A New Place

Weslandia
A picture book by Paul Fleischman
Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
Published by Candlewick Press, 1999
Lexile: 820L
34 pages
found: on the shelves


I must admit that I have always wanted to live simply off the land and grow and craft everything I need. I love to garden and sew and other domestic things one would need to do to survive. Weslandia is the story of a boy who doesn’t quite fit in to “normal” society and finds solace in his own backyard. He discovers a new plant from which he is able to eat, drink, and craft utensils, clothing, and tools. In the end, it is the other kids in town who find themselves trying to get into Weslandia.

I like the fantastical way that this encourage children to be themselves and carve their own path, regardless of how others behave. The end message is that in the end, the true leaders are those who are passionate and confident in their quest. Wesley decides that if the kids at school are going to treat him like an outcast, then he will find is own place to fit in.

To use this story in the classroom, I would take a scientific/creative problem solving approach in small groups. I could give each group a few ears of corn or potatoes and ask students to think of creative uses for various crops. Ask them to create a vessel, a tool, two ways to consume, and one fabric (either to write on or sew). Getting students to think creatively, “outside the box” gives them confidence to accept that there are many ways to accomplish a task. When one path does not lead to success, another can be tried. An exercise like this teaches students to think of using their resources in unique ways.

Parables

Read Aloud Bible Stories Vol. 1
A picture book by Ella K. Lindvall
Illustrated by J. Kent Puckett
Moody Publishers, 1982
Level: any
158 pages
found: recommended by a friend
The Hold Medallion Book Award
A C.S. Lewis Honor Book


This collection of Bible stories was recommended to me by good friends and church Vicar. It is often a challenge to find versions of Bible stories which maintain the integrity of the parable while remaining appealing to children. This collection includes: The Man Who Was Too Little, The Man Who Couldn’t See, The Boys and Girls and Jesus, The Wind That Obeyed, and The Man Who Said, “Thank You.” These stories are particularly good for reading aloud because the language is simple and child-friendly (mommies and daddies) and uses many onomatopoeias (splash, splash! Step… step… step…) which helps to engage children in the story.

The objective of a parable is to bring the presence of God down to the people on earth, and then return back up beyond human reach. In this way, children can begin to comprehend a vast presence within their own small worlds.

In addition to the wonderfully descriptive language, I especially enjoy the simple watercolor marker illustrations. They are the type of drawings that children could make themselves and I think that really appeals to them.

This collection of stories is particularly for groups of fidgety children. I would have them organize a production of one of the stories. They must designate a director, the cast of characters, set a scene of props, and act out the storyline.

What's that smell?

The Stinky Cheese Man and other Fairly Stupid Tales
A picture book by Jon Scieszka
Illustrated by Lane Smith
Published Viking Press, 1992
Lexile: 520L
56 pages
found: recall from high school
Caldecott Honor Book

Usually I stay away from books with the word “stupid” in them because we were never allowed to use that word in my house growing up. There were three of us kids, each with varying levels of ease when it came to school, so “stupid” was truly insulting from one kid to another, and Mama let us know it was inappropriate. But the rich, exaggerated drawings of this book indicated that its tone is cheeky and ridiculous, so it felt alright with the understanding that it is not a malicious title.

The book itself is just teeming with sarcasm from cover to cover, literally. It is a collection of slightly off-kilter fairy tales in which a happy ending is either met by alternate means, or not at all. For example, there’s the story of the Ugly Duckling who in end, just stays ugly. And the account of a little man made of stinky cheese, olives, and bacon instead of gingerbread, who no one wanted to chase, but ends up dissolving in the river.

I like this book because it takes conventional “and they lived happily ever after” fairy tales and spins them into more brash, slightly cynical versions. It really encourages readers to look at fairy tales with a different, possibly more realistic lens. Yes, a more realistic lens does damped the magic of the fairy tale, but I think it teaches children to think critically about what they hear, and not just accept it as a truth. Perhaps a Prince Charming will not come riding in on a white horse, and what if the ugly duckling grew into an ugly duck? It’s ok.

I also love the illustrations in this book. They are composed of various mediums, including paint, pencil, and collage. Many of the pictures use a mix of Smith’s garish illustrations and real images (from newspapers, old photographs, and text). This mix of real and unreal lends itself well to the idea of looking at fairy tales more realistically.

I would use this book in the classroom to teach about humor and cynicism. After reading the book, I’d ask them what made these stories humorous? Students would work in small groups to choose a fairy tale and twist it around so that odd and funny things happen instead of the norm. I would encourage them to create an ending that’s slightly shocking and outlandish.