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Vera Williams' Books: The Trilogy
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From: Ginny Kruse <gmkruse>
Date: Thu, 11 Apr 1996 11:27:00 -600
Renee's comments about ways she's discovered to use Vera Williams' books with older children remind me of the excellent editorial "Picture Book Potential" by Barbara Elleman in Book Links
(March, 1996: page 5).
Renee pointed out the marvelous image of a heart within the single page painting of The Chair in A Chair for My Mother. This is an excellent example of one way Vera Williams provides opportunities for individual discoveries within her books, discoveries that deepen the themes she explores. Another example involves her picture book trilogy featuring Rosa: A Chair for My Mother; Something Special for Me; and Music, Music for Everyone. For years I've referred to these three books as her Bread and Roses Trilogy. In them, Vera honors workers, the work they do, and the "basics" needed by everyone for contentment, well?ing, even for joy. Yes, if the name sounds familiar, this is intentional. Vera will not deny that she made reference to the historic use of the term "bread and roses." It is not an in-your?ce reference, nor is it that of an adult book creator figuratively winking over the heads of the children who read her books on one level. It's an honest reference for anyone with the experience to read these three books from that perspective.
What else have you noticed about any of these three books?
...Ginny
******************************************************************** Ginny Moore Kruse (gmkruse at ccbc.soemadison.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) A Library of the School of Education 4290 Helen C. White Hall (corner of N. Park & Observatory Drive) University of Wisconsin - Madison For public service hours: phone 608/263720, fax 608/262I03, or write to ccbcinfo at mail.soemadison.wisc.edu)
Received on Thu 11 Apr 1996 12:27:00 PM CDT
Date: Thu, 11 Apr 1996 11:27:00 -600
Renee's comments about ways she's discovered to use Vera Williams' books with older children remind me of the excellent editorial "Picture Book Potential" by Barbara Elleman in Book Links
(March, 1996: page 5).
Renee pointed out the marvelous image of a heart within the single page painting of The Chair in A Chair for My Mother. This is an excellent example of one way Vera Williams provides opportunities for individual discoveries within her books, discoveries that deepen the themes she explores. Another example involves her picture book trilogy featuring Rosa: A Chair for My Mother; Something Special for Me; and Music, Music for Everyone. For years I've referred to these three books as her Bread and Roses Trilogy. In them, Vera honors workers, the work they do, and the "basics" needed by everyone for contentment, well?ing, even for joy. Yes, if the name sounds familiar, this is intentional. Vera will not deny that she made reference to the historic use of the term "bread and roses." It is not an in-your?ce reference, nor is it that of an adult book creator figuratively winking over the heads of the children who read her books on one level. It's an honest reference for anyone with the experience to read these three books from that perspective.
What else have you noticed about any of these three books?
...Ginny
******************************************************************** Ginny Moore Kruse (gmkruse at ccbc.soemadison.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) A Library of the School of Education 4290 Helen C. White Hall (corner of N. Park & Observatory Drive) University of Wisconsin - Madison For public service hours: phone 608/263720, fax 608/262I03, or write to ccbcinfo at mail.soemadison.wisc.edu)
Received on Thu 11 Apr 1996 12:27:00 PM CDT
