Kwame Alexander Teaches Us – HOW TO READ A BOOK

Frequent readers of my blog know – I love picture books! I just glommed on to a fabulous picture book, and I don’t want to let it go!

How to Read a Book is written by Kwame Alexander, a New York Times bestselling author and winner of multiple awards. He received the Newbery Medal in 2015 for The Crossover, and in January of this year, he won a Newbery Honor for his book The Undefeated. Kwame Alexander’s picture book is a lyrical poem written from the heart. His powerful words evoke wonder and excitement and encourage children to open a book and “peel its gentle skin, like you would a clementine.” He writes about the feel, the smell, the sound, the look, and the taste of words readers discover in books. Alexander’s awe-inspiring poem speaks to the soul and opens the door to the joys of reading. Melissa Sweet’s illustrations add another dimension to Alexander’s delightful text. Sweet is also a New York Times bestselling author and artist, a two-time winner of the Caldecott Honor Medal, and winner of the 2012 Sibert Medal for Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade. Melissa Sweet’s unique collage illustrations complement Kwame Alexander’s poetic words. She uses a variety of materials including neon paint colors and pages from a discarded copy of Bambi which adds to the overall experience as readers immerse themselves in this book. Besides the eye-catching colors and attention to detail, Sweet also includes fold-out pages and smaller pages within pages that will appeal to readers. Each page turn is a gift of words and art.

This book is truly magic!

 

 

Explore posts in the same categories: Poetry, Reading

Tags: Award-Winning Author/Illustrator, Books, Caldecott, Collage, Kwame Alexander, Lyrical Language, Melissa Sweet, New York Times Best-Seller, Newbery, Poetry, Reading

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