Hello friends!

It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday…and I’ve got the PERFECT PICTURE BOOK for you! It’s another wonderful 2017 debut! We are part of the book blog tour…if you’d like to visit any of the other stops, please click here.

THE GREEN UMBRELLA

Written by Jackie Azua Kramer

Illustrated by Maral Sassouni

Publisher: NorthSouth Books (2017)

Ages: Preschool – Grade 3

Themes:

Friendship, sharing, imagination

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

When Elephant takes a peaceful walk with his green umbrella, he’s interrupted by Hedgehog, Cat, Bear, and Rabbit—all claiming that they’ve had exciting adventures with his umbrella. After all, it is an umbrella, and it certainly hasn’t been on any adventures more exciting than a walk in the rain. Or has it?

Here is what the reviewers are saying:

Illustrated in spreads that alternate the rainy-day narrative in vignettes with full-bleed spreads that allow the flight-of-fancy retellings to render a deeper mood, the animals’ stories are delightfully descriptive…The lesson about sharing and generosity is elegantly wrapped around lovely language. (Kirkus Reviews)

 Debut author Kramer’s imagination-fueled encounter makes good use of fellow newcomer Sassouni’s gift for conjuring up fairy-tale landscapes…And Kramer’s storytelling passages sustain their lofty tone with no off notes—no easy task. (Publishers Weekly)

A sweet story of a blossoming friendship between five lovable and imaginative characters, united by one special green umbrella. I want to jump right in to the lush paintings and join in their fun!(Lauren Castillo, Author/ Illustrator of Caldecott Honor Book “Nana in the City”)

Whimsical and cartoonlike animals, depicted with a touch of vintage style, will delight readers as the story shows all the imaginative ways an umbrella can be used. The brightly colored acrylic illustrations complement the conversational text, which is suitable to read aloud to an audience.  (Mindy Hiatt, Salt Lake County Library Services School Library Journal)

Here is a story for those who love an object, be it a blanket, a toy, or in this case a green umbrella, so much so that it’s very being is imbued with memories that make it unmistakably yours. And a story for those who have lost one such object and wish more than anything to have it back. Azúa Kramer reminds us all that many memories can be shared over a single prized possession. And as Sassouni’s art plays in the worlds of joy and longing over a green umbrella, we see a group of characters come together to discover what they can offer another in need. There’s no mistaking how easy it is to share this book. (Matthew Winner, All the Wonders Podcast)

 Opening Lines:

“One rainy day an Elephant was taking a walk with his green umbrella. Along came a Hedgehog.

“Excuse me,” said the Hedgehog. “I believe you have my boat.”

Why I like this book:

• I love books that encourage young children to use their imaginations!
• Wonderful read-aloud!
• The illustrations are absolutely beautiful and match the text perfectly!
• Each page turn compels you to…turn the page.

RELATED ACTIVITIES

Paper Plate Elephant

Photo courtesy: http://www.activitybucket.com

Just like paper bags, paper plates are wonderful to use for crafting with kids.

You will need: 1 paper plate, construction paper, markers or crayons, scissors, glue.

1. Color the paper plate with crayons or markets (or paint if you are adverturous)…what color does your child want the elephant to be…encouraging children to use their imagination is one of the most important things we can do. Maybe the elephant needs to be purple with green stripes…let your child be creative.
2. Cut out ears, eyes, trunk, mouth and glue in place.
3. Use markers or crayons to add detail to the features.
4. For in depth instructions: http://www.activitybucket.com/creative-crafts/elephant-paper-plate

Other activities to do after reading the book:

1. Take a walk in the rain, with and without an umbrella.
2. Buy a small umbrella just for your child.
3. Let your child chose a possession…mug, pillow, toy…who else could use this and how? For example, a mug might be a bathtub for a little mouse. This type of activity helps children start thinking out of the box.

 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.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Tomorrow’s post will be my entry into Susanna Hill’s Valentiny Contest…I hope you are able to stop by and let me know what you think of it.