Kevin Henkes

1. Kevin Henkes

2. Kevin Henkes Picture Books

3. Kevin Henkes Mouse Books

4. Kevin Henkes Novels

5. About The Author • Kevin Henkes was born in 1960 in Racine, Wisconsin. Throughout his childhood, he and his family visited the local public library. Inspired by illustrators such as Crockett Johnson and Garth Williams, Henkes decided at an early age that he would be an artist, and enjoyed frequent visits to the nearby art museum. His high school teacher encouraged his writing that immediately gave Henkes the idea for his future career. • Henkes' first picture book, drafted while he was still in high school, was accepted for publication when Henkes was just 19, an art major at the University of Wisconsin. Since then, he has worked steadily, writing and illustrating more than 15 picture books that have won him a devoted audience as well as considerable critical acclaim. Owen was named a Caldecott Honor Book, one of many awards and citations Henkes has received. In 2004, Henkes won another Newbery Honor for Olive's Ocean. In addition to his self-illustrated picture books, Henkes has written picture books that others have illustrated, and a number of novels for young readers. He lives with his wife and children in Madison, Wisconsin.

6. Books and Awards • All Alone (1981) • Clean Enough (1982) • Bailey Goes Camping (1985) • Grandpa & Bo (1986) and the Council of Wisconsin Writers Picture Book Award. • A Weekend with Wendell (1986) and Children's Choices 1987. • Once Around the Block (1987) Library of Congress Best Books of the Year. • Sheila Rae, the Brave (1987) • Chester's Way (1988) and the ALA Notable Children's Books 1988. • Jessica (1989) • Shhhh (1989) • Julius, the Baby of the World (1990) Winner of the ALA Notable Children's Books 1990, Booklist Editors Choice 1990 • Chrysanthemum (1991) • Owen (1993) • The Biggest Boy (1995) • Good-Bye Curtis (1995) • Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse (1996) • Circle Dogs (1998) Charlotte Zolotow Award: Highly Commended 1999. • Oh! (2000) • Wemberly Worried - Winner of the ALA Notable Children's Book 2000, Parenting Magazine Reading Magic Award 2000, Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books 2001, School Library Journal Best Children's Books 2001 • Olive's Ocean (2004) Newbery Honor Book • Kitten's First Full Moon (2005) • Lilly's Big Day (2006) • A Good Day (2007) • Bird Lake Moon (2008) • Birds (2009) • Old Bear (2009) • My Garden (2010) • Little White Rabbit (2011) • Junonia (2011)

7. Books and Awards • Chester's Way (1988):ALA Notable Children's Books 1988. • Julius, the Baby of the World (1990): Winner of the ALA Notable Children's Books 1990, Booklist Editors Choice 1990 • Chrysanthemum (1991) • Wemberly Worried - Winner of the ALA Notable Children's Book 2000, Parenting Magazine Reading Magic Award 2000, Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books 2001, School Library Journal Best Children's Books 2001 • Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse (1996) • These five books we have chosen to reflect on for this author study.

8. Mouse Books • Henkes'sstyle has evolved over the years to include more humor, more whimsy and a lot more mice. Though he began illustrating his picture books with realistic drawings of children, he's since developed a recurring cast of mouse characters rendered in a more cartoon-like style -- though with a range of expressions that make the spirited Lilly, anxious Wemberly, fearless Sheila Rae and sensitive Chrysanthemum into highly believable heroines. Owen, the story of a little mouse who isn't ready to give up his tattered security blanket, won a Caldecott Honor Medal for its winsome watercolor-and-ink illustrations. • Many of Henkes's mouse books deal with such common childhood ordeals as starting school, being teased and getting lost. As a grown-up, Henkes is able to translate difficult childhood transitions into stories that are both honest and reassuring. In a review of Chrysanthemum, Kirkus Reviews noted: "Henkes's language and humor are impeccably fresh, his cozy illustrations sensitive and funny, his little asides to adults an unobtrusive delight."

9. She was a perfect baby, and her doting parents chose a name to match, Chrysanthemum. She is proud of her musical name until kindergarten, when she finds herself in a world of strange new names such as Sue, Bill, Max, Sam, and Joe. That wouldn't be so bad if the others--like Victoria--hadn't made a mean-spirited game of tormenting her, sending her home in tears to be comforted with cuddles and Parcheesi. The class learns that their popular music teacher not only has a whopper of a name herself--Delphinium--but also plans to name her expected baby by the prettiest name she has heard, Chrysanthemum. This charming mouse with her delicate little face seems just right for her name. http://youtu.be/kxMlxbgYvLI (reading of the story) Chrysanthemum (1991) Book Summary

10. This book was inspired by a remembered feeling … although the incident in the book is not the same one that originally provoked the feeling. This book is about family, and about starting something new and going out into the hard world. Kevin Henkes remembers going to kindergarten: “my grandfather had a beautiful rose garden, and he gave me the last roses of the season to bring to the kindergarten teacher the next day. I don't even remember how it happened, but an older kid took these flowers from me on the playground and I remember coming home, feeling awful. My father picked me up from school the next day; kids were streaming out of the school and my father wanted me to point out the kid. I remember seeing the kid and deciding not to tell that he was the one who did it. It was my first step into the world, making those hard decisions. But I also remember the feeling of coming home from school each day and feeling elated to be home. No matter what happened in school, you could walk through the back door and feel good." Chrysanthemum (1991)

11. Chrysanthemum (1991) • The range of expression and emotion Henkes conveys in his pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations are "absolutely perfect." The impressionistic floral backdrops and patterning reinforce the story's lighthearted, yet tender theme. This sensitive story will strike a chord with young children, particularly those who also have difficult or unfamiliar names.

12. Chrysanthemum (1991) Classroom Activities After reading this book: *Write each students name on sentence strips. How many letters are in your name? Make a class graph using the amount of letters in each student’s name. *Look up the meaning of each child’s name in a baby book. Ask your parents why they chose your name. Write about what you have learned. *Spell your name out of different materials (small paper scraps, sequins, beans, macaroni, glitter, feathers, ribbon, pieces of wrapping paper, etc) and write the meaning your name below it. Discuss how nobody decorated their name the same – just like nobody in our classroom is the same. We are all different and that is ok! *This book leads a great discussion for community building at the beginning of the year. There are many different emotions expressed in this great book to explore. *Write Chrysanthemum on the board and count the letters in her name and make a stack of 13 unifix cubes (one cube for each letter of her name). Each child counts the number of letters in his/her name and makes their stack of unifix cubes. Is your name longer or shorter than Chrysanthemum’s? Who has the longest unifix tower? Who has the shortest? Arrange yourself from shortest to longest.

13. Julius A Baby of the World (1990)Book Summary • At first, big sister Lilly thought it might be fun to have a new baby in the family. When baby Julius is born, his parents think he is just perfect. “Julius is the baby of the world” they chime as they kiss and admire him. But Lilly, Julius’s older sister, knows differently. “I am the Queen,” said Lilly and “I hate Julius”. Lilly thinks her new baby brother, Julius, is disgusting. Soon the jealousy is too much for her, and she proceeds with a rejection campaign that is hysterically funny. Lilly’s, selfish behavior is making her miserable. But, when Cousin Garland dares to criticize Julius at a family party, Lilly bullies her into loudly admiring Julius as the baby of the world. Lilly knows her baby brother is nothing but dreadful – until she claims him for her own.

14. Julius A Baby of the World (1990) Through bright watercolors and handwritten, cartoon-style dialogue, Henkes relishes Lilly's wickedness. For example, she delights in insulting her oblivious baby brother: "If you were a food, you'd be a raisin," she whispers into his crib. "If you were a number you'd be zero." When she paints an elaborate family portrait, she leaves Julius out. When she throws a tea party, guess which baby doesn't get an invitation?

15. Julius A Baby of the World (1990) • Kevin Henkes came to a point in his career where his writing became more and more humorous….that is when his illustrations started to change. His early stories were told straightforwardly, sometimes by a child narrator, and illustrated with realistically rendered children. As his stories became more humorous, Henkes found that using animal characters increased the possibilities for humor in the pictures. “There are certain things I can do with animals that I can’t do with children and get away with it.” For example in this book the jealous big sister Lilly pinches baby Julius’s tail. • Kevin Henkes refuses to shy away from the truly powerful and sometimes dark feelings of children. Henkes displays a deep understanding of sibling rivalry and a child's fragile self-esteem.

16. Julius A Baby of the World (1990) Classroom Activities Younger children may often be the center of attention in the perspective of an older child, or younger children may feel left out when older children get to do things because they are more capable. No one’s life is perfect, and sometimes it takes an outsider to call attention to that fact. In Julius: Baby of the World, Lilly torments her baby brother mercilessly until an outsider criticizes him, then Lilly becomes his fiercest protector. This funny story will enable us to talk about issues such as sibling rivalry, families supporting each other, and new family members. Lilly is a loveable and spirited child who tackles issues that many children can identify with. Before Reading ASK: Have you ever been frustrated by a younger sibling or another younger child? What bothered you about the child? Have you ever felt protective of a younger child? Why did the child need your protection? SHOW: Look at the pictures on the pages before the story begins. How does Lilly feel about a new baby? CONNECT: What do you think a family needs to do to get ready for a new baby in the house? .

17. Julius A Baby of the World (1990) Classroom Activities During Reading ASK: What is Lilly’s problem after Julius is born? How do you think she will try to solve her problem? Will her attempts work? Why or why not? SHOW: Look at the pictures of Lilly in the uncooperative chair. Why is she in that chair and how does she try to get out? CONNECT: How do you feel when you go to time out? Do you ever go to time out because of how you acted with a brother or sister or classmate? After Reading ASK: Why did Lilly change her mind about Julius? What does her family mean to her? What does she do to support Julius? SHOW: Look at the pictures again. Predict then count how many times different things happen, such as Lilly is sent to time out, her parents admire Julius, and Lilly says, “disgusting.. CONNECT: How should you act around babies? Should you treat younger children differently than you treat children your own age?

18. Julius A Baby of the World (1990) Classroom Activities Talk about what Lilly did wrong. Discuss what she might have done instead. How did her parents respond to her behavior? Did they do the right thing? Classrooms have rules about how children should act and what they should do to help out in the classroom. Talk about your classroom rules. Write them down and talk about the consequences for breaking rules. Draw a picture of your classmates helping (or sharing something with) each other. Talk about ways that classmates support each other. Shared writing: Work together to write a story about family members or classmates working together to solve a problem. Write the story, accepting everyone’s ideas. Then go back and take out sentences or ideas that don’t fit. Fix up the spelling and sentences as you type the story, add pictures, and staple on a cover. Read the story together and put it in your bookshelf along with your other published books. (Characters may be talking animals.)

19. Lily’s Purple Plastic PurseBook Review • Lilly loved going to school until the day she took her new glittery glasses and purple plastic purse to school. She was excited to share her new things with her friends. She did not listen to her teacher's warning to wait and she continued to interrupt the class. When her teacher took the things to keep for her until the end of the day, Lilly was furious. She drew a horrible picture of Mr. Slinger and put it into his book bag. Then she finds the note that Mr. Slinger has left for her and remorse sets in. • http://youtu.be/m-s9ozAMxOw (reading of story)

20. The use of watercolor-and-ink illustrations bring a brightness and sharpness to the story. The use of panels tells the story along with the narration. Henkes communicates Lilly's emotions through her eyes. Her eyebrows portray a lot of what she is feeling. They have a happy almost smiley shape when she is in a good mood and they thicken a curve differently when sad. Henkes also includes the smallest of details in the illustrations, like Mr. Slinger's copy of Stuart Little. Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse

21. Classroom Activites • This story offers useful, timeless advice for apologizing to a friend and resolving a conflict. • http://youtu.be/cTUyEgRN8II (inspiring teachers to use these books at beginningof the school year) • This story can be used at the beginning of the school year to help us create classroom rules. I can share the story with the students and then discuss what she did wrong and how should she have acted. It also raises the issue of respecting the teacher when he/she is teaching. We can role play the correct way to share new ideas or even a new toy. • The students could all create some sort of bag to bring their most prized possession into class and share it. We could use it as a way to get to know our students at the beginning of the school year. The students could also use this to create a sketch in their books and beginning their journey of writing.

22. Lilly’s Purple Plastic PurseClassroom Ideas Continued • Math: The bag that they create could be used to place counters or math manipulatives in as a storage place or an activity. Trade bags with a partner and count how many items are in it and write the number. This activity would promote team work, socialization and math skills while tying it back to a wonderful story. • Science Real Mouse - Lilly Mouse -Your Mouse In this activity students distinguish between real animals and the animals they may see in books, on television and in movies. Brainstorm with your class about the differences between Lilly and a real mouse. After your brainstorm, have each student create his or her own paper plate Mouse Mask Before beginning the mask have the students answer the following questions. 1. How is your mouse like a real mouse? 2. How is your mouse different from a real mouse? 3. What type of mouse is he or she? (i.e. a silly mouse, a happy mouse etc) Have each child present his or her mask to the class I can tie writing in with this activity and we can all write a story about the mouse that we create. These stories would be published on the class blog. The students would love it!

23. Chester’s WayBook Review • Chester is a mouse child of strict habits. He has a set way for how he ties his shoes and what he has for breakfast, he knows exactly how things should be done. He will allow for no detour from his course of action. His friend, Wilson, shares Chester’s ideas and his set routines. These two young mice are completely satisfied with the way life is for them. Nothing happens to upset the two young mice until they get a new neighbor. Lilly is a whirlwind of energy and antics. An example is when Chester and Wilson cut their sandwiches into diagonal pieces and Lilly uses a cookie cutter to make stars and flowers out of hers. The two mice are appalled! Gradually, the three realize that they can be friends by embracing the differences among them until Victor arrives.

24. Chester’s Way • Kevin Henkes charming little mice are drawn with pen-and-ink and then washed over with watercolors. Each character is given wonderful expression on their faces. The mice’s eyes are drawn only with dots and tiny lines. You as the reader are able to draw so much meaning from the illustrations alone.

25. Chester’s WayClassroom Connections • In this story, Chester, Wilson and Lilly have to figure out how to become friends. In the beginning of the school year, it is an opportunity to create wonderful friendships. I will read the story to the students and then brainstorm how did they become friends. Some questions that I would ask are: • Who were the first two friends?, How did they treat Lilly? What made them change and include Lilly in their small group? What makes a good friend? The last question is one that I feel will create a wonderful classroom discussion. • We can chart ideas on good and bad ways to make new friends. The students can then go to their sketch pads and make an entry on what a friend of theirs looks like and write a story about what they would do for fun.

26. Wemberly Worried Book Review • The book Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes is a good book to read to children with anxiety about school. The book focuses on a little mouse who worries about everything. She worries about the tree in the front yard to the jungle gym at the park. She worries about her rabbit doll named Petal, and many other everyday occurrences. When Wemberly goes to school she is worried about everything too. She has a whole list of worries. What will school be like? Will she make friends? Will people laugh at her doll, Petal?The teacher introduces her to another student in her class. She makes friends with this little girl who has a doll named Jewel. She slowly forgets about most of her worries and is able to enjoy herself at school. At the end of the day, Wemberly is excited about returning to school the next day. • http://youtu.be/_tiFHNPFfYw

27. Wemberly WorriedArtistic Analysis • Kevin Henkes uses very colorful and descriptive pictures to help out young readers make the connection between the words and their meanings. The pictures draw the readers eye to them and tell the story all on their own. A child can simply read the pictures to understand the story. • Henkes also uses repetition to hold the young readers attention and to emphasize the fact that Wemberly worries about everything. • The saucer-shaped little eyes of the mice to the tiny fingers clutching a stuffed bunny show such detail and emotion. Again Henkes uses watercolor paints and black pen to create the illustrations. • The sporadic placement of text for the pages that show how much Wemberly worries is a great use of space. It really stresses how severe her problem is. “what if, what if, what if????” The background of question marks really drives home the amount of time she stresses.

28. Wemberly WorriedClassroom Connection Follow-Up Activities: On chart paper, write “What did Wemberly worry about?” Have students give responses and write them on the chart paper. On chart paper, write “Wemberly Worried About….” Have students identify the beginning letter of Wemberly Worried. Have students identify other words that begin with “w.” List these words on chart paper. Students will each choose a word from the list to illustrate – “Wemberly worried about…..” On paper, students will copy and complete the sentence, and illustrate the sentence. Share sentences with the class. Write about a time when you were worried. Tell how you got over the worry. Allow each student to tell one thing that they are worried about after discussing the story. Relate text to self by making a class book the first week of school about what each student is worried about.

29. What is the one book that has most influenced you throughout your life?One of the many books that influenced me was Is This You? by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Crockett Johnson. I loved it as a child. It is essentially a guide to making a book of one's own. Now, looking back as a published writer and illustrator, it seems interesting and logical that this book was a favorite of mine. What are some of your favorite children's books by other authors?Other children's books I admire include: Harry the Dirty Dog by George Zion, illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham Ellen's Lion by Crockett Johnson Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak Amos and Boris by William Steig Milo's Hat Trick by John Agee The George and Martha books by James Marshall Who are some of your favorite authors for adults?Adult writers whose work I admire include Alice Munro, William Trevor, Cormac McCarthy and Richard Ford to name just a few. An interview with Kevin Henkes as he discuss The Little White Rabbit Get to know Kevin Henkes http://youtu.be/_orjSf7TTdU

30. References • www.youtube.com • www.googleimages.com • www.barnesandnobles.com • www.kevinhenkes.com

31. Standard Course of Study Objectives that are covered in this author studyMath • Strands: Number and Operations, Measurement, Geometry, Data Analysis and Probability, Algebra COMPETENCY GOAL 1:The learner will recognize, model, and write whole numbers through 30 • COMPETENCY GOAL 2:The learner will explore concepts of measurement.Objectives2.01     Compare attributes of two objects using appropriate vocabulary (color, weight, height, width, length, texture). COMPETENCY GOAL 4:The learner will collect, organize and display data.Objectives4.01     Collect and organize data as a group activity.4.02     Display and describe data with concrete and pictorial graphs as a group activity.

32. Standard Course of Study:Language Arts • Competency Goal 1 The learner will develop and apply enabling strategies and skills to read and write. • 1.01 Develop book and print awareness: • identify the parts of books and function of each part. • demonstrate an understanding of directionality and voice-print match by following print word for word when listening to familiar text read aloud. • demonstrate an understanding of letters, words, sentence and story. • identify the title, name of the author and the name of the illustrator. • 1.02 Develop phonemic awareness and knowledge of alphabetic principle: • demonstrate understanding that spoken language is a sequence of identifiable speech sounds. • demonstrate understanding that the sequence of letters in the written word represents the sequence of sounds in the spoken word. • demonstrate understanding of the sounds of letters and understanding that words begin and end alike (onsets and rimes)

33. Language Arts Continued • Competency Goal 2 The learner will develop and apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed. • 2.01 Demonstrate sense of story (e.g., beginning, middle, end, characters, details and setting).2.02 Demonstrate familiarity with a variety of types of books and selections (e.g., picture books, caption books, short informational texts, nursery rhymes, word plays/finger plays, puppet plays, reenactments of familiar stories).2.03 Use preparation strategies to activate prior knowledge and experience before and during the reading of a text.2.04 Formulate questions that a text might answer before beginning to read (e.g., what will happen in this story, who might this be, where do you think this happens).2.05 Predict possible events in texts before and during reading.2.06 Understand and follow oral-graphic directions.2.07 Demonstrate understanding of literary language; e.g., "once upon a time" and other vocabulary specific to a genre.2.08 Distinguish fantasy from reality when reading text.2.09 Identify the sequence of events in a story.

34. Standard Course of Study continued • Competency Goal 3 The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology. • 3.01 Connect information and events in text to experience.3.02 Discuss concepts and information in a text to clarify and extend knowledge.3.03 Associate target words with prior knowledge and explore an author's choice of words.3.04 Use speaking and listening skills and media to connect experiences and text: • listening to and re-visiting stories. • discussing, illustrating, and dramatizing stories. • discovering relationships. • Competency Goal 4 The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts. • 4.01 Use new vocabulary in own speech and writing.4.02 Use words that name and words that tell action in a variety of simple texts (e.g., oral retelling, written stories, lists, journal entries of personal experiences).4.03 Use words that describe color, size, and location in a variety of texts: e.g., oral retelling, written stories, lists, journal entries of personal experiences.4.04 Maintain conversation and discussions: • attending to oral presentations. • taking turns expressing ideas and asking questions. • 4.05 Use a variety of sentence patterns such as interrogative requests (Can you go with me?) and sentence fragments that convey emotion (Me, too!). • write from left to right and from top to bottom. • write most letters and some words when dictated. • 4.06 Write and/or participate in writing behaviors by using authors' models of language.CompetencyGoal 5The learner will apply grammar and language conventions to communicate effectively.5.01 Develop spelling strategies and skills by: • representing spoken language with temporary and/or conventional spelling. • writing most letters of the alphabet. • analyzing sounds in a word and writing dominant consonant letters. • 5.02 Use capital letters to write the word I and the first letter in own name.5.03 Use legible manuscript handwriting. 

35. Standard Course of Study:Science Competency Goal 1: The learner will make observations and build an understanding of similarities and differences in animals. 1.01 Observe and describe the similarities and differences among animals including: •Structure. •Growth. •Changes. •Movement. 1.05 Observe the similarities of humans to other animals including: •Basic needs. •Growth and change. •Movement.