Fiction Friday: Picture Books {Ch. 4}

Hello kid lit book fans! 

Welcome back to another round of Fiction Friday.

This week I'm sharing a bit about the picture books found on the 2017-2018 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List. Out of twenty nominees this year, five of them are picture books! Five! That's a quarter of the list my friends and just goes to show that students in grades 3-6 are (and should be) reading picture books too. 

And these picture books are too good to miss!

Ada's Violin

The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay

Written by Susan Hood, Illustrated Sally Wern Comport

"A virtuoso piece of nonfiction, gloriously told and illustrated." - Luann Toth, School Library Journal 

 

Ada's Violin is a triumphant and inspirational story of turning trash into treasure. It's the true story of how the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay began and is told through the eyes of one young musician who finds her escape through music. The story will captivate you from the first line, "Ada Rios grew up in a town made of garbage." How could not want to read more? From there the reader follows Ada and her town as they find beauty and hope in the trash that surrounds them.

The exquisite illustrations consist of collage, acrylic paint, drawings and digital mediums.  They beg to be studied and appreciated. This book could be used as a read aloud, a discussion starter, a mentor text, a reading strategies lesson, and so much more. You could weave it into lessons all day for days and days.  It is a story that needs to be told and needs to be heard. Be sure to check out the author's note for websites and videos to further student (or your own) future research afterward because believe me... you'll want to know more.

Follow The Moon Home

A Tale of One Idea, Twenty Kids, and a Hundred Sea Turtles

Written by Philippe Cousteau & Deborah Hopkinson, Illustrated by Meilo So

"Delivers an eloquent environmental message while demonstrating how kids can change the world through teamwork and perseverance." -School Library Journal

Looking for more inspiration? New to town, Vivienne has no idea what to do for her class community action project, but she starts looking for problems to solve. Then she learns about the Loggerhead Turtle Nesting Area at her local beach and the problems baby turtles are having getting to the ocean. Her class starts a Lights Out for Loggerheads Campaign and ends up inspiring the whole town!

Follow the Moon Home is a lovely story of how one idea can make a big difference. From the incredible watercolor illustrations to the beautifully crafted text, this picture book will win your heart. It reminds you that anyone can make a difference in this world.

The back pages are filled with more information and resources about Loggerhead turtles and a Letter to Young Activists from Philippe Cousteau encouraging kids to look around their community, find problems, and seek out solutions. The classroom integration opportunities with this book are numerous including community building, service learning, independent research projects. Great read for all elementary kids and would be great for a school-wide project kick-off.

The Princess and the Warrior

A Tale of Two Volcanoes

By Duncan Tonatiuh

"Equal parts melancholic and transcendent—a genuine triumph." - Kirkus

The story of The Princess and the Warrior has been passed down for generations in Mexico. It tells the tragic love story of Popoca and Izta while also explaining how the two volcanoes in the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan were made. Similar to Romeo & Juliet, this story felt familiar with a new folktale/traditional literature twist at the end. Classic and new all at the same time.

Duncan Tonatiuh's version of this tale is vibrant and well told. I loved the bold illustrations throughout the book and greatly appreciated the glossary at the back as the text is filled with Nahuatl words that were new to me.  Definitely going to be adding this book to my folklore collection.

The Storyteller

By Evan Turk

 "This lush and lovely title is highly recommended.” - School Library Journal

It's a story within a story within a story and it's brilliant! The Storyteller may be my favorite of all the Bluebonnet picture book nominees this year. This story of Morocco, a young boy, a beautiful blue bird, a distractable djinn, and the power of storytelling (and importance of sharing) is expertly crafted and woven together seamlessly.  

The illustrations alone make this book worth sitting down to read. They are unique and beautiful. I honestly took a picture walk before hand so I could fully appreciate the intricacy and power of the pictures. Then I started reading and was instantly pulled into the story.  It reads aloud flawlessly. If you haven't read this one, please do. Read it aloud. Read it again and again. Then read Grandfather Gandhi again because Evan Turk illustrated that one too!

Whoosh!

Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions

Written by Chris Barton, Illustrated by Don Tate

Click here to read my thoughts on Whoosh!

And there you have it...All five picture book Bluebonnet nominees! Have you read them? Do you have a favorite? I'd love to hear from you.  They are all great titles to have in any elementary classroom or personal library and will be great additions to our Classroom Book a Day this upcoming year. I can't wait to share these books with my 5th graders.

What have you been reading? What other picture books do I need to read? 

Connect with me here or on Instagram @classroomhoopla to share book recommendations. 

Want to join the fun?? 

Please link up and share one or two or three books you've read.

Link Up "Rules" are very simple.

- You can link up ANYTIME during the week, not just Friday.

-  You can include picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, etc.

- Children's and Young Adult Literature are all fair game

- Please link up with a picture of one of the books you are sharing
- Please don't forget to grab the Fiction Friday button and link back to Classroom Hoopla

Happy Reading!

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