The Poky Little Puppy

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lowrey, Janette Sebring. 1942. The Poky Little Puppy. Ill. by Gustaf Tenggren. New York: Golden Books. ISBN 0375839207

PLOT SUMMARY

Lowrey tell the tale of a family of naughty puppies who are constantly digging under a fence, much to their mother’s chagrin. One puppy is out exploring the world and misses the punishment that the other puppies receive. Although it seems as if his behavior is being rewarded, his poky behavior catches up with him by then end.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Lowrey’s puppies are fun and engaging characters in this classic fable. The personification of the puppies allows most children to be able to relate to the puppies’ behavior. The order of the story is repetitive and children can predict what will happen next. Lowery’s writing style is fun and will appeal to young readers when she uses phrases such as “roly-poly, pell-mell, tumble-bumble.” Lowery seamlessly weaves story of morality into an entertaining and charming story.

As a popular Golden Book illustrator, Gustaf Tenggren applies his expertise to the illustrations of The Poky Little Puppy. Even though the illustrations are simple, Tenggren is able to show movement which gives the puppies a playful appearance. The pictures use bright colors and match the playful quality of the text of the book.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Amazon.com: “The Poky Little Puppy has sold nearly 15 million copies since 1942, making it one of the most popular children’s books of all time.”

CONNECTIONS

In addition to the overreaching moral themes, Lowery’s story provides the opportunity for young readers to identify items in nature as well as the opportunity to practice simple counting skills.

The Poky Little Puppy would be a good starting point for a talk about the importance of listening to your parents.

Golden Books are renowned for their simple stories with positive themes. Other Golden Books could provide similar discussion topics.

A Ball for Daisy

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Raschka, Chris. 2011. A Ball for Daisy. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books. ISBN 0375858611

PLOT SUMMARY

Raschka uses his illustrations to wordlessly tell the story of a dog, Daisy, and her ball. Raschka details Daisy’s sense of loss when her beloved ball is destroyed.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In this wordless picture book, Rashcka has created swirling, watercolor illustrations that are engaging for young readers. The illustrations of this book create this charming story and are able to stand on their own without prose to accompany them. The lack of words gives children the opportunity to create their own story. The graphics are arranged like a photostrip which facilitates narration of the story even more. Additionally, children will be able to relate to the theme of love and loss of a beloved toy. The repeated setting of the park is also familiar to most children. This book is recommended because the story and artwork will both appeal to young children.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2012 Caldecott Medal Award Winner

Starred Review in School Library Journal: "Raschka’s genius lies in capturing the essence of situations that are deeply felt by children."

Starred Review in Horn Book: "a story that is noteworthy for both its artistry and its child appeal."

Starred Review in Kirkus Reviews: “Rarely, perhaps never, has so steep an emotional arc been drawn with such utter, winning simplicity.”

CONNECTIONS

Although this book has several applications as a literary tool for older children, it would best serve younger readers as a starting point for a discussion on feelings of loss and the rewards of altruistic sharing.

Other wordless picture books include:

Pinkney, Jerry. The Lion and the Mouse. ISBN 0316013567

Wiesner, David. Flotsam. ISBN 0547759302

Should I Share My Ice Cream?

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Willems, Mo. 2011. Should I Share my Ice Cream? New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 1423143437

PLOT SUMMARY

In this delightful story, Willems brings back two known characters, Elephant and Piggie.  Elephant struggles with a big decision regarding his treasured ice cream cone.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Award winning author and illustrator, Mo Willems, has created yet another charming book for young readers.  The characters, Elephant and Piggie have personalities that are quite likeable.  If children are familiar with the other books featuring these two characters, the personalities will become even more obvious.  As an easy reader book, the text is simple, but conveys a meaningful message of the importance of sharing.  

The vocabulary is simple and appropriate for beginning readers.  This is not to say that the book will not appeal to children of all ages.  All children will be able to relate to the story.  Willems is able to quickly create a significant, concise plot that is quickly resolved.  Willems uses thought bubbles throughout the story because there is not much dialogue between characters.  The majority of the story focuses on Elephant’s thought process and it feels like he is speaking to the reader.

As an expert illustrator, Willems’s illustrations develop the story even further.  In addition to using thought bubbles to convey meaning, Willems has shaped the thought bubbles into easily recognized shapes.  There is a lot of white space around the illustrations which allows the reader to focus on the pictures.  The cartoon-like characters are endearing.  Willems also uses strong lines to express movement, emotion, and thought processes.  The illustrations in this story do not stray from the style in Willems’s other books.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Horn Book:  “A familiar problem, a satisfying resolution, and Willems's friendly illustrations and book design are just what new readers crave.”


School Library Journal:  “Willems's simple text allows beginning readers independent success, although the text and illustrations also work well as a read-aloud…Another winner.”

CONNECTIONS

Other picture books covering the theme of sharing:

Reiss, Mike. The Boy Who Wouldn’t Share.  ISBN 0060591323

Stein, Mathilde. Mine!  ISBN 1590785061