Bone Dog

Author & Illustrator:   Eric Rohmann
Publisher:  Roaring brook Press
Publication Year:   2011
Location: Knox County Public Library- Lawson McGhee

Awards:   starred Kirkus review, Capitol Choices Noteworthy titles, School Library Journal Best Books, Horn Books Best Books

Summary:  When Gus's dog Ella dies, Gus is very sad and doesn't want to do anything. On Halloween, he trudges out through the graveyard and is surrounded by skeletons. The skeletons try to eat him ("You've got guts kid...but not for long!" LOVE this line) The Ella the dog skeleton shows up to save him and they howl and scare off the skeletons. The dark relief print illustrations famed with black are perfect for story and the whimsical skeletons are dark but never scary.

Classroom Ideas: This book has great verbs (trudged, lunged, whirled) and figurative language (personification: the wind moaned. The clouds swallowed the moon; onomatopoeia: shriek, growl, screech, swoon, hiss, howl; idioms: You've got guts, Well tickle my ribs) The theme here is one of friendship, promise, and faithfulness. This book could also be shared during Halloween time.

My Friend Rabbit

Author & Illustrator:   Eric Rohmann
Publisher:  Roaring Brook Press
Publication Year:   2002
Location: Knox County Public Library- Lawson McGhee

Awards:   Caldecott, Parents' Choice Award

Summary:  Rohmann decides to use printmaking for this book with hand colored relief prints. It tells the story of Rabbit who is quite mischievious. When a plane gets lost up a tree, Rabbit drags in all the other animals and stacks them up (with an awesomely unexpected vertical spread) to try and reach. Even though the animals fall and are not happy, the mouse decides that "Rabbit means well. And he is my friend."

Classroom Ideas: This is a story of friendship and I think most kids could relate to the ideas here. You could use it as a mentor text and have kids write about a friend of theirs or about a time that they got into trouble.

Time Flies

Author & Illustrator:   Eric Rohmann
Publisher:  Crown Publishers
Publication Year:   1994
Location: Knox County Public Library- Powell

Awards:   Caldecott Honor
ALA Notable Book
New York Times Book Review Best Children’s Book

Summary:  The wordless story of a bird that flies into the Great Hall in the Field Museum in Chicago. It explores the idea that dinosaurs are the evolutionary ancestors of birds. The illustrations are gorgeous realistic oil paintings.

Classroom Ideas: This book could be used when teaching about dinosaurs or about evolution.