The Three Pigs by David Wiesner

The Three Pigs

Author/Illustrator: David Wiesner
Genre: Traditional Literature
Awards: Caldecott Medal
Grade Level: K-4

This is the classic tale of the three little pigs, but with an unexpected twist. Everything seems normal at first. Each pig builds a home out of completely unsuitable materials only to have the wolf destroy it. But when the wolf appears and blows the house down, things begin to look different. For example, the wolf even eats one pig! After this, the pigs find themselves in the real world, looking at the story from the outside. The pigs even fold up the pages of the book to make a paper airplane! They explore the pages of many other classic tales such as a fairytale story with a mystical dragon. The wolf continues to reach the pigs safe space, but cowers in fear when he seas the dragon.

The illustrations in the story seem like normal cartoony pictures until the story shifts. When the pigs come out of the book, the begin to look more realistic. The illustrations are extremely detailed down to each hair and Wiesner uses some very creative ways to bring the pictures to life. The characters interact with the book itself through the text and pages.

This story would be a great addition to any classroom library as it is appropriate and funny for children of all ages. If students have been exposed to the classic tale of the three little pigs, this book can be used to compare and contrast the two stories.

In the Small, Small, Pond by Denise Fleming

In the Small, Small Pond

Title: In the Small, Small Pond

Author/Illustrator: Denise Fleming

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Awards: Caldecott Medal

Grade Level: K-3rd Grade

A young boy experiences nature from a frog's point of view in a small pond. He sees many different animals. He also listens to the sounds that they make. The boy learns a lot about the life of the pond animals.

The illustrations in this story are vibrant and colorful. They portray the lively lifestyle of the animals that live in the pond.

Young readers will show interest in this book due to the many different animals used and the repetition in the text. Students will be able to imagine experiencing these animals for themselves through the text and illustrations. Classes can discuss their experiences with animals as well as how each animal is different.

When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry... by Molly Bang

When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry...

Author/Illustrator: Molly Bang
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Awards: Caldecott Honor
Grade level: PK-1

When Sophie's toy gets taken away from her, she gets really upset. She tries to calm down by going outside. She is comforted by her beautiful surroundings. When she returns home, everyone is excited to see her, and Sophie does not feel angry anymore. 

The illustrations in this Caldecott Honor book include Sophie's angry and destructive outbursts. The illustrator uses shape and color to display Sophie's emotion through pictures. Although simple, the illustrations are beautiful, especially in the outdoor settings.

Students can relate to Sophie's emotions, because at early ages, children often do not understand how their feeling or know how to deal with it. I like that the story shows kids a healthy way to handle their anger. Classes can discuss different ways to deal with different emotions and learn which one is best for them.