• literature studies

    throughout the year our class enjoys literature studies:  
     
     
     
    September/ October: Kevin Henkies
     
         Kevin Hekes (pronounced henk-ees) is a rare example of people who actually set out to be a children's author and illustrator. He always assumed he would be a painter until his junior year of high school, when one of his teachers encouraged him in his writing efforts and that is when he discovered that children's books combined both his literary and artistic interests. henkes is one of five children and says that many of his storylines stem from his family and the neighborhood he grew up in.
         Henkes is an author/illustrator of children's picture books (they mostly star mice), and also writes young adult novels. He is a graduate of the university of Wisconsin at Madison, which is his current hometown. He married artist Laura Dronzek in 1985. They are the parents of two children, William and Clara. (wikipedia)

       
    Kevin Henkes


        


     October/ November: Tomie depaola
     

         Tomie Depaola has written/illustrated over 200 children's books as well as having tremendous success in writing and illustrating, he has designed posters, greeting cards, and stage sets, and has taught at various colleges both in California and New Englandland. His dream, he says, is that at least one of his books or pictures "will touch the heart of some individual child and change that child's life for the better." (wikipedia)

         We focus on a good witch during October, Halloween time, when we read Tomie DePaola's strega nona books. We then move on to other titles by this wonderful author.


     
     
    dePaola

      
     
     
                                      December: gingerbread stories
     
         During the holiday season we enjoy reading the story of the gingerbread boy. We read many versions of this story from different times and places. In addition to reading the stories we make gingerbread boys, gingerbread houses and vote on our favorites. We even speculate about where the gingerbread boy might go if he came to Lincoln school.
                                                   gingerbread

       

      

    January/ February: Jan Brett

         We begin our study with trouble with trolls. We keep an eye out for the hedgehogs that are signature characters in Jan Brett's books and we especially enjoy following the behind the scenes illustrations in the borders of the books. Jan Brett's detailed illustrations and enriching stories are beloved by children.
    Jan Brett
     

       


       
     

    March/April: art treasures

        We explore the world of art through literature, reading text that tell the stories of the
     
    great artists. We especially enjoy viewing pieces of art and then learning more about the
     
    lives of the artists.
     
     

     

     

     

     

     

    May/June: Leo Lionni

         Leo Lionni wrote and illustrated more than 40 highly acclaimed children's books. Lionni launched his career as an author/illustrator of books for children in 1959. Originally developed from a story he had improvised for his grandchildren during a dull train ride, little blue and little yellow was the first of what is now a long list of children's picture books. He received the 1984 American Institute of graphic arts gold medal and was a four-time caldecott honor winner--for inch by inch, Frederick, Swimmy, and Alexander and the wind-up mouse. 
    Leo Lionni