I was introduced to Brock Cole at a Lisa Wheeler Picture Book Boot Camp last year,
and I LOVED “Good Enough to Eat,”
so when I saw this one come up in a search,
I knew I had to read it.
Plus, saving money?
That’s one of my favorite topics!
Title: The Money We’ll Save
Published by: Margaret Ferguson Books, Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 2011
Written by: Brock Cole
Illustrated by: Brock Cole
In one word: Quaint
In one sentence: A little turkey poult, bought to save money on Christmas dinner, is a very interesting house guest!
Favorite pages:
Likes:
- The illustrations are so lively
- The “old-timey” feel of the story
- How fast time moves through the story, toward Christmas
- How so much is going on in the illustrations
- laundry, laundry, everywhere!
- the repeated phrase: “Think of the money we’ll save!”
- the Mom and Dad are called Ma and Pa 🙂
- The great old lady character.
- That Alfred (the turkey’s) character is only ever shown, in illustrations, and his actions.
Learns:
- This story is funny but very realistic…I want to write more stories like this one.
- Sentences, if written well, can be long in picture books too.
One example:
And Mrs. Schumacher came upstairs three times a day: once to complain about the noise, once to complain about the smell, and once to complain about her back and her feet and how hard it was for a woman her age to climb up and down all those stairs three times a day.
53 words!
Makes sense for a sentence about complaining to be long 🙂
- You can have lots of characters. There’s Ma, Pa, Alfred, four children, and Mrs. Schumacher. We see their characters come out mostly in the illustrations, but a bit in the text too.
Whew!
Day 6!
Has anyone seen this book?
And what did everyone else read today?
Let’s check out the bookshelf, shall we?
Keep reading, friends!
Enthusiastically yours,
Kathy Ellen and Singe Singe
Your book for today sounds very interesting — especially since it breaks so many of the “rules” that we’re assured MUST be followed!
Today I read “Before You Came” by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest, illustrated by David Diaz. Yes, the author of “Sarah, Plain and Tall.”
This is a lyrically written book that made me wonder… The narrator tells of all the wonderful things that she had before “you” came. I was wondering how it was going to turn out, what could possibly trump all the lovely things that were already in the narrator’s life? I don’t like giving away endings, so I’ll just say that the final page made me sigh with satisfaction.
Before You Came is great! I got a signed copy for my daughter for Christmas!
I haven’t seen before you came, but I met Patricia MacLachlan…I’ll have to check it out. Sounds awesome!
Thanks for your choice today! I, too, love to save money! Me and my budget are one! Can’t wait to read it. 🙂
Today I read ONE by Kathryn Otoshi. This book was so simple yet packed an amazing punch. It teaches colors. It teaches counting. It teaches to stand up to bullies. It is flawless. A great book for us all to read. It’s a bit of philosophy in 32 beautiful pages. Two amazing lines: “everyone counts” and “sometimes it takes just one.”. It might come off as a little preachy because the lesson/theme is right in your face. But damned if I don’t think we all need this lesson over and over again. Check it out!
I’ve read One, Marcie. It was really great, and I agree…the lesson may be right out there but it’s a lesson that we all need! The illustrations are so simple and convey so much too. Thanks for reminding me about this book!
That one sounds like fun- we’ll have to check that one out too!
This morning Kalena had me read The Bravest Ever Bear to her again, and then Baby Brains and Robomom by Simon James.
Baby Brains is a baby genius (his mom ate fish and nuts and read to him in the womb so of course he is a super baby) who makes lots of helpful inventions- until one of them goes awry! There’s no substitution for your real mom or dad! I like how all of Baby Brains inventions are specifically to make life easier for his parents.
My favorite detail in the illustrations was that the book mom reads to B.B. at night is “Hamlet.” haha!
Jasmine, I love Simon James!
I think he wrote one that was like a baby’s diary…or maybe just illustrated it? Something like a journalist baby…it was so funny!
I love Hamlet on the bookshelf 🙂
I read Skippyjon Jones in Mummy Trouble by Judy Schachner. I love this character, full of life, and even more, Judy’s lively writing, full of fun words. I hope I can write with liveliness. However, my 7 yr old son had some problems reading the Spanish and understanding some of the Egyptian stuff going on. This would even be great for older elementary kids who study Egyptian history.
Your book sounds neat. I do like the old-fashioned feel of the illustrations you showed us. Thanks!
I love reading Skippyjon Jones aloud! “My name is Skippito – Friskito!” Great choice!
Skippyjon is a favorite of one of my friends, and when he introduced it to me, he did such a great voice for Skippyjon. I also enjoy the “Skippito” part, and when he says things like “Holy Frioles!” Skippyjon is plain AWESOME!
We read WHOPPER CAKE by Karma Wilson and Will Hillenbrand. It is by far my favorite book by Karma Wilson. Granddad is a hoot — and so in love with his wife that he makes a WHOPPER CAKE for her birthday. Of course the book is in perfect rhyme too. Fun to read!
Kathy — My kids loved THE MONEY WILL SAVE. If I remember correctly there was a lot of references to turkey poop in the book which made them snicker!
Haven’t seen this one by Karma, Erik, but it sounds really great. I love funny older characters; can’t wait to meet Granddad! Yes, lots of turkey poop in the money we’ll save…everyone loves poop. My favorite part was the fact that they had to have umbrellas just to walk out in the yard 🙂
Thanks, Kathy…I’ve never seen that book…sounds very cool!
I came early this morning and your post wasn’t here yet. 🙂
Today I read “PLANT A KISS” written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. The book is unique because there is glitter on many of the pages…young kids will love this texture-added format! I think it is a book about spreading love…what a great message. 🙂
Vivian,
I’ve been wanting to read Plant a Kiss for a while now. I absolutely adore both Amy and Peter and have read many of their other books…I’ll have to look at the library! Thanks!
Hi Kathy,
I’m playing catch up today. Last night I read The Hand-Me-Down Doll by Steven Kroll and illustrated by Dan Andreasen. I really enjoyed this picture book about a doll who wants a home and the many hands she goes through before she finds one. The illustrations create a 1940’s type of background to a great story!
Donna L Martin
http://www.donnalmartin.com
http://www.donasdays.blogspot.com
Today I read another baby book called “Splish Splash”. It’s gorgeous with a finger puppet at the end – http://melissawrites.com.au/2012/10/31-picture-books-splish-splash/
Finger puppet….I’m in!
On this day, I read KEL GILLIGAN’S DAREDEVIL STUNT SHOW by Michael Buckley and illustrated by Dan Santat. It was NOTHING like I was expecting and that surprise was a delight. My favorite picture has to be the one at the very end of the book where there is a potty with stink waves coming out of it and a star at the top. It is gross and great.