Mock Caldecott Contenders

Week 2

Character

This week we will think more about Character, or WHO the story is about. Remember:

  • Illustrations should help us understand the characters' personalities

  • Illustrations should show how the characters feel and what they are thinking (often through facial expressions and body language)

  • Illustrations should help us see if a character grows or changes

As you watch the read-aloud videos, ask yourself "Do the illustrations help me get to know the characters in this book?"

Campfinal.mp4

The Camping Trip

by Jennifer K. Mann

Under the Lilacs.mp4

Under the Lilacs

by E.B. Goodale

Activities

Character Connections

In The Camping Trip and Under the Lilacs, the characters have many "relatable" moments, when we might recognize their feelings from times when we felt the same thing. Pick a scene from either book where you felt a connection with the main character. Draw or write about a time when you felt the same way they do.

feelingsslides

Facial Expressions and Body Language

Illustrators use characters' facial expressions and body language to show how they are feeling. In these two books, we see a wide range of emotions. Watch the slide show and think about which emotion the illustrator gives a character through the look on their face or their bodies' position.

Just for Fun: Draw a list

In The Camping Trip, our main character has a many items she packs for her campout, and this illustration is a visual list of those items. Think of an activity you love, and draw a "list" of the items you would need to pack for that activity.

Just for Fun: Design Your Own Runaway Space

When the main character in Under the Lilacs runs away, she builds her own fort to stay in. If you were going to "runaway" to your own space, what would it look like? Draw a picture.

Send your creations to amanda_kretschmar@psbma.org to be published on our website!

Bonus Material

E.B. Goodale Video

Watch this short video with author/illustrator E. B. Goodale, and learn about how she got the idea for Under the Lilacs, as well as her illustration techniques.