Endpapers: WOLF!
WOLF! front and back endpapers.
I recently had a story time with several young children that illustrated again to me the power of endpapers. WOLF! by Becky Bloom and illustrated by Pascal Biet is a delightful story about “why reading is great.” The illustrations add a whimsical touch to the theme, and the children I was reading to found it a fun story. We read it three times in one sitting. I shared with them the endpapers shown above. After that third reading, the children talked about the front endpapers showing the village when the wolf was first coming into town. They commented, “No one looks very happy. Maybe they’re afraid of the wolf even though he isn’t very scary looking.” The back endpapers are a different scene portraying “the end of the story” according to the children (and they were right!). “Everyone is so happy now,” they said. Each child then told me in his and her own words the middle of the story not shown in either the front or back endpapers. It was a great story time and showed the power of well done illustration.
I also enjoyed sharing with the children the interesting author and illustrator information. Becky Bloom was born in Greece, has lived and worked in many countries, and once studied architecture at the University of California Berkeley. She now lives with her family in the south of France. Pascal Biet was born in the north of France and now lives in Paris. I think you will get a sense of a European village in the illustrations.
WOLF! is a pleasant way to end this week.
Happy reading to you and to others with whom you might read over this weekend!
Carol
Add comment April 17th, 2009
