one other friend. If I were doing it today I might have a certificate for every 25 or 50 items shared to encourage more students to participate.

I hope you found some helpful ideas here. These tasks are easily adaptable among grades and appeal to many of our learners. 

What are your top 5 learning experiences? Do we have any in common?

Brenda

Celebrate Earth Day with joy and laughter about the natural world! 

Here are two books that will make children laugh while they learn. I have had them in my possession for a few months now and I keep rereading and sharing them with different classes. Both books can integrate learning in language, science, and the arts. Content warning: both of these books use either the word poop or poo. When a silly word like this is in a book, I usually have a conversation with the class before reading. I do not tell them the exact word but do let them know that there is a silly word that we don’t usually use in class. This actually causes them to hone in and really focus on the story as they anticipate the silly word coming up. Once they hear the word and the initial roar of laughter happens, I remind them that we still find that word too silly for use in the classroom. Some words cause a lot of distraction, and this is one of them!

Both of these books can be used around Earth Day with the purpose of encouraging students’ curiosity about the creatures on planet Earth. When we help students realize that everywhere on Earth is a habitat for some creatures, they will be motivated to help with action projects.  A favourite project is a community clean-up but there are other possibilities listed at EarthDay.org

10 Shocking Facts About Capybaras by Melanie Watt

Melanie Watt, Canadian award-winning author of both Chester and Scaredy Squirrel, is back with the adorable capybara as her main character. She lists off 10 truthful facts about capybaras but as she writes the tenth fact the capybara begins to interrupt. The critter is embarrassed about what she wants to tell the world. Similar to Chester and Scaredy Squirrel, the capybara speaks up for himself and makes us all laugh.  What a wonderful author study topic! Melanie Watt’s books have a strong element of humour but they also demonstrate empathy and perseverance.

I would also use this book to:

* introduce a study on animal characteristics;

*examine point of view as the story switches from third to first person;

*use this example to have students create their own research about an animal;

*go beyond the story and learn about the capybara habitat;

*use this as an example for students to create cartoon style animal drawings;

*encourage critical thinking to decipher fact versus fiction;

*encourage acceptance;

*develop a love of reading, especially books that use humour to engage readers;

*begin an author study on Melanie Watt.

“You’re Called What?!” written by Kes Gray and illustrated by Nikki Dyson

This book can be an excellent follow-up to the capybara book because it offers 13 animals with silly names that will definitely grab your attention. Another content warning: this book uses the words snot and booby in the animal names. As I already mentioned, prepare the class for some silly words to come up in the story and them when they have a good chuckle you can remind them that we don’t want to have these words being overused in the classroom because it can be disruptive. When students stop laughing this book can be used to:

*continue a study on animal characteristics and the descriptive names they have;

*encourage students to find facts such as size, food, habitat, number of young;

*dramatize the story with students performing the roles of the animals;

*map the locations of the various animals around the world;

*write a fictional tale about the lives of these animals in first person “My Life as a ___”;

*draw a self-portrait and re-name themselves with a funny name;

*paint or draw one of the animals in the book;

*take students outside and have them create names for the natural things they see: birds, trees, smaller plants, waterways, or even rocks;

*discuss fact vs fiction in this book;

*develop a love of reading, especially books that use humour to engage readers;

*have a discussion or debate about changing animal names.

 

On April 22nd read these books and kick off some fun ways to learn about animals.

Happy Earth Day!

Brenda

Across Canada, the groundhogs and lobsters have made their predictions for the start of spring. Now we can read a picture book celebrating the arrival of spring, Spring’s Miracles, by Indigenous author Kaitlin B. Curtice. Ideal for kindergarten to grade 3, this story explains how Dani, a member of the Potawatomi nation, celebrates the new year when spring arrives. The Potawatomi are Anishinaabe whose traditions include celebrating the new year with food and getting outside to appreciate the gifts of spring. 

Before Reading – New Year Celebrations and Seasonal Changes

Ask the class about the ways people celebrate the new year. They may mention January 1st with fireworks and parties and also Lunar New Year celebrations in February. Also look at the illustrations on the cover, does this cover look like early spring? Why or why not? We can use the students’ observations to talk about climate in different parts of North America and that early spring will look different depending how far south or north we are. Just thinking about this has me humming the chant from Bill Nye the Science Guy, “The reason for the seasons is the tilt of the earth”. It is possible to make an entire science lesson about seasonal changes just based on this story, but we can also include social studies, language and the arts.

During Reading – Relating to Students’ Experiences

The story takes Dani up a challenging climbing rock and she has to overcome her fears if she wants to reach the top. She remembers that,  “Even when she is scared, she can still do great things.” Students may wish to give examples of times when they were scared but found the courage to complete something frightening. 

Dani’s family has a celebratory meal, and we can use this opportunity to ask students about  favourite foods for the New Year. Are they the same or different? 

After the meal, Dani’s family share their hopes for the new year around the campfire. Again, students may wish to relate their ideas and wishes for the new year as well.

After Reading – A Spring Walk and Creative Response

Looking for signs of spring is a beautiful way to celebrate Spring’s Miracles! We can take the class for a walk around the schoolyard or into the neighbourhood*. It’s very rewarding to take photographs of the signs of spring on your walk.  Another exciting task is to bring along peeled  crayons and paper to take rubbings of tree bark. If we did this walk in my area of southern Ontario we might find: melting snow and ice, mud, puddles, running water (creeks), plants pushing through the soil, buds on trees, pine cones on the ground or on the branches, a variety of birds (listen for their calls), insects, squirrels or other small mammals, animal scat, and people enjoying warmer weather in a variety of ways in their spring clothing. 

Follow-up Suggestions

Once students have been outdoors and made observations of the change in seasons, we can ask students to reflect on the new growth they would like to see in their own lives. What changes do they hope to see? Is there something new they could try, even if it requires courage?

Creative Reflections

– use photographs to create a digital collage of spring’s miracles;

– draw or paint a garden of spring flowers such as trout lilies and trilliums;

– work together to create a Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring class book similar to the one in my Winter Solstice Blog;

-take crayon rubbings of tree bark and cut pieces of the rubbings out to create cut and paste flowers or a spring scene;

-dramatize what is happening to the snow or the plants in early spring;

-any of these ideas can be accompanied by a written statement in which the student shares an area of growth that they are working on;

More Experiences to Consider

-visit a farm to see what is being done to prepare for the coming season. How is life changing on a farm in the spring?;

-have an outdoor education experience focusing on spring changes in the forest;

-visit a sugar bush and observe maple trees being tapped for sap that is boiled into delicious syrup.

The Potawatomi Nation

As Treaty People we benefit from learning Indigenous perspectives. Since author Kaitlin B. Curtice is a member of the Potawatomi nation, we can take time to listen to their stories and learn about their communities. This nation crosses the Canada/U.S. border, with communities in both countries. Studying a map and reading from the community websites, or even better, having a guest speaker, helps us work on research skills while learning about the Potawatomi.

I hope spring brings you growth and change in the most rewarding ways!

Brenda

*Please check your school board’s policy on neighbourhood walks. I also recommend checking weather conditions, especially with the spring thaw causing flooding in some areas.

When we drive by a school and see a person in a bright vest with a stop sign in hand, we look out for children being helped to cross the road. Although the main role of crossing guard is safety, I have been lucky to know crossing guards who make students more comfortable with their friendly and caring manner. A warm greeting in the morning can help a student feel welcome and reduce their anxiety about going to school. I appreciate the important role of crossing guards in our communities!

I was excited to have the book, A Practical Present for Philippa Pheasant by Briony May Smith, recommended to me because it features a crossing guard who wants to help forest animals cross the road safely. Published in 2022 by Walker Books in London, England, this story is targeted at grades K-3, although I will always advocate to read more picture books to older students, including this one!

Pre-reading Discussion

Ask the students if they have had experience with a crossing guard. Do they think crossing guards are important community helpers? Why or why not?

Vocabulary

Given that this book was written in England, some terms will need explaining. 

Lollipop Person – crossing guard (the lollipop refers to the hand help stop sign)

Zebra Crossing – the common term for a crosswalk in the United Kingdom

Torches – the term for flashlights in the United Kingdom.

Other words that may need explaining: peculiar, triumph, fowl, distraught, ordeal, roused, preening, and nocturnal.

During Reading

When the mayor is introduced, we may need to guide younger students to understand his role and that he is jealous of the attention Phillipa is getting. When he decides to award a present to Philippa, we can ask, “I wonder if our crossing guard has ever had a present?”

After Reading

The Ontario transportation council recognizes School Crossing Guard Appreciation Week June 1-5, 2026. Some municipalities and school boards also recognize March 23rd as an appreciation day for school Crossing Guards. Teachers, we can show appreciation any day of the school year so here are some suggestions and cross-curricular activities. 

Writing Thank You Letters: Depending on your grade level this could be shared writing or completed in partners or independently. Have the class brainstorm what it’s like for crossing guards to be out in all kinds of weather, meeting different people, and stopping all those vehicles. We can thank them for their kindness, bravery, and perseverance. For older students this could include making a slide deck with photographs of the crossing guard at work.

 Drama: Creating a Crossing Guard Skit: Invite the crossing guard to see your class perform skits that they have created about the job. The skits could each have a different plot such as close calls with drivers who are not paying attention until the whistle blows, children who are rescued when they fall down, or short conversations while waiting for traffic that help students have a good day at school.

Visual Art: Create a wordless picture book with student drawings of the crossing guard at work. Encourage a variety of styles of pictures in different weather and clothing. Some pictures could be close up portraits while others could be the landscape of the street featuring the crossing guard.

Media: The National Film Board produced a vignette called Crossing Guards in 1978. I recommend showing it to the class to compare the job to the current day. Do they see similarities? Differences?

Social Studies: Grade 1, The Local Community: In a class discussion, review the role of a crossing guard and how this position is helpful in the community. What would happen if crossing guards did not exist?

No Crossing Guard at the school? We can show appreciation to custodians, secretaries, educational assistants, and DECEs. 

Happy Reading and Happy Celebrating!

Brenda

The night sky is mesmerizing. We gaze up into the vast darkness seeing the moon and stars but we can also look for planet parades, meteor showers, the Aurora Borealis and even see the space station circling around the earth. Canadians have had a significant role in space exploration since the 1950’s. This influence continues with astronaut Jeremy Hansen from the London/Ingersoll area. Jeremy’s path to becoming an astronaut is outlined in an article by CTV news which includes photos of him in childhood showing his interest in space. His dreams of becoming a pilot and exploring space started early, when he was in elementary school.  His childhood treehouse included buttons and knobs imitating a rocket ship and this idea was included in an illustrated e-book called, Explorers Club: To the Moon!  from the Canadian Space Agency. The book also features Canadian female astronaut, Jenni Gibbons, who is a  backup astronaut and capcom on the Artemis II mission. 

The Canadian Space Agency website has a section devoted to education with cross-curricular ideas for elementary classrooms where students are learning about space and the contributions of Canadians to space exploration. There are experiments to encourage students to think about how to survive in space. We can also learn about astronauts at NASA who are working on the Artemis mission, including Jeremy Hansen and Jenni Gibbons. 

Another source of inspiration is former Canadian astronaut, Chris Hadfield who created fascinating videos while on board the International Space Station.  Students sent in questions and he demonstrated how to brush your teeth in space or wringing out a cloth in space. 

The excitement and curiosity about exploring space and living in a no-gravity environment  makes learning very engaging. The Artemis II mission involves taking their spacecraft, Integrity, around the moon and back to earth as part of their ten day mission. The astronauts are trained to test this new type of space vehicle as part of the overall Artemis plan which includes landing on the moon in the next phase. 

The mission is worthy of research and debate with our older students. There are important questions to address:

-How is  the Artemis Mission valuable to Canadians?

-What views do Indigenous Peoples have on space exploration?

-How does the Artemis program and the Canadarm 3 inspire STEM education?

-What is the Lunar Gateway project and how are Canadians involved?

-How will the Artemis program influence our society?

For younger students, I highly recommend reading The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield. He recalls his experience of watching the lunar landing as a child in 1969 and how it inspired his career as an astronaut. Jump ahead to today and we can wonder how our students will be influenced by the Artemis program, which includes doing research on the moon’s surface and having the Gateway station orbiting the moon to support this research. 

Since the science curriculum supports learning about the impact of Canadian scientists on the world, I plan to include information about the Artemis mission in my teaching. There have been many brilliant Canadians leading the way in space research and we have the opportunity to nurture that love of learning in our students. I remember seeing the first female Canadian astronaut, Roberta Bondar, after her space mission. As a woman, I was energized by her accomplishments, commitment, intelligence, and humour. 

I can’t help but ponder the Artemis mission and its implications for the future. 

Brenda

 

When a book begins with a map I get very excited. When a book begins with a map AND has interactive flaps to lift, I’m all in! These illustrative choices make “Mouse’s Wood” a beautiful book to enjoy just for the sake of the creative style but the story also can be a springboard into the curriculum. Alice Melvin created a whimsical woodland where Mouse is found visiting various friends such as squirrels and hedgehogs who live in different micro-environments of the forest. Among them are cherry trees, a strawberry patch and the river bank.

 As Melvin says on her website:

“Mouse’s Wood is my love letter to woods and nature.  The book follows Mouse on a woodland walk through the changing seasons.” https://alicemelvin.com/mouses-wood/

This story can help children see the natural world in a way that feels peaceful and respectful. Isn’t this perspective needed amongst all the negative messages kids get about the environment? The story can be read at any time of the year, since all seasons and months are represented. The book is ideal for kindergarten as well as grades one and two but there are many students over 8 years old who would love to have this book shared in their class or recommended for a small group or reading buddy situation.  Here are some cross curricular follow up activities and theme ideas to go with Mouse’s Wood.

Activity 1: Illustrated Map Primary/Junior

After reading Mouse’s Wood, students create an illustrated map of their neighbourhood or a fictional location. An illustrated map gives the students poetic licence to enhance their favourite areas with illustrations, graphic designs, logos, etc. If you want to follow the model in Mouse’s Wood, encourage them to show details about the location in a particular season. For example, do the plants have buds, blooms, or fruit?

Activity 2: Observing Animal Habitats Primary/Junior

Mouse’s Wood is set in England so some of the plants and animals featured are different from the ones we find in Ontario. As a class, create a chart listing animals in the story and discover more about their habitats. What types of plants and animals live there? 

Compare those habitats to animals in Ontario. Consider including porcupines, skunks, beavers, or study some less common animals like shrews, bats, or voles.

Activity 3: Making Flip Art Illustrations Primary/Junior

Having students analyse the illustrations and develop their own flip art illustrations just takes paper, scissors, glue, pencil and the courage to experiment. These illustrations could be subject based for a science, social studies or health topic. Another suggestion is to turn these illustrations into greeting cards that students can use as thank you cards.  The idea of opening a door or window and seeing what is inside a room piques the reader’s curiosity. One of the illustrations in the book flips up to show the underwater world of the river in the wood. I’ve included a picture of another type of 3-D flip art that students have enjoyed making.

Theme Suggestions

Mice in Children’s Literature

Students are often interested in comparing picture books. There are thousands of choices of picture books with mice as characters. We can read these other books and ask questions about the art and the story, looking for contrasts with Mouse’s Wood. I immediately think of the series by Laura Joffe Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond,  If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Another favourite is the outstanding Canadian book, Subway Mouse, with plasticine art by Barbara Reid. Jan Brett has detailed illustrations for Town Mouse Country Mouse. Also, the Mouse King in the Nutcracker ballet gives us a chance to explore characters in dance as well as literature.   

Months and Seasons

One way to start the new year in January is to review the upcoming months and seasons. To reinforce these concepts, younger students will also enjoy Hap-Pea All Year by Keith Baker. The illustrations in this book are bright and colourful and the little peas do a wonderful job showing activities common at various times of the year. The style of illustrations is quite different from Mouse’s Wood and will make an excellent discussion topic. For an Indigenous perspective, try Kaitlin Curtis’ three books: Winter’s Gifts, Spring’s Miracles and Summer’s Magic. I referred to Winter’s Gifts in my December 2025 post about the winter solstice.

…

If this is the start of a new year for you, I hope it is a wonderful one full of many delightful books that entertain and educate.

Happy Reading!

Brenda

On a family visit to the zoo the Stewart children, Imogen and Arthur, catch the eye of a small penguin. He seems to be trying to communicate with the children. As they prepare to leave, their mother says “And you, Mr. Penguin, you must come and stay with us whenever you like.” No one expects that he would soon arrive on their doorstep!

The themes of family, friendship, welcoming strangers, and helping friends are built into this tale of mystery and adventure. Einstein is a brilliant penguin who enjoys messy meals and sneaking into Arthur’s backpack to spend time at school. There are many humorous scenes as their beloved feathered friend gets into a bit of mischief trying to find his friend. We see the siblings form a tighter bond and they begin to show each other more respect as the story goes on.  Both of them feel they don’t fit in but Einstein helps them have more confidence. 

The story is set in during early winter so a read aloud in December or January would be very relatable. That said, it really could be read at any time of the year. In the end, the children in the story grapple with the idea of saying goodbye but they realize Einstein isn’t suited to living in a townhouse.

I love that the chapters are short enough that you just need 10-15 minutes to read each one aloud.  Perfect for transitions from recess or at a time when the students have been out of the room for another subject. I remember my grade 2 teacher often read at the end of the day and we gathered together on the carpet. There is something about coming together for a read aloud that builds community as we share laughter, curiosity, fear, and sometimes even tears.  No tears for Einstein though, just giggles and surprises!

Einstein the Penguin can ignite our own excitement about writing and telling stories.  What type of animal could students imagine arriving at their door?  Would the animal stay at their house? What kind of adventure would they have?

Learning about penguins is a natural extension of this story. There are a few varieties of penguins mentioned in the book and students will be curious to learn about them. Einstein is a little penguin (also known as fairy penguins) and his friend Isaac is a rockhopper penguin like the one voiced by Robin Williams in the animated film, Happy Feet.

Einstein the Penguin has a mystery to solve and a villain in pursuit. Your students could very well get hooked on mystery stories at a young age. Setting up a mystery in the classroom makes for a very exciting hook in a lesson plan. Something as simple as a scavenger hunt can be a time for students to show teamwork and leadership. 

Students could also compare Einstein to Tacky the Penguin. As you may know Tacky is my favourite read aloud for primary grades so I wrote this blog all about it. Einstein and Tacky have similar traits of being dedicated friends and free-spirited creative thinkers.  I think your students will love them both.

Happy Reading!

Brenda

Einstein the Penguin was written by Iona Rangeley and illustrated by David Tazzyman. It was published in 2021 by Harper Collins.

The children of Ontario get a chance every year to vote for their favourite Canadian picture book from the Ontario Library Association’s list of nominees. Some of my most beloved books are from this category and as a teacher I’ve used them countless times. The two books featured in this blog both demonstrate the fantastic imaginations of writers and illustrators. Plus, these books both feature humour as a literary device to make these stories unforgettable.

The Boy Who Loved Bananas by George Elliott; illustrated by Andrej Krystoforski
2006 Winner of the Blue Spruce Award

Matthew loves the monkeys at the Metro Zoo so he decides to be like them and only eat bananas. Suddenly he feels an itchy sensation and he turns into a monkey. His parents try all kinds of interventions but everyone says Matthew will stop being a monkey when he wants to stop. He gets up to many types of mischief while he is a monkey, including influencing all the kids at school to eat bananas. The principal joins the trend too! The story ends with Matthew switching to peanuts and he is pictured sitting at his desk in his classroom as an elephant!

This book is a terrific story starter for shared, partner or independent writing. To analyse the writing style we realize that the story can be broken down into parts:
*The main character is introduced and is shown to love the animal he is going to turn into;
*The reader must suspend their disbelief and accept that the main character “transmogrifies” into an animal;
*The main character visits many practitioners but cannot be cured;
*The parents learn to accept their child the way he is;
*Just when we think he will become human again, the main character changes into something else that he likes.

Using The Boy Who Loved Bananas as an example we can emphasize that there is no harmful violence in the story. The type of humour is quite silly and uses exaggeration such as Matthew climbing the flag pole or the principal eating bananas under his desk. When students are creating their own story, they can also use exaggeration to add humour to their ideas.

It is possible to go a step further and have students add detailed illustrations to their work. Look carefully through the original book and notice how the other characters’ facial expressions show their reaction to what is happening.
Having students create books with illustrations is a terrific project. It helps them understand the publishing process and they end up with a wonderful creation. The stories could be put on display in the class library so that they can read each other’s work. I have found that when we send these books home, many families treasure a book created by their child.


If Kids Ruled the World by Linda Bailey; illustrated by David Huyck
2016 Winner of the Blue Spruce Award

Similarly, If Kids Ruled the World asks us to suspend our disbelief and imagine the world with children in charge. The story stresses the fun and silly antics that would occur in this situation and as you can imagine, kids absolutely love it. The illustrations add a tremendous amount of humour to the story as we see multiple characters on each page acting out everything from unusual pets like giraffes and ostriches to bubble fun in a swimming pool to a trampoline sidewalk.
This story would make a wonderful lead up to an art lesson where each student illustrates their answer to the question: What funny things could happen if kids ruled the world? Assembling all their work into one class book makes a very popular item in the class library.

Both of these books can be adapted easily for K-3. Depending on your students, you could use these stories with older students too. I have had success partnering with older students to create picture books as an assignment. These books are perfect examples to demonstrate how to use your imagination and humour to create a hilarious and unforgettable story.

Happy Reading, Writing and Drawing!
Brenda

Part 1: Winter’s Gifts: An Indigenous Celebration of Nature by Kaitlin Curtice illustrated by Gloria Felix

A citizen of the Potawatomi nation, Kaitlin Curtice has created a beautiful story explaining the importance of loving the earth at the winter solstice. I have read this book to classes from kindergarten to grade 3, using the story to expose children to Indigenous perspectives and to better understand the solstice and the significance it holds.

Before Reading – Minds On

Have students think about the late sunrises and early sunsets that have been happening. How has this natural change impacted their lives? Have their routines changed?  Review the concept of the winter solstice, helping them understand that the daylight hours decrease until December 21st , then there will be increasingly more daylight each day until we reach summer solstice. I like to demonstrate using students to play the role of sun and earth and show that earth orbits the sun and has a tilt that causes the changes in how much sunlight we receive.

During Reading

During the read aloud I will stop and ask questions about what they have noticed about the change in seasons. We might discuss how our clothing changes to warmer jackets, boots, mittens and hats or we might focus more on animal behaviour and how the animals we see are adapting to the season. The story focuses on winter being a time of rest, do the students agree or disagree? Can they explain their thinking? There is also an opportunity to review the Potawatomi perspective in the story about sun, moon and earth who are described as grandfather, grandmother and mother. 

After Reading

Depending on the age and stage of the class, I will make a t-chart with the words Goodbye and Hello as headings.  Under “Goodbye” we list the activities, weather, clothing, etc, that end in the season of fall/autumn. Similarly, under the heading “Hello” we list what is expected in winter.  With older students, this could be completed independently. Now students can take those ideas and create a Goodbye Fall, Hello Winter poem with artwork to accompany their poem. 

Part 2: Follow Up – Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter by Kenard Pak

The children in this story greet natural features such as wind, leaves, snow and birds. The children say hello to them and they get a reply explaining what that particular feature is doing in the season of autumn.  It is critical to pay attention to the illustrations in this story because they are telling a story of their own. On each page, the children are walking through different environments: fields, forests, a farm, and a town. The signs of winter begin to show as the book progresses, ending with the children back in the field from the first autumn illustration in the book but now it is a winter scene. 

The watercolour illustrations inspire students to create detailed sketches and paintings showing the change in seasons.  The subject of their art could be the same focus as their Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter poem. There are hints in this book that it is set at the time of the winter solstice and there are references to decorations and gift shopping that leave us wondering what they are celebrating.

Since I am new to using watercolour paints, I use tutorials from Andrea Nelson to help me learn. I have included a recent fall painting as an example.  I believe our students could create something similar.

I hope your students enjoy the chance to write and paint about this season change. 

Brenda