The Christmas Pig (JK Rowling)

 

Great fantasy story! When I received it, I wasn't tempted by the title (A Christmas Pig?) or the cover. Seemed a little silly. However, it was well worth the time. We read it for grade 3 book club. The illustrations are amazing. We had also just read Pocket Bear - which is about lost toys. This one tells you where lost toys go - which was very creative and really speaks to kids, I think. She even has a place for lost habits (good and bad!) and a place for lost love, lost hope, lost determination and ambition and more.

Best line:
p. 258 He'd given the Things hope, which no lock can contain.

Goodreads says:

A heartwarming, page-turning adventure about one child's love for his most treasured thing, and how far he will go to find it. A tale for the whole family to fall in love with, from one of the world’s greatest storytellers.

One boy and his toy are about to change everything...

Jack loves his childhood toy, Dur Pig. DP has always been there for him, through good and bad. Until one Christmas Eve something terrible happens — DP is lost. But Christmas Eve is a night for miracles and lost causes, a night when all things can come to life... even toys. And Jack’s newest toy — the Christmas Pig (DP’s replacement) — has a daring plan: Together they’ll embark on a magical journey to seek something lost, and to save the best friend Jack has ever known...

Pocket Bear (Katherine Applegate)

 

I'm currently reading this book aloud to my class and I read it on my own for my Children's Lit Book Club. It is beautiful! It could be a great introduction to the hard topic of war. I'm finding it's a bit of a challenging read aloud for my class because the vocabulary is very rich. However, it makes for some great discussions.  We thought the vocabulary level might be better for around a grade 5 or 6 student - but felt like it would be unlikely they'd pick it up on their own because the cover makes it look like a book for younger students. It would be a great novel study though!

When we read that the girl and her mother are from Ukraine, that the father died and the family home was bombed....we had to pause and marvel. "Wow. Imagine. It's just the girl and her mom!"

A good follow up project might be to bring in our own loved toys, have a "spa day" to get them all cleaned up and then donate them. We could even write a letter to the new owner and explain what we'd like them to know about this boy. 

I think I will give each of my students a bear for Christmas. Maybe we can make scarves for them or something...and write their bear's biography.

Goodreads says:
Thimble-born from tip to toe, Pocket Bear remembers every moment of his "becoming": the glimmering needle, the silken thread, the tender hands as each careful stitch brought him closer to himself. Born during the throes of WWI, he was designed to fit into the pocket of a soldier’s jacket, eyes sewn a bit higher than normal so that he always gazed upward. That way, glancing at his pocket, a soldier would see an endearing token of love from someone back home, and, hopefully, a good luck charm.

Now, over a century later, Pocket serves as unofficial mayor of Second Chances Home for the Tossed and Treasured, where stuffed toy animals are refurbished and given a fresh opportunity to be loved. He and his best feline friend Zephyrina, known far and wide as “The Cat Burglar,” have seen it all, and then some.

An unforgettable tale of bravery, loyalty, and kindness, Pocket Bearreminds us all that love comes in many forms (sometimes filled with fluff), and that second chances are always possible.

Marianne The Maker (Kelly Corrigan and Claire Corrigan Lichty)

 

Good story to read when we're working on our toy project! 

Goodreads says:
From bestselling author Kelly Corrigan and her daughter debut author Claire Corrigan Lichty comes a new picture book about a determined young inventor!

Marianne's days are filled with schedules, structure, and soccer. There's just one Marianne is a maker. She needs every minute of her weekends to scheme and dream, draw and design, to build and rebuild! This is the story of how a creator with a crackerjack imagination finds a not-so-great way to skip practice and create her masterpiece. But will her dad understand?

Told in delightful rhyme that bounces across George Sweetland's gorgeous collage-style illustrations (chock full of hidden gems,) Marianne the Maker is sure to kindle the creative spark that lives inside all of us.

Ollie's Odyssey (William Joyce)

 

As I read this book, I started to realize I did know this author. I love The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore and it doesn't surprise me that this book is by the same author. He seems to have a romanticized approach to childhood....and it's really something to soak up and enjoy. All the books that my public library has by him look very intriguing....I'm going down that rabbit hole! I do think that elementary students would enjoy this book. They may look at the imaginative life as juvenile...but my gut says something in it would draw them to it since they're not too far removed from toys and imaginative play. I don't think they'd be as slightly annoyed as I felt by the silly words throughout the book. Every kid thinks they can be a heroic rescuer....and this one story would be a great way to relive that. The whole thing made me wish I could go find the old toys I once loved. 

In this book, the villain is a clown that was never loved. My heart kind of broke for him in the end. He's a bully that needs some love. And in the end, he finds his love. 

Text to text connections: The Velveteen Rabbit, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

- Toy World pages where reign of terror under Zozo, pages are a stained yellowed color, as if the paper is old and smelly.

Apparently this book has been made into a movie or series of some sort (Lost Ollie). I was sorry to hear that. I get why authors love it when their book is made into a movie. That's where the big bucks are, I think. Too many people just go straight to the movie though. *sigh* 

This was a pick for my Children's Lit book club. Possible discussion questions:

https://www.pegiwilliams.com.au/pdfs/teachernotes/9781442473560.pdf 

https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/Ollies-Odyssey/William-Joyce/9781442473560

Goodreads says:

The inspiration behind Netflix animated series Lost Ollie!

From the creator of The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore and The Guardians of Childhood comes a grand adventure of valor, friendship, and a look into the mysterious world of favorite toys.

In the secret realm of toys, there are many mysteries.

There is the Code of the Toys, which is as ancient as childhood.

There’s also the magic of becoming a child’s favorite, the highest honor in the Toy World.

Made by hand by Billy’s mother, Ollie is a special toy, “a toy who will matter.” He becomes Billy’s best friend, confidant, pal, and yes, Billy’s “favorite.”

But there are villains in the Toy World, and Zozo, the clown king, is the most feared. He and his toy henchman (the Creeps) have sworn to steal and imprison favorite toys until they forget their children and become forever lost.

When Ollie is toynapped, Billy must rescue his beloved favorite from Zozo’s subterranean lair in the old Carnival Place, past the park, through the woods, and into the night.

Never has a journey of ten blocks been more epic.

Dogger (Shirley Hughes)

Every kid can relate to this story of Dave who has a favorite stuffy. He gets dirty and so they wash him. Lots of other kids have lots of toys - but he mostly loves Dogger. One day though, Dogger goes missing. Finally, he is found as is for sale! Unfortunately, Dave doesn't get back in time with the money to buy him. The tension! This would be a good story for teaching rising action/tension.

Goodreads says:

An enduring classic about how a little boy's stuffed dog is lost and found again, first published in the United States as David and Dog. "Warmly satisfying....Hughes has a way of zeroing in on the foibles of childhood with remarkable accuracy; this doesn't miss its mark."--Booklist.

Anna Banana and the Chocolate Explosion

We probably should have read book one first. I assume you get introduced to the character and all her little animals in the first book. We were a little lost. Still though, the story was cute and we loved the explosions! One of her stuffies wants to cook on his own, but it turns out he's buying his finished product at a bakery. Good potential for honesty discussion. Is it really dishonest to trick someone?

Goodreads summary:

Anna Banana is at it again!

The lovable tyrant from Sleep Tight, Anna Banana! is up to no good, and so are all of her beloved stuffed animals. In this adorable sequel to the 2014 picture book, Anna Banana and her stuffed pals set out to make a chocolate cake...and end up making a big, big, big mess.

With all the charm and whimsy that won reader's hearts in the first book of the series, Anna Banana and the Chocolate Explosionwill give Anna Banana's fans more of what they love...and win over new readers.