September 1996 Picture Books Bibliography Expands in Size, Scope
A book that's written with clarity and vivid detail is strong on content. A book with an enticing lead, good transitions, and an easy-to-follow sequence of events is strong on organization. A book that brims with personality, individuality, conviction, passion, and humor is strong on voice.Along with word choice, sentence fluency, and, of course, the conventions of spelling, grammar, and syntax that glue it all together, these traits add up to powerful writing.
Besides forming the core of good writing, these six traits also form the core of the six-trait analytic model for teaching and assessing writing developed by the Northwest Laboratory's Assessment and Accountability Program. It is around this model that the Lab publication Picture Books is organized.
Now in its fourth edition, Picture Books: An Annotated Bibliography for Use with the Six-Trait Analytic Model for Writing Assessment and Instruction has expanded both in scope and content. An annotated bibliography that lists and describes outstanding picture books that illustrate each of the traits (except conventions), the publication has grown from 100-plus to 150-plus titles. (Some titles from the earlier edition have been dropped to make room for new ones.) And for each trait, the publication now includes a sample lesson plan.
"The world of picture books seems to be expanding at breakneck speed," write Picture Books authors Ruth Culham and Vicki Spandel. "The quality of writing, illustration, and graphic design have soared to new heights. It is with great pleasure that we recommend these titles to you. There should be something (in the new edition of Picture Books) to fit everyone-no matter what grade level, subject area, or interest."
Take the section on word choice. Titles that have been added to the new edition include:
- The Man by Raymond Briggs (Random House, 1995)-Eavesdrop on one of the most delightful philosophical conversations in all of the picture book world. Who is this little man who has so suddenly dropped into the life of our hero, the boy? Where did he come from, what does he want, and what lessons of life might he have to teach?
- Feathers and Fools by Mem Fox (Harcourt Brace & Company, 1996)-The language is sophisticated and eloquent. Here is a sample passage: "Again the peacock spoke. `How strange that swans should fly. It is happy indeed that we do no, for we would surely look ridiculous.' The other peacocks pecked and strutted again, contemplating the meaning of this second observation."
- Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Woman by Kathleen Krull (Harcourt Brace & Company, 1996)-This is a book of inspiration and human tenacity. Born and raised in Clarksville, Tennessee, Wilma loved to run and play until she became very ill with polio, which left her unable to walk. But she never gave up trying. Even after doctors said it was impossible, she walked on her own and eventually won three Olympic medals.
- Storm Boy by Paul Owen Lewis (Beyond Words Publishing, 1995)-The illustrations depicting the rugged Northwest coast and the native Haida, Tlingit, and other peoples make this a stand-alone work. It is a story with precise historical detail and a sense of mystery. It reads like poetry, and deepens the reader's understanding of and appreciation for the beauty of the Alaska Native and Native American traditions.
- Hiroshima No Pika by Toshi Maruki (Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, 1980)-This simple yet elegant and moving text describes the events of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. The specific use of language and carefully designed flow of the text underscore the monumental series of events as they unfolded that fateful day in Hiroshima. The illustrations build in intensity from page to page until the enormity of the event becomes part of the reader's soul. An important book, it has received numerous honors, including the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award.
After describing these and 18 other picture books that illustrate colorful, imaginative, and/or powerful word choice, the document offers some quick ideas for how to use the books to teach students about the trait of word choice. For example, teachers can have students make a list of striking phrases or words they find. Or they can ask students to highlight active verbs.
Another assignment might be to ask students to examine the proportion of word types-verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs-found in the book. Or teachers might tell students to write their own book using colorless, redundant words, and then rewrite it using colorful, illustrative language.
The publication then offers a lesson plan on how to teach word choice using the picture book Earth by Ken Robbins (Henry Holt and Company, 1995). Using a variety of reference books, students are grouped into teams, and each is assigned to a topic, such as volcanoes, earthquakes, mountains, and fossils, that is discussed in the book. Teams analyze the picture book, looking at vocabulary, word types, verb forms, audience, and other details. The goals of the lesson, according to Picture Books authors Culham and Spandel, are to explore the use of specific, content-centered vocabulary; compare and contrast the use of language for different purposes and audiences; develop an eye for key words or phrases that work particularly well; and build a sense of confidence that it's OK to make even very technical writing interesting to read.
Copies of Picture Books: An Annotated Bibliography for Use with the Six-Trait Analytic Model for Writing Assessment and Instruction can be ordered from NWREL's Online Catalog: http://www.nwrel.org/comm/catalog/detail.asp?RID=10901
| Previous Article | Next Article | Contents | NW Report Index |
This document's URL is:
Home | Up & Coming | Programs & Projects: NW Report | People | Products & Publications | Topics
© 2001 Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
Date of Last Update: 12/16/2002
Email Webmaster
Tel. 503.275.9500
