The Goodbye Book

The Goodbye Book

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Here’s my selection for Perfect Picture Book Friday:
The Goodbye Book

Written and Illustrated by Todd Parr
Little, Brown and Company, 2015
Suitable for ages: 3-6
Theme/Topic: Loss, Friendship


Opening Spread: It’s hard to say goodbye to someone.


Brief Synopsis: From lb-kids.com: Through the lens of a pet fish who has lost his companion, Todd Parr tells a moving and wholly accessible story about saying goodbye. Touching upon the host of emotions children experience, Todd reminds readers that it’s okay not to know all the answers, and that someone will always be there to support them. An invaluable resource for life’s toughest moments.


Resources:  I think using the book itself is a great resource. The text mentions “You’ll remember …” lines like “You’ll remember all the special times.” You can easily talk to your child about those moments with the person the child lost. Todd Parr posted a video about the book on his ToddTv. He has several coloring sheets on his site for his other books. Check out his site to see if he has added anything for this book. He has a fun link for educators too. Author Miranda Paul also has an extensive list of books on death at her blog, if you are looking for something else to read.


Why I Like This Book: When I shared with Julie Rowan-Zoch, my son’s recent fixation on death. She mentioned this book. We’ve always enjoyed the Todd Parr books we’ve read for their simplicity of text and illustrations. After we read this one, Enzo focused on the loss of a schoolmate — one who left school earlier in the year. While we like Bug in a Vacuum and its focus on the stages of grief, The Goodbye Book seemed more focused. It could just be the difference in the illustration styles.


For more PPBF books, visit Susanna Leonard Hill’s Blog.


I wanted to write a review of Dot by Patricia Intriago, because I recently rediscovered it. Since I had slept since 2011 … I forgot it was on the PPBF list already. If you are curious, look up this review on Joanna’s blog.

If Waffles Were Like Boys

If Waffles Were Like Boys

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Here’s my selection for Perfect Picture Book Friday:

If Waffles Were Like Boys
Written by Charise Mericle Harper
Illustrated by Scott Magoon
Balzer+Bray, 2011
Suitable for: ages 4-8
Theme/Topic: Comparison, Adventure


Opening Spread: If waffles were like boys … [page turn]
breakfast would be a BATTLEFIELD!


Brief Synopsis: From Amazon.com description—
What if everything were just like boys?


If shopping carts were like boys . . . grocery stores would be racetracks!
If pillows were like boys . . . bedrooms would besuperhero hideouts!
Perfect for bedtime, this funny and tender celebration of boyhood will have everyone seeing their world in a whole new way.


Resources: Create your own story with different objects. Use the construction like in Charise’s story: If ____ were like boys/girls … _____(what would happen). It’s sort of an if … then construction. For example… If zombies were like boys … brains would be fast food. (Or something silly like that.) Several books with a similar format include:  Miranda Paul’s book Water is Water (we discuss this a lot on foggy or wet days), Jim Averbeck’s Except If, and Sean Taylor’s When a Monster is Born (which offers two possibilities for every scenario). Lots of possibilities to compare and contrast with this book. You can also discuss whether you agree with the ending of each line or not?


Why I Like This Book: We found this book while researching a publisher. The side benefit is that Enzo and I had a fun time exploring the different scenarios in the book. “If shopping carts were like boys …  grocery stores would be RACETRACKS!” The story obviously generalizes some boy behaviors. And, many of them fit into my boy’s mindset, so he liked the book.  Since we read this book, we’ve added several more of Charise’s books on our library list. She has a really cool FAQ – kid focused – on her website.


For more PPBF books, visit Susanna Leonard Hill’s Blog.