Tag: Ingrid Chabbert

Posted in Early Reader, Fiction, Fiction, Intermediate

A boy and his friend must act fast to save The Last Tree

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

last-treeThe Last Tree, by Ingrid Chabbert/Illustrated by Guridi, (April 2017, Kids Can Press), $17.95, ISBN: 9781771387286

Recommended for ages 4-7

A boy listens to his father describe running and playing in the grass as a child, but has only a concrete playing area with a diminishing patch of grass available to him. One day, the boy and his friend discover a baby tree – a sapling, really – hidden behind a wall and are amazed: it’s the first tree they’ve ever seen up close. The boy goes home and discovers, to his horror, that a luxury condo complex is scheduled to begin construction right in the very spot where the tree is growing, and the boys spring into action to save the last tree.

This is a powerful look at how lack of green spaces affects children. Ingrid Chabbert’s narrator is an adult, looking back on his childhood, and how important saving that tree was to him and his friend. It sends a message about the importance of conservation and preservation today, and offers some hope for tomorrow. Artist Guridi communicates this message using charcoal, gravure ink, gouache, pencil, and digital art to create a spark of hope in the grey, bleak future that faces us as we see more green spaces disappear under development.

A strong addition to collections for Earth Day, conservation units, and to empower kids who may not understand that they can have a long-lasting impact on the world with the smallest and kindest of acts. The Last Tree invites a discussion on empathy by examining the boys’ actions and asking children to contribute by sharing a time when they took action to help someone or something that needed it.

 

Posted in Early Reader, Fiction, Preschool Reads

The Day I Became a Bird takes a sweet look at first love

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

became a birdThe Day I Became a Bird, by Ingrid Chabbert/Illustrated by Raúl Nieto Guridi (Sept. 2016, Kids Can Press), $16.95, ISBN: 9781771386210

Recommended for ages 4-8

A little boy experiences love at first sight when he starts school. Sylvia sits right in front of him, but she doesn’t see him. She’s only got eyes for birds: they’re on her pants and dresses, the barrettes in her hair, the doodles on her notebooks and folders. To get her attention, the boy decides to dress up as a bird. His classmates giggle and stare, and he’s not terribly coordinated, but he feels handsome and warm, and it’s all worth it when Sylvia hugs him.

This is a sweet and slightly surreal story about first love and what we’ll do for love. The little boy embraces discomfort and endures the laughter of his classmates for love, and when it pays off, he – and the reader – feel like flying. The black and white pencil and Photoshop art are spare, allowing the words – beautifully translated from the original Spanish – to sink into the reader’s mind and feelings. The book encourages self discovery and the discovery of new ways to reach out and connect with others. This would make a sweet read-aloud, followed with a bird craft (there are so many!) or a discussion about feelings.

Sensitive and sweetly funny, this is a great addition to collections. I hope to see some educator resources from Kids Can Press as the book gets closer to pub date.