Author/ Illustrator Project

Kathryn Otoshi

Author and Illustrator

Kathryn Otoshi’s Life

Kathryn Otoshi is a Japanese-American children’s writer.  She was born in 1967. Both of her parents were in internment camps at some point in their childhoods.  Otoshi grew up in the suburbs of Southern California. Being Japanese-American was not easy, but Otoshi said she was not picked on any more than the other students were. In an interview, she said she does remember one girl in particular who was bullied by other students.  In her newest book, Otoshi sends a message out about bullying. Several of her books focus on parts of her heritage and childhood experiences.

Otoshi now lives in San Francisco.  Before she became a writer, she was a Graphic Designer and Multimedia design Specialist at George Lucas’ Industrial Light and Magic (Star Wars). Along with her career as an author and illustrator, Otoshi currently works at Imagemovers Digital, which is Robert Zemeckis’ famous film company. 

Kathryn Otoshi’s Work

Kathryn Otoshi has written four books of her own. These books include, What Emily Saw, Simon and the Sock Monster, One, and Zero.  Otoshi has also illustrated three books (The Saddest Little Robot, Marcello the Movie Mouse, and, Maneki Neko: The Tale of the Beckoning Cat). Her illustrations are done using watercolor paint. She has won numerous awards including the BAIPA’s Best Children’s Book Award, the Writer’s Digest Award for Best Children’s Book, and the Hollywood Book Festival Award.  Kathryn Otoshi also visits schools to share her books and is often a guest speaker. She also has her own website, kokidsbooks.com.

 

Round is a Mooncake

Round is a Mooncake

Written by: Roseanne Thong

Illustrated by: Grace Lin

Chronicle Books, 2000

32 Pages

Multicultural book

      This book is about an Asian girl and her family.  The book is written using rhyming poetry.  The girl is describing different parts of her culture, such as what she and her family eat and how they write.  It just kind of goes through her day, and explains the different things she does.  The girl uses several words or phrases that I had never heard.  Each part of this culture is defined on the back page after the book.  This is a great tool for teaching students different cultures.  For example, the word abacus is a Chinese calculator. 

      I like the pictures in this book.  They are very bright and work well with the other colors she uses.  I love looking at the types of color she uses.  The illustrator uses proportion a lot in the story as well as close up pictures.  Line is also very prominent in these illustrations; the black is emphasizes the colors.  Another thing I really like about the illustrations is how simple they are.  It’s really easier to tell how the story is being portrayed.

     I would use this book to teach my student about Chinese culture and how everybody is different.  The vocabulary words in the back of the book would be the most helpful for starting the lesson.  I think both english and history objective could be used with this book.  Another thing I would do is compare and contrast the differences between their culture and their own specific culture or background.  Students could even write a few sentences about how their culture is different or the same as their own.  If I had higher grades like third or fourth, I could do a Venn diagram as well.  I think the book is most appropriate for kindergarten through third grade, but it could be used in fourth to teach diversity.   

Cora Cooks Pancit

Cora Cooks Pancit

Written by: Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore

Illustrated by: Kristi Valiant

Shen’s Books, 2009

26 Pages

Multicultural Book

     I chose this book, because I was interested in the title.  I had never heard of “pancit” and wanted to find out what kind of food it was.  After reading the book, I learned that it is a dish eaten a lot in the Philippines.  The story is about a Filipino family and how the youngest girl, Cora learns to fix pancit with her mom.  The dish consists of chicken, noodles, and vegetables such as corn, cabbage, carrots, onions, and celery.  Cora’s older siblings usually help their mom cook pancit; but, when Cora sees her brother and sisters leaving right before super, she takes the opportunity to help her mom; Cora’s mother lets her pick what she wants to make.  Cora gets the job of shredding the chicken, checking to see if the noodles are done, and she also got to stir the pot full of pancit; she also got to wear her momma’s apron, which was her grandpa’s.  Cora’s mom tells her stories about her grandpa as they cook.  When they are finished, the family gathers to eat; they love Cora’s pancit! Cora was so proud of herself.

     I like the glossy, smooth texture of the illustrations in this book.  The colors are very rich.  The artist used water color paint.  The illustrator uses lines to emphasize her drawings.  It also looks like she sketched the drawings first, before painting them.  The pictures look very detailed and precise. I also like the different colors that the artist uses; she uses many dark colors such as brown, dark red, and several dark oranges, and then she adds some brighter colors to make the darker ones stand out on the pages.  I also liked the way that she paints the part where the family is sitting down to eat.  The artist used a two page spread, which showed all of the food on the table.   This made it easy to visualize the different types of food. 

     I would use this book to teach my students about the Filipino culture.  I learned a lot about Filipino cuisine from the book.  At the end of the book, there is a page that explains what some words in their language means.  I would show this to my students after reading the book and go over each word to increase their vocabulary and make them aware of the different language. There is also a recipe on how to make pancit in the back of the book.  I think it would be fun to make pancit for the class; it would be really good if we could have a few teachers make it together.  I could use the recipe in the book to teach sequencing.  I could have my students put the ingredients in order on a Velcro strip.  I could also have my students write about what their favorite dish is and how to make it.  Another writing activity might be to have the students write about a time when they got to help their mom cook something.  I could also have students draw what their dish would look like on a paper plate, or maybe even give each student a cooking pot make out of construction paper, so they could add ingredients.  I could go ahead and cut out certain vegetables, noodles, and meats such as chicken, and they could get what all they needed to go in theirs.  This could also be done with the sequencing activity as well. I think the book is most appropriate for kindergarten through second grade.

 

What Can You Do With a Rebozo?

What Can You Do With a Rebozo?

Written by: Carmen Tafolla

Illustrated by: Amy Cordova

Tricycle Press, 2008

20 Pages

Multicultural Book

     I chose this book because its title interested me.  I thought the only thing a rebozo was used for was to wear as an item of clothing.  I also loved the colors in the illustrations on the cover.  The book is about a girl who tells what all a rebozo can be used for in her culture.  She explains how it can be worn over a dress, like her mom wears it. The girl also goes on to explain how her sister wears hers in her hair.  Another way that the girl in the story says a rebozo can be used for is a blanket to keep warm; that is the how her grandma uses hers.  The girl also says that a rebozo can be used to clean up a spill.  Then, she says it can also be blindfold at her birthday when she tries to hit a piñata; but, at the end of the story, the girl explains that her favorite thing is to use her rebozo to dance!

     I absolutely love the illustrations in this book.  The artist used acrylic paint, which turned out beautiful.  I also like the colors she uses; they are very vibrant.  In every illustration, she emphasizes the rebozo by outlining it with a brighter color, or making the rebozo a darker color and the background a brighter color.  The pictures go along great with the story.  The illustrator makes it easy to understand all the different ways the rebozo is used and what it looks like.  Overall, the artist does a fantastic job portraying the Mexican culture through her illustrations.  I think the acrylic paint was an excellent choice for illustrating this book, because of the colors.

     I would use this book to teach Mexican culture.  I would begin by explaining what the word rebozo means in Spanish.  I could have my students write about three different ways the rebozo was used in the story or how they would use theirs if they had one (or have one).  Then, I would have them illustrate what they wrote. I could also have my students write about their favorite part of the story, and they could also draw a picture to go along with their writing. I think it would also be a great book to teach students how all cultures have similarities.  One thing I would do is have my students write about two things that happened in the book that they have also done with their families.  The book could also be used to learn new facts about the Mexican culture.  In fact, at the end of the book the author explains the way Latina women use rebozos.  I think this book is most appropriate for first through third grade. 

 

 

Celebritrees

Celebritrees: Historic and Famous Trees of the World

Written by: Margi Preus

Illustrated by: Rebecca Gibbon

Henry Holt and Company, LLC, 2010 

28 Pages

Nonfiction Book

     I picked this book, because of its unique title.  The book is very interesting.  It is about some of the oldest, tallest, and thickest trees around the world.  Each page tells facts about a different tree such as what it is name, where it is located, and how old it is.  The book says the oldest tree living is a bristlecone pine tree in California; it is named Methuselah.  One that I found to be really interesting is an extremely thick tree in Italy; it is so big around that 100 horses could fit around it! There is another one mentioned in the book that got made into a church.  Another tree in the book that I found interesting is one that was used for a post office.  The book just has a lot of neat facts in it about trees. I think it would be great to use in the classroom. 

     The illustrations in the book are really neat. They are done in several different mediums.  I know one is acrylic, and the other appears to be charcoal or pencil of some kind.  I love how the artist uses perspective to make the reader feel as though he is seeing an actual picture of the trees.  For example, I really like how the artist drew the horses around the tree in Italy that is so thick.  It really helps with visualization.  His work also looks very tedious.  Every line seems to be just perfect.  The pictures go along great with the story.

     I think this book would be great to use for finding informational text, or for a lesson on trees.  I might do a little of both, but I would want them to understand the text first and foremost.  Since historical events are given, I think it could also be used for a history lesson.  Students are learning about history when they are investigating the different trees, because they are learning about culture.  I think it would be a good idea to have them write about one of the trees, or, I could have groups that studied one tree at a time.  It would be great for a center activity.  Students could read the book, and then draw a picture about one part in the book as well. 

Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books

Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books

Written by: Kay Winters

Illustrated by: Nancy Carpenter

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Children, 2003

37 Pages

Nonfiction Book

     I choose this book, because I loved the illustrations on the cover.  I thought it might be a good book to use to teach students about Abraham Lincoln.  The book is a biography of Abraham Lincoln’s life.  It is told in a very simple, kid-friendly way.  I even learned a few things that I did not know about Lincoln.  It begins with Lincoln’s first years in Kentucky.  It says that he really enjoyed school and learning.  Then, it goes on to talk about how his family moved to Indiana.  After they moved, Lincoln could not go to school, because his father needed him to help work.  But, as the time passes on, he gets tired of it.  He decides that he has larger dreams than what he could have in Indiana.  Lincoln decides to move, and begins reading about the law.  Before long, he was a lawyer; after that, he got into politics, which led him to his presidency.  

     I love the pictures in this book.  They are done by the same artist that did the Apple to Oregon.  She uses oil paints, like she did in the other story.  The artist also uses details in this book that helps the reader visualize what is happening in the story.   I love the way she portrays the people that live in this time frame. Her painting is very unique.  I also really liked the way that she uses two page spreads in her work. The illustrations are almost like a short film.  It’s almost like the book is broken into different scenes.  This makes it really simple to understand.

     I think would use this story to teach my students about Abraham Lincoln.  It could also be used to teach students that it is important to always follow your dreams. I love the way that the story is told.  It would be a great read aloud to do near Lincoln’s birthday.  It would also be a good book to use to teach an integrated lesson. I would definitely have my students do some type of writing with this, such as having them write some facts about Abraham Lincoln or have them write about their favorite part.  I think the book is most appropriate for second through fourth grade.

 

What Will I Be?

What Will I Be?

Written by: Nicola Davies

Illustrated by: Marc Boutavant

Candlewick Press, 2012

22 Pages

Nonfiction Book 

     I picked this book, because I loved the illustrations on the cover.  I actually bought the book for my integrated language arts lesson for teaching life cycles; the book explains several different animal life cycles.  I love the book, because it goes through each step of a life cycle, but it’s written in a way that can be easily understood by children.  The book begins with the life cycle of a butterfly and how butterflies begin as an egg and turn into caterpillars that make cocoons.  Then, it talks about polar bears; it explains how polar bears are born and grow into polar bear cubs that learn to hunt from their mothers.  It also explains how turtles are born by hatching from an egg.  It also talks about how they swim out into the ocean and then return to the beach one day to lay their own eggs.  The next animal life cycle it explains is the frog. It shows a picture of an egg first, and then explains how the egg turns into a tadpole.  Then, the book explains how the tadpole grows into a frog, and how it will also lay eggs one day.  The last animal cycle tells how a bird is born by hatching out of an egg and how it learns to fly.  The very last page has a picture of a baby, which kind of relates the life cycles of animals to ours. 

     The illustrations in this book are wonderful. They are done digitally.  I love the colors that the artist used.  They are very bright and vibrant; the colors make the book fun and engaging.  The pictures do a great job of explaining the details of every life cycle.  The steps are numbered, which I love, because it helps students understand the order of each cycle.   The book is interactive as well, which was another thing that I really liked about the book, because it also keeps students engaged. There are flaps that you have to pull up that show what the animal looks like after it is born; the page before the flap gives a description of what the animal looks like when it is first born or when it is still an egg, and the students have to guess what it will be.  The illustrator did a fantastic job bringing the text to life in a simple way!

     This book could be used in kindergarten to second grade; however, I think this book is most appropriate for kindergarten and first grade, because is not very complex.  This book is great for teaching sequencing/ordering of events.  I would use this to teach students about animal life cycles and how each animal is born.  I might focus on just the butterfly or frog life cycles, or I could do an overview of the basics of each cycle.  If I only did one or two life cycles, I would have my students make foldable and put pictures of the animals in order.  But, if I wanted to do a lesson on life cycles in general, I would probably do a group activity where students match each animal when they are first born, or when they are an egg, with pictures of when they are adult animals.  I could also do stations where each group has a different life cycle and they put pictures in order, according to how the animal develops; then, I could have them rotate until all of the groups have done each life cycle.  Another thing I could teach with this book is habitats.  I would have my students do a matching activity where they match the animals with where they live; this could also be done in stations.      

Apples to Oregon

Apples to Oregon

Written by: Deborah Hopkinson

Illustrated by: Nancy Carpenter

Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2004

30 Pages

Historical Fiction Book

     I choose this book, because I was curious about the story.  The book is set in the time of the pioneer days.  It is about a family who travels from Iowa to Oregon.  The father has grown several apple trees, as well several other types of trees such as peach and cherry, and decides to take them along for the journey.  When the family encounters harsh weather conditions, and the father is afraid his trees are going to die.  But, one of his daughters, Delicious, is determined that her father’s trees will make it; Delicious and her brothers and sisters all pitch in to help, and after a lot of hard work, which included getting through a storm, desert, cold weather, and  even a ride on  a river, the family makes it to Oregon…..with their father’s trees!

 

     I really like the pictures in this book.  Oil paint was used for the illustrations.  The artist does a wonderful job portraying the characters in the book during the pioneer time period. I love all of the different color she uses.  They are very bright.  The pictures are also painted using a lot of detail.  I also love the map that is in the end covers of the book.  It shows the family’s journal from Iowa to Oregon.  I think this is very useful when teaching, especially younger children, because it allows them to visualize what takes place throughout the story. 

     I would use this book to teach students about the history behind this story, and the type of genre that the book is as far telling the story of a tall tale.  I think this book would be great for teaching story grammar, because it has several different characters.  It would also be good to teach a lesson on sequencing, since several things happen to the family as are traveling.  I could also have my students write about what type of tree they would want to take with them on a journey if they could, or what their favorite tree is.  This book would be most appropriate for second to fourth grade. 

 

 

 

In the Garden with Dr. Carver

In the Garden with Dr. Carver

Written by: Susan Grigsby

Illustrated by: Nicole Tadgell

Albert Whitman & Company, 2010

30 Pages

Historical Fiction

 

     I chose this book, because I thought it would be a great book to use to teach students how plants grow.  The book takes place in the early 1900s.  It is about a school that gets visited by George Washington Carver.  He teaches the students different parts of nature.  He also helps them find out why a plant isn’t growing and teaches them what plants need.  Dr. Carver shares some of his inventions in food with the class as well.  He makes them lunch using only a few plants.  He makes bread out of sweet potatoes and “chicken” out of peanuts!  Dr. Carver also shows the class how to plant their own garden.  He teaches them how to transform soil so that plants will grow there.  They make their own garden using some land near the school.  The students are taught to rake and till the soil and what to put in the soil to fertilize it.  Then, Dr. Carver shows the students how to plant their crops. They plant lots of vegetables; they also plant melons and peanuts! After Dr. Carver helps the students with the garden, he has to leave; but, the students don’t want him to go!

     The artist does a wonderful job with the illustrations.  She uses watercolor paint.  The colors are very soft and light.  I love how she uses two-page spreads.  It allows her to paint a clearer picture of what is happening in the story.  It also allows her to provide more details.  The illustrator also does a good job portraying the story in its time frame.  The clothing and scenery match what it might really look like during the early 1900s. 

     I would use this book in my classroom to teach my students a science lesson on how plants grow.  I would also use it to teach my students all of the things plants need to grow.  Another thing it could be used for is to teach a lesson on insects and why some of them are important to have in gardens.  It could also be used to teach a history lesson on George Washington Carver and his inventions.  I think this book is most appropriate for third and fourth grade, but it could be used in second grade to teach students about plants.

 

 

 

Do You Have a Hat?

Do You Have a Hat?

Written by: Eileen Spinelli

Illustrated by: Geraldo Valerio

Simon and Schuster, 2004

29 Pages

Historical Fiction

 

     I chose this book, because I was interested in the title.  When I opened the book, I also saw some pictures and facts about some very important people in history.  Right away, I knew that it would be a great book to use in the classroom. The book is about different types of hats that can be worn, and focuses on the kinds of hats that famous people in history have worn.  Each page asks the question, “Do you have a hat,” at the bottom.  Facts are given throughout the book; every page talks about a famous person, what type of hat they had, and how they used it.   For example, one page talks about the artist Francisco de Goya; he wore a large hat that had a place to put candles all around it, so he was able to work at night. Another page talks about the top hat that Abraham Lincoln wore, and how he used it to store important papers.  The book is fun, because it also tells facts in an exaggerated way.  For instance, one part of the book describes Isabelle of Bavaria’s hat; her hat was tall and cone-shaped, but the book shows it as being so tall that they had to make the whole front side of her castle into a cone-shaped door so she would be able to fit; it also says that her hat was so tall that it hit a gargoyle.  Another person that is mentioned is Walt Whitman.  It explains how he used his hat as a table for writing.  The question, “Do you have a hat,” is also asked at the end. Several different hats are described that students might own. 

     The illustrator did a wonderful job.  He combined facts with a little humor; he portrays the book as it is written and makes it fun to read.  The artist uses acrylic paint.  I how vibrant the colors are.  His illustrations are also very detailed. The illustrator painted a lot of pictures in the background.  The pictures were also painted on paper that gives the colors a glossy finish.  I also love the pictures of the famous people on the inside covers.  The pictures explain who each person is, or what made them famous.  Another thing that I love about the illustrations is the picture on the back cover; it shows all of the people that were mentioned in the story.

     I would use this book to teach my students about the famous people that are mentioned in the story.  I would talk about the true elements of the book, as well as some of the parts that are exaggerated.  I think it would be a great book to use towards the end of the school year, because it talks about so many different people.  It could also be used to teach students about famous people that have not heard of before.  Students could write about which person is their favorite and explain why.  I could also have my students write about what type of hat they have.  This book would be also be great for teaching students that people use to use hats for different reasons, and many were different than how we use them today.   They could compare and contrast this.  I think this book is appropriate for kindergarten through the third grade.