Last month, we focused on Kevin Henkes, a well-known author and illustrator. Before our author study on Henkes’, kindergarteners listened to several books, including Chrysanthemum, Julius, Baby of the World, and Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. While we read these stories for different purposes, they still provided us with insights into Henkes’ characters, writing style, and sources of inspiration.
Henkes often creates animal characters that experience human-like emotions and situations. Additionally, he addresses feelings like fear, friendship, and confidence that captivate gentle storytelling and expressive illustrations. Before the break, the students listened to the book Wemberly Worried. In this story, the main character worries about everything. With the support of her parents and the comforting presence of a new friend, Wemberly gradually learns that her worries, though valid, often don’t turn out to be as bad as she expects.
After discussing the themes in this book, we recognized that Wemberly’s worries reflect many of the things we worry about as well. To extend the lesson, the students participated in a directed drawing that matched the book’s front cover. Which also reminded us of some important book features! As a group, we then listed both Wemberly’s worries and our own. Some of the worries expressed by the kindergarten students included tornadoes, bad weather, spiders, and fires. By focusing on this story, the students explored universal themes about managing anxiety and learned valuable lessons about resilience, friendship, and self-confidence. As November has came to a close, we move onto the author and illustrator, Judy Schachner.
