Module 3- A Sick Day For Amos McGee and The Hello, Goodbye Window

Summary
Amos McGee is a zookeeper who makes time for each of his animal friends, despite his busy schedule.  But when he wakes up sick one morning, his animal friends make their way to his house to take care of him for a change.

Stead, P., & Stead, E. (2010). A sick day for Amos McGee (Caldecott Medal 2011). New York: Roaring Brook Press.

My impressions
The expressive illustrations in this book really make the story.  There is so much detail that each time you read the book, you find something new.  The book is fanciful, fun, and sends the wonderful message that friends, (of all sizes and shapes), take care of each other.

Reviews

Romriell, D. (2012). A Sick Day for Amos McGee. School Library Journal, 58(9), 59-60.
When Amos McGee wakes up feeling under the weather and stays home from work, his animal friends at the zoo board the bus to pay Amos a visit. They spend the day cheering Amos up by playing quiet games, caring for his every need, and reading him a bedtime story so he won't be afraid of the dark. The final frame shows a pile of animals snuggled around Amos in an attitude of comfort and friendship. Erin Stead's gentle pencil-and-woodblock illustrations in muted colors with spots of red match the tone of Philip Stead's Caldecott-winning story (Roaring Brook, 2010) and depict the real comfort that friendship provides. David de Vries offers perfectly paced, quiet narration to fit the sweet nature of the tale. He provides a distinct voice for Amos as well as the bus driver (the two characters given solo lines in the story). Just enough movement is added to Stead's illustrations to hold the attention of viewers. An excellent music score is provided by Ernest Troost. This enchanting production adds a whole new level of enjoyment to this winning picture book.

Dejean, E. (2013). A Sick Day for Amos McGee. Library Media Connection, 31(4), 97.

This charming, quiet, Caldecott award-winner (Roaring Brook Press, 2010) features an elderly zookeeper caring for a small group of anthropomorphic animals. When he stays home with a cold the animals go to his house and care for him. The animation is true to the original illustration, but moves minimally and somewhat awkwardly. Ernest Troost's music is quiet and repetitive like the story. David de Vries's British sounding narration pauses after each phrase which slows the pace and could lose the attention of some viewers. Brief interviews with the author and illustrator provide insight into the development of the story. An accompanying lesson plan provides objectives and activities.

Suggestion for library use
This book would be great to use in conjunction with an Animal or Friends theme for younger children.  Librarians could lead students in a discussion about how each of the animals cared for Amos and then ask them to describe how their family cares for them when they are sick.

Summary
 "The Hello, Goodbye Window" tells of a little girl who delights in using a front window in her grandparents' house for play.  She details all of the fun ways that she and her grandparents use the window, including to say 'hello' and 'goodbye' to each other.

Juster, N., & Raschka, C. (2005). The hello, goodbye window. New York: Michael di Capua Books/Hyperion Books for Children.

My impressions
This book ticks the boxes for many things that I look for in a good children's book.  It is visually appealing, it is well-written, it covers social/emotional issues that are relevant to young children, and it is fun. Written and drawn from a child's perspective, the book gives children the chance to see themselves in the story and to hear phrasing similar to their own.  I also particularly liked that it depicted an interracial family.

Reviews

Von Drasek, L. (2006). The Hello, Goodbye Window. Teaching Pre K-8, 36(7), 62-63.

The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster (Hyperion, 2005. ISBN: 0-786-80914-0). This joyous tale of a little girl's relationship with her Nonna and Poppy is rendered in riotous splashes of color. The first-person narrative describes, from the granddaughter's point of view, her various activities from doodling at the kitchen table to saying goodnight to the stars. (Grades preK-1)

Reynolds, A. J., Jones, T. E., Toth, L., Charnizon, M., Grabarek, D., & Raben, D. (2005). The Hello, Goodbye Window. School Library Journal, 51(3), 174.

The window in Nanna and Poppy's kitchen is no ordinary window-it is the place where love and magic happens. It's where the girl and her doting grandparents watch stars, play games, and, most importantly, say hello and goodbye. The first-person text is both simple and sophisticated, conjuring a perfectly child-centered world. Sentences such as "When I get tired I come in and take my nap and nothing happens until I get up" typify the girl's happy, imaginative world. While the language is bouncy and fun, it is the visual interpretation of this sweet story that sings. Using a bright rainbow palette of saturated color, Raschka's impressionistic, mixed-media illustrations portray a loving, mixed-race family. The artwork is at once lively and energetic, without crowding the story or the words on the page; the simple lines and squiggles of color suggest a child's own drawings, but this is the art of a masterful hand. Perfect for lap-sharing, this book will find favor with children and adults alike.

Suggestions for library use
This book would be a good read around Grandparents Day in September.  Students could compare their own experiences with their grandparents to the ones in the story.

Another suggestion would be to create a hello, goodbye window to use after reading the story.  Students could reenact the ways that the girl and her grandparents "played" with the window, or come up with their own ideas.