Mock Caldecott Club 2013 Day 9

Today's Picture Book Month theme is NATURE, so I thought I would share the beautiful book, and then it's spring by Julie Fogliano and illustrated by Erin Stead.  We enjoyed her other book, too, Bear Has a Story to Tell, which I blogged about earlier.


and then it's spring has already won the 2012 Boston Globe – Horn Book Honor Book.  Extra Yarn, one of our other favorites, won the main award.

Here are some of my students' comments about and then it's spring:



"I like the pictures because the animals have expressions to show the mood."
"The pictures show that the boy was in mittens and a scarf in the beginning, but just a t-shirt at the end, which shows it was getting warmer."
"The illustrations were beautiful."
"The expressions on the characters give you feelings of patience, hope, anxiety, and waiting."
"I like how the pictures have so much detail."
"I liked the illustrations because from the beginning to the end it showed the plants getting better and better. It showed the faith growing."
"I reeeeeally liked the end because it's very colorful."
"The animals were so cute."
"The illustrations have texture because of the wood grain."
"The woodblock makes the pictures POP!"
"I thought the page with the bear scratching his armpit was funny!"

We talked about "please do not stomp here - there are seeds and they are trying" makes a great metaphor for a classroom of students!