It's a Picture Book Day!

I think I will start a new topic post. We read lots of picture books around here.....and I thought I would start keeping track of the keepers.



We will often read a handful, or more, of one author. Here is a recent discussion on 4 Real message board about the same topic........



I recently found at Bridget's blog, that she had a recommendation for

SEVEN LOAVES OF BREAD by Ferida Wolff

Our library did not have it, but I could find it on the interlibrary loan list. I also saw about six other books by the same author, and I found the titles intriguing, so I ordered all of the books by Ferida Wolff.



I am glad that I did! I pretty much enjoyed them all, as did the kids. I kept them to share with my friend Gloria from San Francisco last weekend. She liked them, too.



I was surprised that all of the books have a totally different illustrator. We liked some better than others.



Here is the list we read:



SEVEN LOAVES OF BREAD



Cute & sweet story as the busy, productive sister takes ill and the lazier sister takes over.......and she finds that making less than seven loaves of bread actually costs more work that making all seven loaves of bread.

THE STORY BLANKET



I saw on her website this is her newest book. This is an incredibly sweet story about an old lady who makes gifts for the community out of her story blanket...till its gone. Then, the community give her yarn to make a new story blanket as a thank you gift for all she has done...and then she starts the give-and-take cycle over again. The colors and illustrations are lovely. I think Miss Miranda, my little princess friend, will like this story.



THE EMPEROR'S GARDEN



We really liked this book, too. Humble villagers who are very agreeable with each other create a garden for the emperor's visit. When a monsoon damages their work in the garden, they are sure the emperor will not like the garden. They begin to be less agreeable toward one another. When the emperor loves the garden, the villagers begin to appreciate each other again. Gorgeous artwork and color.



THE WOODCUTTER'S COAT



Loved this story and artwork too. A clever and witty story as a woodcutter has a beautiful and efficient coat become ragged and less useful, only to be stolen by a beggar on his way to get a new coat, with a trade of firewood to the tailor. We then follow the coat as it gets new life, from one person to the next........only to end up in the woodcutter's hands again.



A WEED IS A SEED



I thought this story would be different than it was. It tells two perspectives about how a negative thing can be viewed on a positive side. For example: a weed is a plant growing where we do not want it...but it can feed a mouse in the winter......or moth eats a hole in our shirt, but pollinates flowers.......or rain ruins a picnic day, but waters the fields. The illustrations are fair, the colors nice.



IT IS THE WIND



The watercolors are lovely in this book, and make up for the text, which we did not mind, but did not prefer. It might be because the text was a bit young for us. Actually, I found on her website that this book is for youngers. Gorgeous artwork.





The author has a website. There are a few lesson plans there. I did not take a look at them.



The list of all her books is here.

ENJOY!!!

Happy reading blessings to all!

Love, chari

PS: Gloria......you should be able to find all of these through the same library system. do you know how to use Northstate Cooperative Library to your advantage?