To allow the brain to focus on the information in the illustrations, this reading will look only at the illustrations and the information they provide to the reader. There are no right or wrong answers in this reading. Enjoy the questions we have provided and feel free to add your own questions. If the pages are not numbered, page 1 is the first page of text.
Ms. Stead’s illustrations are full of hints of spring and subtle humor. As you study her illustrations keep track of the questions that come to mind. You will look for answers to the questions as you read the text in the Second Reading.
Pages 1:
~What season do you think is shown on page 1? Give evidence. (Possible answers: spring or fall. Evidence: cold weather, everything looks dead, no snow, etc.)
~What do you see that is humorous? (the hat on the turtle)
Pages 2 – 9:
Look at the series of pages 2 – 7:
~What season is it now? Evidence, please. (planting, not wearing as many warm clothes)
~What kinds of plants is the boy planting? (vegetables, wild flowers)
~Remember to look for humor each time you turn the page. Ms. Stead has many funny things in her illustrations.
~Is the rain a good thing? Explain.
~On page 8, what is the boy looking for with his magnifying glass?
~On page 9, if the animals could talk to the boy and to each other, what might they be saying?
Pages 10 – 13:
~What is the boy doing?
~Look for humor. (hints: turtle, bunny, dog)
Pages 14 – 17:
Look at the series of pages 14 – 17:
~A question that might arise: Where does the brown dirt go? What is all of the white?
~On pages 14 and 15, what are all of the birds doing?
~On pages 16 and 17, what are the bears doing? Where did the birds go?
Pages 18 – 27:
Look at the series of pages 18 – 27:
~From the beginning have the clothing that the boy is wearing changed? What can you infer about the weather from his change in clothing?
~On page 19, why do you think the boy is carrying a pot of dirt? Where might he be taking it?
~On pages 20 and 21, is this the same garden that the boy planted earlier? What evidence do you see? Why are the boy and the animals listening and watching so carefully? (Humor: can you hear seeds grow?)
~On page 22, what could be the purpose of the pots of dirt?
~On pages 24 and 25, what are the spots of blue on the ground representing?
Pages 28 – 29:
~Where are the boy and the animals? Is this the same garden patch? What might they be thinking?
~Compare the illustrations on pages 28 and 29 to the illustrations on page 1.Talk about all of the differences between these illustrations.
~What do you see that is humorous?
~Look at the clothing on the boy. What can you infer about the weather?