The grandma in the title is greatly missed but not dolefully mourned by a boy and his grandfather as they spend a day together at the shore. A red flag on a sand castle is for Grandma, declares the Continue reading » When you read this story again, you can change up the questions you ask the kids. Maybe try discussing some of these: Smudge mistakes mini-misogynist Charles for a wimpy one, who gradually warms to her. I believe this is how the reader is supposed to interpret Charlie’s character arc too, but I keep thinking about the distinction between sexism and misogyny, and how Browne only subverts one of those aspects for his boy character. DESIRE In their independent activities, children further apply their inference skills to answer questions in role, or complete a table detailing who thinks what about who! In the alternative suggested activity, children are challenged to create a short role-play on the premise of one of the children going to tea at the other's house, and how the characters would interact with one another. Importantly, the story is atemporal by design. Is this sky one of the evening, morning? We don’t know. Once the characters assemble at the park, the seasons keep changing according to whose story it is. This makes use of the symbolism of seasons, of course, but also lends a universality to this story of humanity and hierarchy.

I use surrealism a lot is because I was very affected by surrealist paintings when I was young. I also believe children see through surrealist eyes: they are seeing the world for the first time. When they see an everyday object for the first time, it can be exciting and mysterious and new. Anthony Browne from from the Teaching Books interview In this lesson, children will focus on the first two Voices in the Park characters, Mummy and Dad, in more detail. As a class, they will read the first two chapters together and look for clues in what the characters say or do that can tell us more about them. how the characters are shown – what do the colours and images suggest to you about the characters – what do they make you feel?; The illustrations in this story are so clever, allowing the reader to understand the characters in more depth, alongside the text. I really appreciate the lesson behind the story, showing that money does not always equal happiness. The pictures in this book alone would create a brilliant point of discussion in the classroom, encouraging children to look carefully at the messages the pictures are showing us, and may point out things that may not be obvious when just glancing at the pictures the first time around.Part of a new line of books aimed at families with blind or sight-impaired members, this smartly conceived board book is tactile in more ways than one. As readers count to 10, the numbers and Continue reading » vessels and vehicles Offering a look not just under the hood, but everywhere inside cars--and trains, tanks, rescue vehicles and more--The Ultimate Book of Cross-Sections offers abundant visual Continue reading » absolutely tabulous Each of the four Tab Board Books from DK's SnapShot imprint offers a visual table of contents: a row of illustrated tabs down the right side of each book presents the theme for Continue reading »

Wallace (Chin Chiang and the Dragons Dance) takes his inspiration from his grandfathers experience in the coal mines for this suspenseful picture book set in Cape Breton in Nova Scotia. On Jamess Continue reading » A round-up of new nonfiction titles focuses on plenty of pets. Two bilingual board books introduce youngest readers to their furry companions in Touch and Feel Kitten: A Spanish/English Word Book Continue reading »The face you see in the mirror had its beginnings in the primeval slime at the bottom of the sea,"" begins this large-format, picture-laden study The Human Face, by psychologist, biologist and Continue reading » Two families fight their own quiet battles in the modern-day Gettysburg, Pa., of Schroeder's moving second novel (after Solitary Places). Both the Davieses (Cal and Ellen) and the Carvers (Allison Continue reading » A vast, Nordic setting and a hauntingly melodic tone evoking the rhythm of its harbors anchor this selkie tale. Weaving together ancient stories from Iceland, Scotland and Ireland, Doherty (The Continue reading »