Using Picture Books and Art to Make a Difference in the World

Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood by F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell, illustrated by Rafael Lopez (picture book, grades K-3)

Sky Color by Peter H. Reynolds (picture book, grades K-3)

I love reading picture books that show students that they have the power to make their world a better place, even at a young age. I recently read both of these books to students in grades K-3 and they were a big hit! In both of these two picture books, the main characters use their art to make their world a better place by giving it to others.  Maybe Something Beautiful is based on a true story.  Mira, the main character, loves to give pictures to everyone she meets to brighten her neighborhood.  One day, a muralist comes and begins painting a mural on one of the gray buildings.  Soon, the entire neighborhood joins in and it becomes one giant painting party.  After reading the book, I showed the video of the actual event from this website In the Lemon Tree:

We also read the wonderful book Sky Color which is about a girl who loves to create art but is unsure what to do when there is no blue paint to use to color the sky.  She learns to look at the world around her in a new way and discovers that the sky is not always blue.  Both books involve people creating murals.  After reading the books, we talked about how just like in the books, every child can make a difference.

STEAM Connection

These books are perfect to read together and then do an art activity.  Students could make their own art to give to others to brighten their day.  

Here is a link to a Google Doc for this activity.  Students could identify an area of their school that could use some brightening up and work together to create a mural for that area (on paper or with the art teacher on the wall).  Students could also brainstorm other places where people might need cheering up, such as nursing homes or hospitals, and create art to give to them.

What other ways can you think of to use these books to encourage children to use their art to make the world a better place?

The War I Finally Won

The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (historical fiction, grades 4-8)

The War I Finally Won is a perfect sequel to The War That Saved My Life!  The story opens with Ada finally getting her club foot fixed.  After her stay in the hospital, Ada, her brother Jamie, and their guardian Susan move into a cottage on the grounds of Lady Thornton and her daughter Maggie (Ada's friend from book one).  At first, the cottage seems bigger than they need for just the three of them.  However, after a series of war-related events, several others move into the house including the cold Lady Thornton herself and a Jewish girl named Ruth who recently evacuated from Germany (Could she be a spy??).  The group must learn to live together and trust one another which is not easy, especially for Ada.  Now that she is no longer crippled and has someone who loves her, Ada is trying to sort through her own feelings after so many years of abuse and neglect. There are several sad and difficult events in this book. However, with Susan's direction and wisdom, with Ada's strength and determination, and with the help of many friends in the book, it's not a book of sadness but rather a book of hope.  

There is so much to learn from both books.  Through these books, readers learn that it is possible to overcome big obstacles.  Readers learn that sometimes we have to let others help, even if we don't think we want it.  Readers learn that it helps to try to see things from another's point of view.  Readers learn what it would have been like to live in England during World War II...a time of sacrifice and courage.  Finally, educators can get a glimpse of what it must be like for students, like Ada and Jamie, who do not have sufficient vocabulary and background knowledge to make sense of what they are learning.  

Overall, a very worthwhile read!  A special thank you to Anne for loaning me her copy of the book so quickly!