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A review by katiekeeler
Back to Front and Upside Down! by Claire Alexander
4.0
Alexander, C. (2012). Back to front and upside down! Grand Rapids MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.
Summary: The young student, Stan, and his classmates have the opportunity to write birthday cards for Mr. Slippers, the principal. The only problem is that Stan becomes frustrated with his inability to write letters properly. After encouragement from a friend, he finally decides to ask his teacher for help. He even found out that his other classmates needed the same help, which made him not feel as embarrassed. In the end, Stan was confident and proud to share with Mr. Slippers the card he had created.
Review: Booklist (August 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 22))
Preschool-Grade 2. Floundering students will recognize themselves as they follow the frustrations of Stan the puppy. Stan is in Miss Catnip’s reading circle when Mr. Slippers, the principal-hound, invites them all to his birthday party. Miss Catnip suggests drawing cards that say Happy Birthday. But Stan has trouble copying the words Miss Catnip puts on the board—they come out backward, upside down, and some don’t even resemble letters at all. Alexander’s watercolors progress from soft tints to darker ones, until a completely black two-page spread shows tiny Stan sitting despondently far off to the side. The breakthrough comes when Stan confesses that he can’t form letters and begins to get extra assistance. The book emphasizes that getting it right takes lots . . . and lots . . . and LOTS of practice, but, more importantly, Stan learns to ask for help when he needs it. Students with dyslexia will especially benefit from this book, but its gentle encouragement will also help tamp the shame of any struggling student.
Curriculum Connection: For kindergarten students, handwriting can be a chore. This would be an excellent title to share with them as they move through units of study that focus on the process of learning to write their letters. It can demonstrate how most young people feel frustrated at some point when they are trying to get their letters properly written.
Genre: Fiction
Age: Primary grades
Summary: The young student, Stan, and his classmates have the opportunity to write birthday cards for Mr. Slippers, the principal. The only problem is that Stan becomes frustrated with his inability to write letters properly. After encouragement from a friend, he finally decides to ask his teacher for help. He even found out that his other classmates needed the same help, which made him not feel as embarrassed. In the end, Stan was confident and proud to share with Mr. Slippers the card he had created.
Review: Booklist (August 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 22))
Preschool-Grade 2. Floundering students will recognize themselves as they follow the frustrations of Stan the puppy. Stan is in Miss Catnip’s reading circle when Mr. Slippers, the principal-hound, invites them all to his birthday party. Miss Catnip suggests drawing cards that say Happy Birthday. But Stan has trouble copying the words Miss Catnip puts on the board—they come out backward, upside down, and some don’t even resemble letters at all. Alexander’s watercolors progress from soft tints to darker ones, until a completely black two-page spread shows tiny Stan sitting despondently far off to the side. The breakthrough comes when Stan confesses that he can’t form letters and begins to get extra assistance. The book emphasizes that getting it right takes lots . . . and lots . . . and LOTS of practice, but, more importantly, Stan learns to ask for help when he needs it. Students with dyslexia will especially benefit from this book, but its gentle encouragement will also help tamp the shame of any struggling student.
Curriculum Connection: For kindergarten students, handwriting can be a chore. This would be an excellent title to share with them as they move through units of study that focus on the process of learning to write their letters. It can demonstrate how most young people feel frustrated at some point when they are trying to get their letters properly written.
Genre: Fiction
Age: Primary grades