Welcome, Mr. Swaim!

Today our principal Mr. Swaim was our guest library teacher for Ms. Frye's first grade class. He read Janet Stevens' From Pictures To Words: A Book About Making a Book, all about a real life illustrator creating a picture book, a process with which the class of first grade authors could connect. First graders had just completed their moon stories. They were familiar with the concepts of character, plot, setting, problem and solutions as story elements. It was a very enjoyable time in the library.

First graders have been hearing classic stories written and illustrated by Virginia Lee Burton during their recent visits to the Lawrence library: Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Katy and the Big Snow, Maybelle the Cable Car, Choo-Choo and The Little House. We are making observations about the similarities and differences in Burton's work from one story to another. She brings a personality to many of her non-human characters! She seems to really like vehicles of all kinds, and she likes to draw landscapes. It is interesting to concentrate on the books by one creator; we have come to recognize her work really well!