Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell

When this won the Caldecott last year, I read this book and... didn't quite get it. The illustrations were somewhat primitive and almost too simple. 

The story was also somewhat simplistic with apparently no character development. 

What was the big deal here?  

Last month, on a whim I picked it up again to read to my Pre-K class. They had been pretty antsy the past few days and I decided going with a wordless book would be great since I could speed through it or linger over it depending on their behavior. 

The Pre-K teacher warned me as she dropped them off that they were having a little bit of a hard day. 

So I decided I was going to speed through this book. But I couldn't help asking them a few questions.

What do you see in this picture? 

This little girl seems to be going somewhere, but her parents aren't. Where could she be going? Where do you go while your parents stay home? (School--surprisingly, this stumped them!)

As she leaves school, what is happening?  

What do you notice is different about one of these wolves? 

What is happening in this picture? 

Before I had gotten very far into the book, I suddenly realized the entire class was captivated. 

The story was simple enough they could understand it. The words being used to talk about each picture were often words they themselves came up with, so were understandable. 

I asked them about the emotions of each character. 

How were they feeling? 

One of the big questions the students really got into was--What would you do in this situation? Would you bring the baby wolf to his or her mother or bring the baby wolf home? 

The real dangers my rural students could enter into

Oh my goodness. This picture and...

....this one are so evocative of surprise and uncertainty. 

One emotion my students had a hard time identifying was relief. However, when I told them it was the feeling you have when you look up and don't see your Mom or Dad near you in the store and get scared and then turn around and see them right behind you; scared, but then glad, they understood it. 

Exhaustion sets in as night falls and the little girl heads home. 

Her family and dog are looking for her, but they are still far away.

What do you think the wolves are going to do to her? 

The gentleness of the wolves was a surprise.

Again, we talked about relief. 

And coziness. 

We spent over 15 minutes pouring over this book and discussing it in detail. And the students were completely absorbed in the drama and the possibilities in the story. 

And now, I am deeply in love with this book. I love it. Adore it. 

I think it is a book you need to spend time with. The lack of words leaves so much up to the reader. The first time I looked at it, I flipped through it quickly and missed the potential depth. 

But taking a little time, you see so much more. 

Locomotive by Brian Floca

This book is INCREDIBLE. Just don't try reading it to anyone under 10. Because... they will be impatient with it. 

There is so much in this book. The pictures are glorious (that IS a Caldecott Medal on the front, 2014) and the detail packed into this book is incredible. This is a like a historical textbook in picture book form. If you are interested in America in the 1860's when railroads were spreading like wildfire, and railroads in general, you need this book. 

Floca doesn't even waste the endpapers. So. Much. Information. 

Have I mentioned how much I love the pictures? 

All the different people that helped to build the railway. 

Once the railway is complete, linking the east coast to the west, we see a family setting out to meet their father in California. We follow their journey on this brand new marvel. Across the country in less than a week...! Unheard of!

I love the illustrated fonts. And the antlers on the front of the engine.

The people who make the train work.

Details

These illustrations...!

Heading across the prairies

What travel was like. I thoroughly enjoy the "convenience" details. The kids have been listening to Ramona the Pest lately--where she asks her kindergarten teacher how Mike Mulligan went to the bathroom that long busy day he was digging. These are important (and interesting) things to know, but are so rarely mentioned. 

Turntable, switching out the engine.

Heading through the night.

The wealthy traveler's beds vs. the poorer travelers.

Rickety trestles crossing gorges. 

Things that could happen to trains if they aren't expertly handled. But fortunately, the engineer on our train is brilliant, so we don't need to worry about these events. 

Landmarks

Floca is really good at getting so many different perspectives.

Truckee, CA. The air is cooler again

Finally, finally they get where they need to be. 

Endpapers being put to good use again. 

This is an awesome book!

King Bidgoods in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood & Illus by Don Wood

My husband Justin remembered loving this book from his childhood. We bought it and the kids love it too. It is silly and outrageous! 

And yes, I did buy that little golden tub just for these pictures. I rarely do that, but I happened to see this little golden tub one day at the store and it just seemed like I should buy it for ol' King Bidgood. The kids are enchanted with it. As we left for school this morning, Elsie carefully placed her pterodactyl and Woody the Woodpecker into the golden bath for a nice, day long soak. 

This poor page is trying to get the king out of the bath. He enlists support from the King's court.

No matter what they say or suggest however, King Bidgood finds a way to do it in the tub. 

Today we battle in the tub!

And everyone leaves soaked. 

Today we lunch in the tub!

The queen is not amused. 

This book is a Caldecott Honor book from the 1980's. The colors it uses are dated, but the pictures are still fun! 

And interesting tidbit, the page is based on Audrey and Don Wood's son. Did you know they were married? They are. And they have a son that looked like the page in the 1980's. 

Fishing in the tub. 

There is such a lot of silliness in this book--who creates a pond in a bathtub? This is why the kids love it.

Tonight we dance in the tub!

As the moon shone bright, the page has had enough. 

(Did you see all the loads of stuff he had to cart out each time the king made ponds and lunches in the tub? Poor kid.) 

He pulls the plug.

And finally, the king gets out. And you can almost see his bare bottom, which is hugely funny as well.