Front Porch Tales and North Country Whoppers
Written and illustrated by: Tomie dePaola
Published by: G. P. Putnam's sons in NY in 2007
ISBN: 978-0-399-24756-5
Genre: Picture Book, Traditional Literature
Reading Level: Grade 4
Activity Level: Grades 2, 4
Summary: This is a book that contains a collection of folk tales from several of the New England states. The work is divided into the seasons and contains several folk tales from each season in every section. These are tales that have happened to the author, or just ones that he had heard told. Several of the stories in the book begin with truths about the occurrences in the story. For example, the last story in the book is about the dividing line between Vermont and New Hampshire, so the story begins with some background information about the conflict so as to give readers a context for the story. This work gives an interesting representation of states in the area that could not have been accomplished were it not written in this style!
Response: I really like the idea behind this book. I think that it is a very good book for talking about the seasons and that it teaches its readers a little about the people of the New England states, their weather, and how they think. In terms of the somewhat strange vocabulary that is used in this book, I also appreciate the glossary in the back of the book!
The illustrations in this book are somewhat cartoon-like. Each person in the pictures has a very distinct face shape and most everyone has the same stature. The clothes and the settings are what changes throughout the book. Since the book is divided into seasonal sections, at the beginning of each new section, there is a full two-page spread of illustrations representing that season. Then, on the subsequent pages there are illustrations that surround the words to help illustrate the stories. Also, in each seasonal section, there is a "cartoon strip" detailing something humorous that happened or could happen in the New England states in that season.
Teaching Connections: With second graders a teacher could read a tale to her class and could project the book from a document scanner/projector (or make copies for her class if it does not violate copyright laws) and have them either call out spelling "mistakes" to her or circle and correct them on their own, so that they can learn about the differences in dialects and how to still attain meaning from print, even that which is different from the traditional.
With a fourth grade class this book could be used to introduce them to the concept of folk tales, which, in North Carolina, they are supposed to learn about during that year of school. The teacher could read several of these to her class each day and encourage her students to find these on their own as well. Each student could find a book or take notes on a story they hear from their family that qualifies as a folk tale, and recite and discuss this with his class.
What Students Learn: From this book and the provided lessons students can learn about folk tales, gain vocabulary while also gaining knowledge about regional dialects, as well as be able to determine what constitutes a folk tale.
Image Retrieved From: http://img2.libreriauniversitaria.it/BUS/300/754/9780399247545.jpg
Written and illustrated by: Tomie dePaola
Published by: G. P. Putnam's sons in NY in 2007
ISBN: 978-0-399-24756-5
Genre: Picture Book, Traditional Literature
Reading Level: Grade 4
Activity Level: Grades 2, 4
Summary: This is a book that contains a collection of folk tales from several of the New England states. The work is divided into the seasons and contains several folk tales from each season in every section. These are tales that have happened to the author, or just ones that he had heard told. Several of the stories in the book begin with truths about the occurrences in the story. For example, the last story in the book is about the dividing line between Vermont and New Hampshire, so the story begins with some background information about the conflict so as to give readers a context for the story. This work gives an interesting representation of states in the area that could not have been accomplished were it not written in this style!
Response: I really like the idea behind this book. I think that it is a very good book for talking about the seasons and that it teaches its readers a little about the people of the New England states, their weather, and how they think. In terms of the somewhat strange vocabulary that is used in this book, I also appreciate the glossary in the back of the book!
The illustrations in this book are somewhat cartoon-like. Each person in the pictures has a very distinct face shape and most everyone has the same stature. The clothes and the settings are what changes throughout the book. Since the book is divided into seasonal sections, at the beginning of each new section, there is a full two-page spread of illustrations representing that season. Then, on the subsequent pages there are illustrations that surround the words to help illustrate the stories. Also, in each seasonal section, there is a "cartoon strip" detailing something humorous that happened or could happen in the New England states in that season.
Teaching Connections: With second graders a teacher could read a tale to her class and could project the book from a document scanner/projector (or make copies for her class if it does not violate copyright laws) and have them either call out spelling "mistakes" to her or circle and correct them on their own, so that they can learn about the differences in dialects and how to still attain meaning from print, even that which is different from the traditional.
With a fourth grade class this book could be used to introduce them to the concept of folk tales, which, in North Carolina, they are supposed to learn about during that year of school. The teacher could read several of these to her class each day and encourage her students to find these on their own as well. Each student could find a book or take notes on a story they hear from their family that qualifies as a folk tale, and recite and discuss this with his class.
What Students Learn: From this book and the provided lessons students can learn about folk tales, gain vocabulary while also gaining knowledge about regional dialects, as well as be able to determine what constitutes a folk tale.
Image Retrieved From: http://img2.libreriauniversitaria.it/BUS/300/754/9780399247545.jpg
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