Flotsam 2007 Caldecott Award

Flotsam, by David Wiesner, won the Caldecott Medal in 2007. This book does not have any words in it, but the illustrations tell the story. The colors used in the illustrations are very bright and vibrant. I enjoyed looking at all the illustrations and thinking about what the words to the story would have been had they been printed on each page. This book allows you to use your imagination. There is a synopsis of the book on the front flap if the viewer wants to check his/her interpretation of the book with the author's intent. I learned from this book that you don't need words to "read" a story, the words to the story are in your mind, and in this case the illustrations bring the story to life!

Wiesner, D. (2006). Flotsam. Clarion Books: New York

Caldecott and Newbery

I am ashamed to admit that I did not know the difference between the Caldecott and Newbery Medal. I had an idea but was not certain until I researched this information today. The difference is that the Caldecott Medal is awarded in honor of the illustrator's work, while the Newbery Medal is awarded in honor of the author's written work/literature. These awards are two of the most prestigious children's book awards and are awarded annually. The Caldecott award was created in 1938 and named after Randolph Caldecott, a 19th century English illustrator. The Newbery award was created in 1922 and was named after James Newbery, an 18th century bookseller. Both awards are granted by the American Library Association. Neither award is better than the other because they awarded for two very different reasons.

Information retrieved from http://www.wikipedia.org/

September 19, 2009

Children's Literature

It was not until I became a teacher that I developed such a love for children's books. As a teacher I find myself constantly trying to find books that align with the content I am teaching. A good book is a great way to introduce new content, or just enhance what is being taught. As a mother my love for children's books grew even more! It is a joy to read stories to my two small children. Even though my daughter can not read yet I love to hear her retell the stories to me. I have so many favorite books, I could never choose just one favorite. I love Guess How Much I Love You, Love You Forever, The Giving Tree, Charlotte's Web, The Velveteen Rabbit, Click Clack Moo, Green Eggs and Ham, Parts, The Very Hungry Caterpillar........I could go on forever!

Blogging is new to me but I am excited about creating this blog. I created this blog to serve as a reading journal for a class I am taking but I am sure that it will become so much more as I become more familiar with how it works!