picture book Archives - Page 708 of 712

The Swamp Where Gator Hides
by Marianne Berkes (Author) and Roberta Baird (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Under the algae that carpets the swamp, near the duck who paddles in ooze, close to the turtle who takes a snooze . . . hides a gator! Still as a log, only his watchful eyes can be seen. But when gator moves, he really moves! What happens to the duck, the turtle, the egret, the deer, and the many other critters of the swamp when gator makes his move?

Snippet:
This is the sunfish
who scoots away
when Gator comes out
to catch his prey.

WHO WILL HE HAVE FOR LUNCH TODAY?

Six Traits Mini Lesson

Trait: Organization This poem is written as a cumulative tale, a story that uses the This Is The House That Jack Built pattern. Each new creature is introduced with “This is …”

This is the sunfish

The second pattern in this rhyming picture book is seen in the end rhyme. The words at the end of the second and fourth lines rhyme.

The second line ends with the word away:

who scoots away

and the fourth line ends with the word prey:

to catch his prey.

Trait: Word Choice To make a rhyming pattern work, you need to choose your words carefully. The words away and prey aren’t spelled the same, but the sound in the final syllable is the same. Both words end with the long a sound. So does the word at the end of the final line on this page:

WHO WILL HE HAVE FOR LUNCH TODAY?

This week’s Poetry Friday Round-up is hosted by The Opposite of Indifference.

Aqualicious
by Victoria Kann (Author, Illustrator)

Booktalk: Pinkalicious and her family go on a trip to the beach for a day of sun, fun, and sand castles! The day gets even more exciting when Pinkalicious finds a mini-mermaid named Aqua while she’s collecting shells.

Snippet:
I was collecting seashells. I found a shell and held it next to my ear so I could hear the ocean.

TURN THE PAGE

Instead of hearing the ocean, I heard a little voice inside the shell.
“Put me down! I’m trying to nap!” the voice said.
“Eeeek!” I screamed. I was scared, but I was also curious. I looked inside the shell. I saw a little face with long hair.
“Can you help me?” said the little voice.

Six Traits Mini Lesson

Trait: Organization On the first page of the story, we meet the main character and find out that she is at the beach collecting seashells. The scene is set with just two sentences.

I was collecting seashells. I found a shell and held it next to my ear so I could hear the ocean.

On the next page, the main character has a problem. Something unexpected happens and the story begins.

Instead of hearing the ocean, I heard a little voice inside the shell.

Trait: Voice This picture book is written in the first person voice. In a first person story the main character also acts as the narrator. Readers experience the world of the story by seeing what the main character sees. The main character’s inner thoughts show and tell the story.

I was collecting seashells. I found a shell and held it next to my ear so I could hear the ocean.

We find out what happens next with MORE inner monologue. Pinkalicious tells us…

Instead of hearing the ocean, I heard a little voice inside the shell.

In dialogue, EVERY character uses the first person voice. The dialogue tags tell us who is speaking.

“Put me down! I’m trying to nap!” the voice said.
“Eeeek!” I screamed. I was scared,

After she shows us how she feels, Pinkalicious tells us what happens next with more inner monologue.

I was scared, but I was also curious. I looked inside the shell. I saw a little face with long hair.

The story continues with dialogue. The other story character speaks and now there is a new story problem, one that will carry readers through the entire book.

“Can you help me?” said the little voice.

See the book trailer.