From: Doris Smith <dorsmith>
Date: Sat, 06 Feb 1999 11:19:17 -0500

We have been examining the Caldecott winners this week with students Gr K-5.
  Snowflake Bentley has been universally enjoyed. Comments on this list that it is "teacher's book" is proving true. The illustrations in Duike Ellington...are so perfect for a book about musie...the rhythms inherent in the illustrations are a great match for the subject matter. Students ask when we examine the illustrations...did he play jazZ? As for Tibet....many of us felt it should have won the Newbery..it is such a riveting book but are having trouble with illustrations. I think my Teachers as Readers group will find this one very interesting. If I had gone on popularity alone...I would have chosen No, David. As soon as we purchased the book last fall, it has been circulating constantly with a large number of reserves. This is a great book to just read aloud before showing the illustrations which makes it a good teaching tool about the criteria of the Caldecott Award.


Students picked up similiarities in the awards....two biographies...they though that scratch board and wood block prints were similar....two books about snow...and the word "no" is in snow and in No David. Almost every class commented on the green water in the bathtub of No David.

Doris Smith
Received on Sat 06 Feb 1999 10:19:17 AM CST