Mock Caldecott 2013 Book Club Day 8

Today's Picture Book Month theme is READING. I blogged about The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce before, but it was a perfect time to share it with my classes again.

 

 

 

I LOVE this book, and we had so much fun today discussing it. The story is full of metaphors, symbolism, whimsy, depth, and theme. This is the second time I've shared it with my students this year, and I'm so glad I did because we noticed new things - especially since we were concentrating on the illustrations and evaluating them for the Caldecott 2013 Book Club. During our discussion, one students remarked, "So much more goes into picture books than you would think!" I love that he has realized this during our study of picture books this month.

Here are some comments students wrote in their notebooks:



"Toward the end, the pictures show sadness because it's winter and dark."
"I like the pictures because they show the seasons and sometimes seasons represent happiness or sadness."
"The illustrations are good because he shows that some peple are black and white since they are unhappy, but when they get a book they turn in color which means they are happy. By the seasons he shows the stages of his life (example - winter is death)."
"I loved this book because of the use of color. When people are sad, they are gray, and when they are happy, they are in color."
"I love these illustrations. They show black and white for a lonely life and color for a full life."
"This book has such creativity in the illustrations. The outside wall of the library was made of books! I loved this book."
"I like how Mr. Joyce uses colors to show feelings and gives signs like an hour glass and seasons to tell when he will pass away."
"Soon (Morris Lessmore) goes somewhere special and leaves a legacy to a little girl."
"The circle of life!"