Perfect Picture Book Friday: Shmulik Paints the Town

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The mailman delivered a box the other day. I couldn’t wait to open it. Inside…a copy of the debut picture book of a dear friend. And I knew right then and there that I would be reviewing it for Perfect Picture Book Friday.

shumlik

Shmulik Paints the Town

Written by Lisa Rose

Illustrated by Catalina Echeverri

Publisher: Kar Ben (2016)

Ages: 4-8

Themes: Procrastination, ingenuity, humor, Jewish culture

 

Opening Lines:

On Monday, the mayor visited Shmulik the painter.

“Soon it will be Yom Ha’Atzmaut, and we will celebrate Israel’s independence. Can you paint us a mural on the wall and decorate the park around it?”

“Certainly!” said Shmulik.

Synopsis:

The mayor asks Shmulik the painter to decorate the park and paint a mural for an upcoming celebration of Israel’s independence. Shmulik agrees and goes to check out the park and the wall he is supposed to paint. He takes along his dog and while he contemplates the clouds in the sky and thinks about what he will paint, his dog gets busy. This happens every day for a week and when the day of the celebration comes, the park looks fabulous, even though Shmulik himself has not painted a stroke.

 

Why I like this book:

  • I love the gentle humor of this story.
  • Children will get it right away that it is the dog who is creatively decorating the park while his master procrastinates.
  • The illustrations are perfect…the expressions on Shmulik and the dog had me laughing throughout the entire book.

 

How a parent can use this book:

  • There is a lot going on in each picture…have your child retell the story to you, just from the illustrations.
  • The story can be a springboard for a discussion about mastering tasks and skills, following directions, and fulfilling your responsibilities.

RELATED ACTIVITIES

Stu and Jeremy casting 10_8_15

Young kids benefit from time spent with older folks…grandparents have so much they can share and a child’s self-esteem grows when he is encouraged to learn new skills.

What chores can your youngsters handle? Even the youngest child can help fold laundry or dust or put away toys. Why not make a goal chart and award stars or stickers for goals completed?

You’ll find great goal charts here: http://www.momswhothink.com/printables/printable-chore-charts.html

If you are looking for some more wonderful picture book reviews and activities, please visit Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Friday post.

And please come back tomorrow for:

Will Write for Cookies

Laurie Wallmark

14 thoughts on “Perfect Picture Book Friday: Shmulik Paints the Town”

  2. Pingback: Perfect Picture Book Friday – Lemonade In Winter – Susanna Leonard Hill

    • Maybe the people ahead of you will read it quickly. 😉 I got the paperback…it was pretty reasonable…maybe you’ll have to pick up a copy, Leslie. 😉 I need to hop around and read the other posts in Susanna’s Perfect Picture Book Friday link up…thanks for stopping by mine. 😉

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