and then it's spring

Author: Julie Fogliano
Illustrator:   Erin Stead
Publisher:  Roaring Brook Press
Publication Year:   2012
Location: Knox County Public Library- Powell

Awards:   featured on "Calling Caldecott" blog, Booklist Editor's Choice, Horn Book Fanfare, Kirkus starred review & Best Book

Summary:  A boy plants seeds in the brown winter landscape and then waits, somewhat impatiently, for them to grow. The text captures the voice of a child perfectly, with lots of run-on sentences. The boy waters his plants faithfully (and his animal friends plant their own seeds too- I love the dog who plants the bone in the garden!) He worries that the seeds won't grow, but one day finally the green comes and it is spring. Once again, Stead's illustrations take center stage in her wonderfully detailed woodblock and colored pencil drawings. I think my favorite is spread that shows the creatures all sleeping underground (those adorable mice!)

Classroom Ideas: This book would be a great inclusion in a unit about seasons or one about plants. You could talk about the passage of time and the changes that happen underground before the seeds actually show growth. The underlying theme would probably be one about patience or "Good things come to those who wait."

A Home for Bird

Author: Philip C. Stead
Illustrator:   Erin Stead
Publisher:  Roaring Brook Press
Publication Year:   2012
Location: Knox County Public Library- Powell

Awards:   featured on "Calling Caldecott" blog; Horn Book, Publisher's Weekly, Booklist, & Kirkus starred reviews; Kirkus Best Book

Summary:  An overloaded “Careful Moving Co.” pickup truck drives down the road,where a cockoo off a clock falls out of the truck.Vernon the toad is a forager for interesting things who meets Bird. He introduces the mute Bird to his friends Skunk and Porcupine. They think Bird is lost and missing home so Vernon & Bird set off on the river to try and find his home. No matter where they go, Bird had nothing to say but finally they travel a long way on a balloon to a small farm house. They find a house hanging on the wall and when Bird is placed into the house he says Cuckoo! The gorgeous guoache illustrations are Erin Stead's most vibrant and they still have her amazing attention to detail. The spread where they set off on the river actually made me catch my breath.

Classroom Ideas: There are many clues to the outcome of the story in the initial illustration. You could discuss visual foreshadowing. Inference: Why doesn't Bird talk? Theme: once again, the Steads look at friendship.

Bear Has a Story to Tell

Author: Philip C. Stead
Illustrator:   Erin Stead
Publisher:  Roaring Book Press
Publication Year:   2012
Location: Knox County Public Library- Powell

Awards:   featured on "Calling Caldecott" blog, Kirkus Best of 2012, starred reviews School Library Journal & Publisher's Weekly

Summary:  Before hibernating, Bear wants to tell his story but everyone is busy. Finally, Bear must go to sleep without getting to tell anyone. Many months later when he awakens, Bear is excited to get to tell his story. He helps all his friends gather together but then he can't remember the story. Helpfully, his friends suggest that perhaps he should tell the story of his hibernation and so the last line of the book is an echo of the first. Erin Stead's beautiful muted illustrations perfectly accompany this sweet story of friendship. (I'm not sure if the vertical spread of Mole's underground den or the gorgeous starry sky spread when Bear is telling his story is my favorite.)

Classroom Ideas: The plot of this story could be easily mapped, and the theme of friendship and helpfulness could be identified by younger readers.

A Sick Day for Amos McGee

Author: Philip C. Stead
Illustrator:   Erin E. Stead
Publisher:  Roaring Brook Press
Publication Year:   2010
Location: Knox County Public Library- Powell

Awards:   Caldecott medal, Publisher's Weekly & Kirkus starred reviews, A Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Book, Charlotte Zolotow Award/Honor Book

Summary:  Amos McGee is a zookeeper with a scheduled life until one day when he gets a cold and has to stay in bed. His animal friends all wait for Amos to show up and wonder where he is so they head to the bus stop. Elephant, rhinoceros, turtle, owl, and penguin go to visit Amos and cheer him up. At the end of the story, owl reads them a bedtime story before everyone settles down to spend the night. Erin Stead's woodblock and pencil drawings are subtle and the personalities of the characters are captured perfectly.

Classroom Ideas:The theme here is about caring and friendship. You could also use this book to talk about genre: fantasy.