Carl and the Meaning of Life (Deborah Freedman)

Title:  Carl and the Meaning of Life 

Author:  Deborah Freedman  

Illustrator: Deborah Freedman

Target Ages:  5 and up

Genre:  Picture Book

Publisher Summary: 

This is Carl.

Carl is an earthworm.

He spends his days happily digging, tunneling, turning dirt into soil, until one day, when a field mouse asks him…Why?

Carl does not know why he does what he does, but now he needs to find out!

First Lines:

Carl was not a bird.

Carl was not a bear, or a beaver.

Carl was…an earthworm.

Memorable Moment:

All of them (the animals) are able to do what they do…

How?

Well, why not ask Carl?

Evaluation:

As a child, I often wondered: What is my gift?  What makes me special?  I did not have any talents or skills that stood out.  I was pretty average.  However, through hard work and divine direction, I found my—what makes me special. It is likely that many children (and adults) have similar questions about their significance. 

Carl and the Meaning of Life is an excellent springboard for that conversation.  Though a seemingly insignificant living creature, Carl realizes he has a vital purpose. His story reveals how small actions and roles in life are the foundation of a great organization or society.  On a deeper level: If an earthworm has a purpose, how much more does a human being have one? As the image-bearers of God, all people have a purpose and an opportunity to glorify their creator with their actions—no matter how seemingly small the actions.

Freedman’s soft watercolor illustrations are vibrant and warm.  They help capture how Carl feels as he is pictured small and insignificant compared to the other animals.  However, as he has his epiphany and grows in his understanding, he becomes more prominent.  On the last page, he is equal or greater in size to the other creatures.

One of the highlights of the book is Carl’s quest to answer the tough questions.  He does not stop until he finds the answer.  Multiple questions are presented—How? What? Who? and Why?  Teaching children to ask questions and to pursue the answers is the foundation of true education and understanding.  Carl symbolizes the internal quest within each person.

Carl and the Meaning of Life is a perfect picture book, ripe for many questioning and thinking opportunities.

Activities and Extension Ideas for Lesson Plans:

• Writing:  Answer the question How? through Carl's perspective at the end of the story.
• Science:  Read one or more non-fiction picture books about the earthworm.
• Drawing:  Create a flow chart to show how the animals in the story are connected.  Read and/or brainstorm another flow chart of interconnectedness, such as related to bees or plankton. 
• Creative Writing:  What is the meaning of life?
• Characterization: What motivates Carl to answer mouse’s initial question: Why?  How does Carl change over the course of the story?
• Character:  Create a poster with pictures, drawings, and words that show why you are special.
• Community Outreach:  Work together as a class or family to do a small action that has big consequences, like recycling, picking up trash outside, or setting up for an event. 
• Grammar:  Discuss the difference between a question and a statement.   Identify examples of both in the story.

 Perfect Picture Book Friday

 

 
 

Picture Books (Science): The Water Cycle

The water cycle is a fascinating and vital topic to teach.  I have highlighted three selections, each at a different level of child-readiness.  These books can be used as enriching reading at home as well as to introduce, to teach, or to extend a lesson on the topic. 

All the Water in the World  (by George Ella Lyon and Katherine Tillotson):

This selection introduces the water cycle at its basic form.  The authors begin with water experiences that young children are already familiar—coming from a hose, wobbling in puddles, and pouring from a faucet.  Then, they poses the question:  Where does water come from? The response is a beautiful poetic depiction of the water cycle as a continuous circle of precipitation, evaporation, and condensation.  The imagery is vivid and vibrant.  For example, the rain is described as cascading from the clouds, meandering down the mountains, and wavering over the waterfalls.  There is a shift to the importance of water to all life from the plants and animals to you and me. The illustrations appear to be a blend of collage and paint with lots of texture and energy.  I recommend All the Water in the World for ages 3 and up. 

Earth’s Cycles: The Water Cycle (by Cheryl Jakab):

Jakab’s book builds on the previous recommendation and goes into more detail on the cycle as well as related areas.  She begins by defining a cycle and connecting it to several different ones in science, such as rock, animal life, seasons, and plant life.  Next, she defines “water” and explains its importance.  She breaks the water cycle into four parts—rain, rivers & oceans, water vapor, and clouds.  Each one is explained in a straight-forward manner and accompanied by photographs or diagrams.  Significant parts are labeled and/or explained concisely.  The final sections are on the balance of nature (how the other cycles relate to the water cycle), the relationship between people and water, and the importance of conservation.  Also included are ideas for saving water, information on how to collect fresh water, a glossary of key terms, and an index for easy reference.  Earth’s Cycles: The Water Cycle does an excellent job introducing and explaining this vital science concept.  I recommend it for ages 7 and up.

The Water Cycle (by Francis Purslow): 
Purslow combines a traditional non-fiction book with modern technology resources.  She goes in-depth describing water states at their molecular level with pictures to illustrate.   Key areas are covered:  condensation, clouds, precipitation, transpiration, and evaporation.  I like how she explains and depicts types of precipitation, condensation, and clouds.  There are numerous striking photographs that accompany each area. Other interesting subjects are also introduced.  For instance, there is a map of the world that shows the availability of fresh water in each geographical region.  This information is an excellent discussion starter and critical thinking opportunity.  Also, a timeline highlights key discoveries made by scientists as they learned about aspects of the cycle.  The topic is rounded off with information on pollution, hydrologists, and fun water facts.  Modern technology and hands on activities are blended with the text.  By logging into a publisher website, there is access to audio, video, and other web links.  I recommend The Water Cycle for ages 9 and up.  

Picture Book: Cows Can't Quack (by Dave Reisman)

Author David Reisman has brought us another entertaining work, ideal for young listeners.  Like his previous title, Cows Can’t Jump, he uses a patterned text in Cows Can’t Quack that invites children to predict and participate.   For instance, it begins with “Cows can’t quack…”   Turn the page and find, “but they can moo.”  This sample is followed in the next sequence, “Moose can’t moo…”    Now that a model has been experienced, children can be prompted to guess what sound a moose does make.  The book has a nice balance of animal/sounds that children will likely already be familiar (cat, frog, tiger) as well as ones they are not as likely (hyenas, rhinos, hippos).  

Because the text has a repetitive pattern with key words being repeated in each sequence, it is beneficial in building up sight word knowledge.  Older youngster will quickly memorize the pattern and use picture cues to help them “read” the words. By encouraging them to put their finger on the words as they read, they are learning to recognize them and getting the rhythm of reading.

The illustrations (by Jason A. Maas) are expressive and entertaining.    The background remains consistent with a soft blue sky and appealing green grass, allowing the focus to be on the animals.   Because they depict various emotions, child listeners can discuss what emotions they might be feeling and why they feel them using the pictures as a guide.

Expand the text for older children to teach them the “big word” for animal sounds—onomatopoeia.  This word is fun to say, and it has the added bonus of making them sound sophisticated. J    Encourage them to brainstorm other sound words or onomatopoeia.  Another early reading skill is recognizing the same sounds in words.   Identify together alliteration (same beginning sounds in words close to each other), like cows/can’t, moose/moo, and can’t/croak. 

For character building, talk about the uniqueness of each animal and parallel it to people.  Never try to be like the crowd:  An original is always worth more (quote I saw once).   We may do things differently, but we are all important and interconnected.  

I highly recommend Cows Can’t Quack for ages 2-7.  It is a story that should be read over and over for maximum enjoyment and benefit.  

Poetry Friday: Peaceful Pieces Poems and Quilts About Peace (Grossnickle)

Peaceful Pieces: Poems and Quilts About Peace explores peace at different levels from personal to interpersonal to world-wide.   Author Anna Grossnickle Hines uses the quilt motif for her illustrations.  Each page is a full-color reproduction of a handmade quilt that compliments the poems.  Quilts are also used as a metaphor for our interconnectedness and, thus, elevating the importance of peace.   

 The book concludes with short summaries of people who have worked for peace—both well-known adults like Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. and lesser-known children like Samantha Smith and Mattie Stepanek.  I recommend Peaceful Pieces:  Poems and Quilts About Peace for ages 8 and up.  The poems can be applied to circumstances younger children understand—family relationships, enjoying nature, and individual choices.  Older children can be guided to connect the concept to history, politics, and current events.

“Peace:  A Recipe”

Open mind—at least two.

Willing hearts—the same.

Rinse well with compassion.

Stir in a fair amount of trust.

Season with forgiveness.

Simmer in a sauce of respect.

A dash of humor brightens the flavor.

Best served with hope. 

“Weapons”

I have never fired a gun

But have shouted words

that pierce and stung.

I have hurled cutting remarks,

ignited flames with hateful sparks.

I’ve shot daggers from my eyes

at those I momentarily despised.

I have never fired a gun

but want to learn

to hold my tongue.                                                     

“Weightless”

Dark and heavy,

anger presses

my pinched heart

into my stomach.

       But…

when I forgive,

when I truly forgive

my feather heart

       lifts

floats

      light

free

spacious enough

to take in

the whole

wonderful

world.

This post is linked up with Poetry Friday at Random Noodling.

Picture Books (Science): Animals, Adaption, and Interdependence

Sylvan Dell has two new Spring Releases that focus on interdependence adaption, and food webs in nature.

Summary of Gopher to the Rescue!  (by Terry Catasus Jennings)  

The ground moves and shakes.  Rumbles penetrate the silent mountain woodlands.  Steam and ash trickle into the air.  Gopher busily digs in his burrow.  The rumbling and shaking become more intense.  Then, a sound resonates through the woods, violent and thunderous.  Gopher continues digging in his burrow.   The mountain explodes and disappears in a cloud of ash and rock.  Even though many animals and plants are destroyed in the blast, gopher is safe in his home.   In this now nearly desolate area of the mountain, few creatures have survived.   The remainder of the narrative describes how the mountain recovers with the vital help of gopher and other survivors, drawing on the scientific observations made after the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. 

Evaluation: 

Gopher to the Rescue!  A Volcano Recovery Story is a good balance of engaging narrative and nonfiction information.  The text is straightforward enough that young readers will enjoy it, but dense enough to be a springboard for many science topics like environmental changes, volcanoes, habitats, landforms,, food chains, and so forth.  The illustrations (by Laurie O’Keefe) are rich and detailed, revealing not only the beauty of the woodlands but the desolation of the area after the eruption.  This book is a beautiful story of the resilience of nature and a testimony of hope in the midst of disaster.  I recommend it for ages 4-11.

For more teaching ideas and resources, visit the book page at Sylvan Dell and the 40-page Teaching Activity Guide. 

Summary of Home in the Cave (by Janet Halfmann)   

Deep within a dark cave, Baby Bat snuggles close to his mother.  He is comfortable and safe.  He never wants to leave the cave—ever!   When his mother leaves for her nightly insect hunt, he hears the other youngster describe the dangers lurking outside the cave.  He is determined to never leave!  While practicing his flying, he crashes into a wall and lands in a packrat’s nest.  His new rodent friend leads him on a tour of their habitat where they meet birds, snakes, salamanders, fish, and a host of insects.  Baby Bat learns his vital role in the cave food chain, and he overcomes his fears of the outside world. 

Evaluation:

Using the point of view of a child, Home in the Cave creates a narrative framework for youngster to explore the unknown on two levels.  First, he is venturing into and learning about his physical environment in a calm and simple manner.  Second, he is learning a valuable lesson about growing up and conquering fear.  Both of these lessons are beneficial to children.  Next, the book broadens a child’s experience with nature and expands his science vocabulary/background knowledge by fluidly revealing the wonders of the cave habitat.   Also, there are some excellent opportunities to discuss literary elements with examples of similes, hyperbole, and alliteration sprinkled within the text.  Finally, Shennen Bersani does an amazing job with light and color.   he maintains the dark atmosphere while illuminating the creatures and other elements in there (stalactites, stalagmites, nests, watering holes).  This book is recommended for children ages 4-9.  

For more teaching ideas and resources, visit the book page at Sylvan Dell and the 51-page Teaching Activity Guide. 

Disclaimer: As per FTC guidelines, I received copies of these books from Sylvan Dell Publishing in exchange for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation. All opinions expressed here are mine and mine alone.