From: Jennifer Groff <jengroff>
Date: Fri, 10 Feb 2006 11:37:44 +0000

Hi all,

I haven't had a chance to share all the Caldecott titles yet, but here are our experiences with Chris Raschka's work.

I?ve read the Caldecott-winning THE HELLO, GOODBYE WINDOW to every class K-3. The kids have loved, loved the artwork. From the very first pages they decide the pictures "feel happy," which invites them into the story.

"It looks like a real drawing," one said, meaning (I think) like something he himself would draw. "Kind of scribbly," another student noted. The third graders seemed confident that "it looks like the kind of painting WE could do," and one girl noted "it's abstract."

Usually I pause when we get to the nighttime spread with twinkly stars (it's my favorite!). In a kindergarten class, one child who recently joined us from China started singing "twinkle, twinkle little star" -- so we all joined in.

It's been a joy to see the students' engagement with this book!

Jennifer Groff Belle Sherman Elementary Library Ithaca, NY
Received on Fri 10 Feb 2006 05:37:44 AM CST