Picture Books Part 2: 3 Books to Start the Year
In part one of this series, I told you my 3 big ‘Whys’ for picture books: Joy, Entry Points, and Layers. The three books I use near the start of my year try to hit all three. These books could easily be revisited later in the year to explore another aspect, but I like to use them in the first 1-2 weeks to set the stage. One of the books is a pretty new addition to my list…as in only since the pandemic. It was very much appreciated last year and broke the ice well!
Book 1: All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman
This book rhymes and flows beautifully as it welcomes all students to a classroom…no matter how they start the day or what they wear. The book invites kids to join in the refrain ‘All are welcome here’ throughout the story, which is a lovely interaction.
The images, however, are what blow me away. They portray the true diversity in our classrooms through skin tone, family composition, and disability. There is even a child in a wheelchair in several of the images. This is huge.
My class last year did a literature audit comparing different types of visibility from comics drawn in the late 80’s to modern graphic novels. There were huge leaps in visibility in many areas, but characters who were blind, in wheelchairs, deaf, or had some additional physical disabilities or mental illness were still severely underrepresented. I did a happy dance when I found this book had representation, and so did a few of my students. .
If you want a kid recommendation: My son asked me to buy this book for his Kindergarten teacher this year so she knows that he knows everyone will be welcome in her class. So I did.
Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop explains better than I ever could why kids need to see diversity in literature. She literally invented the phrase using literature as Windows, Mirrors, and Sliding Glass Doors.
A Powerful Ted Talk about literature and how it should be both a window and a mirror.
Book 2: My Name is Sangoel by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed
My Name is Sangoel (Pronounced Sun + Goal) is a beautiful book about a family that travels as refugees. The only thing that Sangoel can take with him is his name and yet, every single person he meets has trouble pronouncing it or gives up. Eventually he gets frustrated at school and draws on his shirt a sun and a soccer ball in a net (goal). The next day, the kids and the teachers get it. They can say his name perfectly and they all try drawing their names.
This story has so much potential, and I have used it many ways:
1. My kids draw their names on the back of name tags for TOC days (They love it!)
2. We discuss why a name is important and what we can do to make sure we say names correctly
3. If someone corrects us on pronunciation, we say ‘Thank you for teaching me’ instead of ‘sorry!’
4. We have talked about how annoying it is (micro-aggression) that certain names are always autocorrected or mispronounced.
5. We have talked about the refugee experience and revisited this book when new students enter the class.
This book hits all three: Joy, Entry Points, Layers… Play with it and have fun!
Book 3: Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt
This is a new addition to the beginning of the year. You see, Scaredy Squirrel is a little afraid of many MANY things. He is very prepared and likes to stay in his safe nut tree. He has plans. He has antibacterial soap. He has rubber gloves… He doesn’t like to go out into the unknown. Hmmm… does this sound familiar?
At the start of last year, I read this to my rotation classes. They revelled in nostalgia as many of them ‘grew up’ reading Scaredy Squirrel (Joy). They found the connections between living in a pandemic and Scaredy’s life (Layers). The play between the text and the images is so lovely that it creates entry points…as does the humour (Entry Points).
Is this the most elaborate story? Nope. Did it allow for a thoughtful discussion and break some tension? Yup! Will I read it again this year…probably? It worked and helped us talk about new health and safety protocols within a fun and unique context.
What are your favourite books to start the year? What activities do you like to do with them? If you are stumped and none of these books work for you, talk to your school librarian! I bet they will have a few up their sleeve.