Crockett Johnson | VIVIAN KIRKFIELD

Do you read with your child every day? It’s fun and builds vocabulary!

Would you like a great list of books to choose from? Head over to Perfect Picture Book Friday with Susanna Leonard Hill and friends.

My Perfect Picture Book recommendation for today is an old classic from master storyteller and illustrator, Crockett Johnson.

A Picture for Harold’s Room

Written and illustrated by Crockett Johnson

Publisher: Scholastic Book Services (Harper Row) (1960)

Ages: 3 and up

Themes:

Imagination, creative expression, adventure, there’s no place like home, art, problem solving

Opening Lines:

“I want a picture to put on my wall” He drew a house with his purple crayon.

Synopsis:

Little Harold thinks the wall in his bedroom looks too bare. He takes his purple crayon and begins to draw. Thus starts an adventure for the little boy who gets into and out of trouble as he draws a new world for himself.

Why I like this book:

This is another classic picture book from author/illustrator Crockett Johnson of Harold and the Purple Crayon and The Carrot Seed fame. I love the simplistic pictures and text…all about problem solving and conflict resolution. Very young children will enjoy the pictures and story…older ones will appreciate the page turning tension and suspense…will Harold ever get back to his room?

How a parent can use this book:

As a lovely read-aloud
To show children that each of us is the ‘master of our fate’
As an introduction to creative art expression
To help kids realize that every problem has a solution

Related Activities:

THE AMAZING SHOEBOX

Spring is here! Why not help your child put together several art supplies in a little box to keep on hand for outings. Bring it to the park, keep one in the car, take it along for doctor’s appointments. What should you put in it? Small pad of paper and a box of crayons are the basics…but you can add a glue stick, a pair of blunt safety scissors and a sheet of stickers…hours of fun and very little expense.

You can also use shoeboxes (THEY ARE FREE…most shoe stores or department stores will give you as many as you want) to make dioramas, doll houses, buses and other vehicles…here’s an awesome link for many step-by-step instructions:

http://www.ehow.com/list_6733140_shoebox-crafts-kids.html

The voting is still going on over at Susanna’s In Just Spring Contest…if you haven’t already voted, hop on over…the seven stories that made it to the finals are AWESOME! http://susannahill.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-in-just-spring-contest-finalists.html

Do you want to encourage your child’s creativity? Show Me How gives you 100 picture book suggestions and a simple arts and crafts activity for each one! The book makes spending time with kids fun AND easy!

You can click this link to purchase a copy

Asian Festival of Children’s Content and PPBF (viviankirkfield.wordpress.com)
PPBF: Be The Kite…Inspiring Kids to Imagine and Soar (viviankirkfield.wordpress.com)
https://viviankirkfield.wordpress.com/2012/02/10/perfect-picture-book-fridays-little-toot/

Today is Perfect Picture Book Friday where I link up with Susannah Leonard Hill’s fantastic group of picture book writers, illustrators, librarians and others who contribute a picture book review and related resources for parents and others who work with young children.

June 5^th is World Environment Day. The theme for 2012 is Green Economy: Does It Include You? According to Wikipedia, Green Economy is “growth in income and employment that is driven by public and private investments that reduce carbon emissions and pollution and prevent the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem.”

Does Green Economy include you? How can parents become involved in lessening the carbon footprints of their family? How can parents engage young children in environmental activities?

Here is the perfect picture book that can serve as a launching pad for a summer family vegetable garden that will inform, engage and involve kids in what will hopefully become a life-long concern for preserving the environment and living a healthier lifestyle. The book is one of the hundred classic picture books recommended in Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking. Please check out a stellar review of my book by Nancy Hatch on Spirit Lights the Way.

The Carrot Seed

Written by Ruth Krauss

Illustrated by Crockett Johnson

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers (1945…and NEVER out of print since then!)

Ages: 2 and up

Themes:

Determination, perseverance, self-esteem, gardening, self-reliance

Opening Line:

“A little boy planted a seed. His mother said, “I’m afraid it won’t come up.”

Synopsis:

From Amazon: “Ruth Krauss, author of A Hole Is to Dig, has crafted a story almost Zen-like in its simplicity. A little boy plants a carrot seed and waits patiently, tending to it carefully, while everyone around him insists that “it won’t come up.” His conviction is steadfast, however, and sure enough, a carrot worthy of first prize at any state fair springs forth from the earth. Krauss’s husband, Crockett Johnson (creator of Harold and the Purple Crayon), illustrated The Carrot Seed, and while the little boy is rendered with uncomplicated lines, all of his hope, confidence, and serenity shine through. The image that resonates most strongly in this minimalist tale is the unfaltering faith of the mild-mannered little boy. Young readers learn that standing your ground in the face of opposition and doubt can often result in twice the reward expected (even thrice the reward, if judging by the girth of this carrot).”

Why I like this book:

The illustrations: simplicity in its purest form!

The text: minimalistic and appealing!

The message: POWERFUL…believe in yourself, even when no one else does!

What a wonderful book for every young child…this is a story that encourages kids to stand up for what they believe in. With World Environment Day coming on June 5^th, this book can be a launching pad for starting a home vegetable garden this summer that will decrease your family’s carbon footprint.

Related Activities:

Plant a carrot seed, of course! With young children, you can also take the butt end of a fresh carrot and plant that in a container of soil. The carrot will grow profuse greenery that smells just like a carrot and can be cut and used to garnish salads and vegetable dishes.

You can find some great instructions for container gardening here.

There are lots of good tips for growing veggies with kids here.

Investigate your local community to see if there is a community gardening project that your kids can get involved in.

Lesson plan and activity unit for third grade based on the Carrot Seed.

Crockett Johnson’s Homepage has some interesting info on the Carrot Seed song.

Brighttub has a page of lesson plans and activities.

Scholastic has a page of lesson plans and activities.

Curriculum for The Carrot Seed.

Read about World Environment Day 2012 on Mauritius first-ever youth newspaper

Read about the 2012 Theme of Green Economy: Does It Include You on Wikipedia

Connect with world-wide events and celebrations on the United Nations site

San Francisco has been in the forefront of green mandates…Sophie Azouaou is the SF Green Living Examiner.

This post is part of a series for parents and teachers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays hosted by Susannah Leonard Hill. Click on her link and find lots of other picture book suggestions with summaries and activities. Her page is a perfect resource go-to for summer activities for kids!

The summer is a perfect time to be reading with young children! Leave a comment on this post any time during June telling what books you are reading with your kids and you will be entered into the 2012 Positive Parental Participation Reading Challenge. Each month we mail a lovely picture book to one lucky winner! It could be you!