OK. Ready? Fasten your seat belts because here we go! :)
Written By: Kate Feiffer
Illustrated By: Jules Feiffer
Candlewick, April 2011, Fiction
Suitable For: ages 4-8
Themes/Topics: patience, imagination, father-daughter love, optimism
Opening: "My dad and I are going to the zoo. We've tried to go to the zoo before. But we never get there. Something always happens."
Brief Synopsis: Sadie and her dad are going to the zoo. Their plans have been thwarted three previous times, but this time they're really going. Except... on the way... it starts to rain. They can't go to the zoo in the rain. But Sadie's not about to let the fact that her dad sees rain deter her. "I look out my window, and the sun is shining on my side of the car. People are putting on their sunglasses and heading to zoos all over the world on my side of the car." While her dad sees nothing but rain, Sadie sees people mowing their laws and eating ice cream. Is it raining or not? Will Sadie and her dad get to the zoo this time or will they have to wait for another day?
Links To Resources: Fun Zoo-Related Activities, Zoo Lessons And Activities, a page in the back of the book tells the true story of what happened (which is always fun :))
Why I Like This Book: Anyone who has lived with kids knows that their perception of reality is not necessarily the same as yours... especially when they really want something! :) What's wonderful about this book is both Sadie's determined optimism and her father's patience and his loving understanding of how she needs to cope with her disappointment. This book is also delightful because it's written and illustrated by a father-daughter team about an incident that actually happened. I'm not going to tell you whether they get to the zoo or not, though. You'll have to go read the book :)
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
Now then!
I know you've all been holding your breath in anticipation of the winner announcements, so I won't make you wait any longer :)
The winner of a signed copy of Lisa Thiesing's wonderful book, A Dark And Noisy Night, is Catherine Johnson! Catherine, come on down! Pleas send me an email with your address and who you'd like the book signed to and Lisa and I will get right on the job of mailing it out to you!
And I want to extend a hearty thank you to everyone who tried to help me with my theme struggles. I got quite a few good examples, and also discovered that I am not alone in my inability to articulate theme in a meaningful way, so all in all, it was a good exercise :) And the winner of Puzzled By Pink is Beth!!! Thank you ALL for your help! and Beth, you'd better email me your address.... :)
PPBF bloggers, please add your post-specific link to the list below so we can all come visit you :)
Have a great weekend everyone!
Thanks for a great book, Susanna! I love the zoo...as does almost every child I know! And this looks like a really funny story. :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Catherine and Beth!
I can't believe I made the first comment...go to sleep, Susanna!!!!
Oh, I love the concept of this book! I still do that now when the whether isn't cooperating with our outings, so I can relate to "willing" the clouds away. So sweet!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to be contributing to PPBF today, too. I've missed you guys!
I like that the book was written by a Dad and his daughter! Cool! I like stories based on real-life too. Congratulations Ms. Johnson and Beth!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy you're here! I've missed you, too, and can't wait to see what you posted :) Hope your birthday was a happy one yesterday :)
ReplyDeleteI know, isn't that neat? I like that too!
ReplyDeleteI don't sleep :) This is a really fun book, which in the end isn't really about being at the zoo, but I was at a little bit of a loss for resources... :) Can't wait to see yours today!
ReplyDeleteWoo hoo! Thanks so much Susanna and Lisa, I am so excited to win A Dark and Noisy Night. Thanks everyone, and congrats Beth.
ReplyDeleteThat car book sounds lovely and how nice that it is a true story. I really like ones that use the imagination well. Have a great weekend!
Congrats to the winners!
ReplyDeleteI can certainly understand the reality perceptions differences between parent and child. Learning to help a child cope with disappointment can be hard on the parent as well, cause, well, we won't tell them, but we want our kid to have and do whatever they put their mind to having or doing. I suppose you mentioned the them well when you mention "his loving understanding of how she needs to cope with her disappointment." Great selection for PPBF.
I love this! Sounds like my kind of book, as I am the one who usually sees things as half full when others don't. Excellent choice Susanna!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Catherine and Beth!!! I like the fact that it is written by a father/daughter team. That is unique in itself. I'm adding it to my list!
ReplyDeleteYay for Catherine and Beth! Yippee!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool book. The father/daughter team makes it ultra special. And the fact that it's a true story. What a fun book, Susanna. I cannot wait to give it a read. Adding it to my list. :-)
Congrats to Catherine and Beth!!!! Your past few recommendations have been a hit, Susanna, so I'll definitely add this one to our list. Cooper reads Ernestine Buckmeister every day, and he and Finley adored "Kiss the Cow."
ReplyDeleteCongrats to the winners. :)
ReplyDeleteThis book is a true story in my house, too. We keep trying to go the zoo when my grandson visits and something always happens so we can't go. I'll have to read this book.
I've cheated with putting my link up because the book has been reviewed before. I just wanted to warn other writers of PPBF to always check your lists so they wouldn't inadvertently post a re peat like I did. I went through three books this time. :( Maybe I should stick to Jon Scieszka.
Sorry about that, Clar! So many repeats get posted (there's another this week) that I'm beginning to think I just shouldn't worry about it... just add both to the list... I don't know. But anyway, I really appreciate you checking, and I'm sorry you picked ones that had already been done - I guess it just goes to prove they really are PPBs :)
ReplyDeleteOOOOH! I'm so excited to win "Puzzled by Pink" !!!!! Thank you. (SO glad I worked on those themes!) Thank you, thank you!
ReplyDeleteOkay, calm down, Beth. You don't have to let THAT much of your sparkle out. Save some to cope with the rainy day.
And speaking of rainy days, your book choice today sounds PERFECT. (Well, of course it does, Beth, look at the title of the day -- PERFECT Picture Book Friday.)
Do you get the feeling that I've been strongly influenced by my choice of blog theme this week? I hope people will pop on over for the last chance to comment and have their names entered in my GIVEAWAY of The Very Fairy Princess: Here Comes the Flower Girl! (It wouldn't hurt people's chances to go back and read previous posts from this week and comment there, too -- every comment on one of this week's blog posts at By Word of Beth gets you an entry into the giveaway.)
P.S. Congratulations to Catherine, too.
ReplyDelete(And I'm assuming I'm the Beth that won... you didn't include my last name. Maybe it was Beth Doosenfloofer who won...)
One thing duplicates might do is add more resources and suggested activities to the list, which would make it a bonus of sorts for parents and teachers...
ReplyDeleteI loved taking my kids to the zoo! Great pick.
ReplyDelete]Happy Friday!
I know! Me too! And we used to play zoo - building the zoo out of blocks and filling it with plastic animals... ah, the god old days :)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your sparkle! :) And I think I've commented on every post this week except maybe today's but I'll have to check because I totally want that book :)
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, it's you! How silly of me to think you'd know by just your first name :) Although Doozenfloofer is a doozy - I'm pretty much liking that! :)
ReplyDeleteBeth Stilborn (unregistered) wrote, in response to Beth Stilborn (unregistered):
P.S. Congratulations to Catherine, too.
(And I'm assuming I'm the Beth that won... you didn't include my last name. Maybe it was Beth Doosenfloofer who won...)
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Yes, I was thinking that... it's just that then, technically, I should check and see if the resources are different, which means more work...! :)
ReplyDeleteBeth Stilborn (unregistered) wrote, in response to Susanna Leonard Hill:
One thing duplicates might do is add more resources and suggested activities to the list, which would make it a bonus of sorts for parents and teachers...
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Excellent choice of books. Important for kids to learn how to deal with disappointment. This sounds like a very imaginative book showing both viewpoints.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Catherine and Beth!!
I like it because it's so "kid" - that insistent optimism and imagination that makes them sure they can will things to go the way they want :)
ReplyDeleteI think you'll like it Robyn :) And I know - I love that it was created by a father-daughter team based on a real experience they had together!
ReplyDeleteOh well I sure hope they like this one too! I like it because it shows the two different perspectives, and the subjectivity of reality, with the dad talking about how much it's raining and Sadie saying that on her side people are mowing lawns and eating ice cream :)
ReplyDeleteThat's one of the things I really like about it too, Penny. And it's neat that they tell the true story in the back :)
ReplyDeleteIf you're a half-full kind of gal, you'll love this :)
ReplyDeleteSo true that as parents we never want our kids to suffer disappointment, and yet it happens in life so it's best if they know how to handle it. I love how the dad in this story lets her come to terms on her own, without forcing it.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're excited! Let me know if you want the book signed to anyone in particular :) And this is a fun book - I think you and your little ones would enjoy it :)
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like such a sweet book. And I am always so impressed by the quality of Candlewick books, I'm sure this one is great. Thanks, Susanna!
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing at least one of your girls would be able to relate to Sadie! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat choice Susanna! I love this book!
ReplyDeleteOh, yay! I'm so glad someone else knows it and concurs with my opinion of it! :) I loved yours, too!
ReplyDeletesounds like a wonderful book. love the concept. adding it to my TBR list.
ReplyDeleteHope you like it! I LOVED the sound of yours today - gotta find that one! :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats to all the winners. Now I'm curios about whether they make it to the zoo or not. We'll add it to our library list.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of this book yet. I see that it's only been recently published (2011). I hope we already have it in our libraries. Will definitely look for it. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you like it! :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Catherine and Beth!
ReplyDeleteLoved your book choice Susanna. This is something one can imagine happening often, but I love how it incorporates the fathers understanding. Great choice!
MY SIDE OF THE CARE sounds like a lovely book! There aren't too many father-daughter books out there. And the father-daughter pairing is genius.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Catherine and Beth.
What a fun idea for a story! I REALLY want to know if they make it to the zoo or not!
ReplyDeleteThat would be telling! You'll have to go read the book :)
ReplyDeleteIt's quite delightful - I hope you get to read it! :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you like it, Diane! :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you like it! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool book! I'm going to look for that at the library. Thanks.
ReplyDelete❀Barbara❀
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I hope you like it! - I really enjoyed it :)
ReplyDeleteYay Catherine and Beth!!! We had a very busy week last week, and I am just getting around to the blogs I read! These posts sure stack up fast! Three days out of the kidlitosphere and I am totally out of the loop!! LOL ;)
ReplyDeleteI know the feeling! I hate missing a day because catching up gets overwhelming :)
ReplyDeleteGreat choice Susanna! I love this book!
ReplyDelete