An Illustrated Book Analysis

Stead, P. A sick for amos mcgee.

NY: Roaring Brook

(2010). day New York, Press.

An Illustrated Book Analysis (as viewed by the graduate students/teachers in a children’s Literature course, summer 2011) Illustrated Book Analysis

Stephanie Brown A Sick Day for Amos McGee Written by Philip C. Stead Illustrated by Erin E. Stead

A Sick Day for Amos McGee sounded familiar, but I had never read it before this class. When it arrived in the mail. I immediately found the cover intriguing. The use of light colors with black and white is much different from the covers of most books.After reading the book, I found this story of friendship to be very inspiring. The animals of the zoo count on Amos’s routine and the way he knows their desires, but when he is sick they return the same level of friendship by going to him.

Read the books text and ignore the illustrations and listen to the sound of the text From the very first page, I get a sense of the narrator. He is about to tell the story of someone who probably not bring attention to himself. I could see this being a book that they make into a slide show kind of movie. There is a definite sense of predictability as well. When Amos says “A spoonful for my oatmeal, please, and two for my teacup.” you get a real sense that his is a kind, gentle man. When the author uses amble to describe him leaving the house you want to slow your reading pace. Throughout the book we continue to get the sense of predictability. We first get a sense of the friendship theme of the story on the page where it says “he always made time to visit his good friends.” As we are introduced to each friend, we find out

in parentheses a bit of information about his friend or what they do that makes him a good friend to this particular animal. Also, from the elephant to the owl you turn the page twice, but it is one sentence. During the story as it talks about a point in the day and what is going on it uses all caps. On the page that starts with MEANWHILE AT THE ZOO... we get a sense of the animals dependance on Amos as it list what they do as they wait. The next page just says “LATER THAT DAY...” Then on the third turn after that is where the words begin again. Amos calls his friends “good friends” and I think this also says something about the importance of the friendships.Then over the next several pages all of Amos’ friends return his kindness by doing things for him. At the end of the story, it somewhat comes back around because he is winding his alarm clock so that tomorrow he can go back to his routine. I think that the text could technically stand alone. The part I see having a little difficulty standing alone is where they go from Later that day to showing up at his house. There was a lot of repetition when the animals were discussed. They were each given their own section which made them each seem very individual and important. I would not ever consider this a good choice for a non-picture book, but I do think it could be comprehended.

Read only the illustration and ignoring the text and notice the illustrator’s choices I’m going to try to look at the illustrations as if I did not know the story. Onthe first page I see an older man getting out of be. The black and white mixed with light colors give me a calm feeling. The smile on his face let me know that he is happy. I turn the page and see that he is eating breakfast. On the other side, you see he is leaving for work. He is wearing a uniform and carrying a lunch box to make me think this. His house is one of the few things in color on the page and it is small and cute in the middle of large apartment buildings. This gives me a sense that he is a simple man, who likes to stick to what he knows. I feel like his house was there long before the other buildings. I notice that a mouse was on the first page and this one. I wonder if I will continue to see it on other pages. I turn the page to see the man waiting at the bus stop. He is holding a watch so I think he is concerned about the time. There is a rabbit reading on the bus so I see an element of fiction. Also, there is a balloon in the bus window and there was a balloon in one of the building windows on the page before. I am starting to wonder if the illustrator will have several continuing illustrations. On the next page he is walking into the city zoo. This tells me that he works here. There is a monkey and giraffe roaming free so I know it is not like a zoo I’ve been to before. The next page shows the man playing chess with an elephant. Now I know that there is a fictional relationship between animals and humans.The next page he is with a tortoise. They are in a race and the tortoise is about to win. The tortoise has a look of pride on his face and this makes the man happy from the look on his face. This lets the reader know that he is kind enough to let him win. The mouse is on the sidelines cheering them on. The next page is the

man sitting on a stool next to a penguin. The penguin is wearing socks with his feet awkwardly turned in. The man is wearing tall boots with his feet awkwardly turned in. This tells me that he is trying to make the penguin feel like he is not alone even if he doesn’t fit in that well with the other penguins who are on the background of the page. Also, the balloon is floating in the background. The next illustration is of the man holding a handkerchief up to a rhino’s nose. The rhino has on a scarf which makes me think he is always getting a cold. When I turn the page I see more color then I’ve seen on other pages. THe bluish green of the sky shows that it is dark outside. The other pages had white skies. Once again the man is on the stool, but this time he is sitting under an owl who is in a tree with a book in his hands. This must be the end of the day and he reads the owl a bedtime story. There is a little bird on the ground ready to listen. The little bird has also been seen on several pages. On the next page. the man is sitting up in bed holding a teddy and a handkerchief. His nose is slightly red at the end from blowing it. The mouse is under the bed watching him. This is telling the reader that he must be sick. The next two page are a spread. You see the elephant with his chess set all ready. The tortoise is stretching out. The penguin is just sitting and looking around. The rhino had a bird drying his eye. The owl is sitting on a stack of books and rubbing his head. They are all waiting on the man to come and do the activities that he does. This shows that they have come to expect him to be there. On the next page spread you see all of the animals leaving the zoo. The reader could assume that they were all going to see their friend. The balloon is trailing behind. The owl is carrying a book with him to read. The penguin ,who seem to be dependent, is holding onto the elephants trunk. The next spread has the animals lined up by the fence in order from largest to smallest. I’m not sure why the illustrator decided to do this, but it is a nice look. At the end of the row of animals is the bus stop sign letting the reader know that they are waiting on the bus. The penguin is trying to catch the balloon floating above him. The animals seem to be sad or concerned by the look on their faces and the way they are standing. THe next page spread has all the animals on the bus. Inside the bus they have lost all color which I find to be interesting. The five on the bus lets me know that it is the same bus the man takes. The owl has a watch checking the time. When I turn to the next page spread the animals are all in the man’s house. His hands are in a clap and he has a smile on his face. He is very happy to see them. The mouse and bird are under the bed and the penguin has the balloon to give him. THe animals faces are more relaxed and happy looking now. It is obvious that they all care for one another. The next page shows the man and the elephant playing chess. The chess set is on the bed with the man and the elephant is using his blanket to sit on the floor beside the bed. Then we see the tortoise hiding in his shell and the man under his blanket. He let the tortoise win at the race and he is letting him be the better “hider” here.On the next page we se just the mans legs with his feet poking out the end of his blanket while he lays in bed. The penguin is just sitting with the balloon at the end of the bed. The

penguin is sitting to comfort the man to return the kindness the man shows him by sitting with him. On the next page the man is sitting in bed and the rhino is giving him a handkerchief. Once again returning the favor that the man does for him. The man is in black and white, but his nose is red at the end. The penguin has let go of the balloon, which is floating away, and is rubbing his eyes. This might indicate that it is late and he is tired. On the next spread they are having tea together. The owl is pouring while the tortoise carries the tray on his back. The man is at the table instead of in bad. So he must be feeling better. The rhino, penguin and elephant are sitting with the man at the table. The mouse is on the kitchen counter. The next page spread is back at the bed. The mad has crawled back in bed with the penguin and owl on his lap. The owl is now reading a book to him. The elephants trunk is also on his lap and his hand is resting on it. The man is petting the rhino with his foot. This page shows how much they care for each other and shows great friendship. The mouse is on the tortoise’s back and they are in the floor beside the bed. The balloon is tied to one of the post with the bird siting by it. Across the room is the teddy holding the watch. On the last page, all of the animals are around the bed. They are all asleep except for penguin. The penguin is sitting on elephant looking out into the dark night, watching the balloon float away. This picture again shows friendship and caretaking. They are all snuggled in close. The mouse is covered by the rhino’s scarf and the tortoise’s head hangs off the bed onto the rhino’s back. The elephant is using the man’s teddy and the owl is cuddled up next to him.

The illustrations could tell a story on their own, but it would not be the exact same story as with the text. One thing that would not be obvious is elephant thinking and thinking before he makes a move. I did not feel that the picture was able to show that he had a lot of patience with elephant.

Also, it seems like owl likes to be read to not that he is afraid of the dark. I feel that this is a book that is so great because of both the text and illustrations. The illustrations do give the characters so much more personality. The illustrator did an amazing job with little details like the penguins socks and rhino’s scarf. The animals look very realistic, but the author gave them a lot of facial and body expression without making them look cartoon. The illustrations generally show what is going on right then.

Reading the Illustrations only (Analysis of page 1 and 2) The illustrations in this book are very unique which gives them a special appeal to the potential reader. The soft colors are calming and the illustrations are uniques and very detailed, which would keep the attention of very young readers all the way to adult readers. The illustrator made characters that everyone could love. The black and white mixed with color gives a special effect to the illustrations that tell this simple story in a beautiful way. The animals are realistic with fictional pieces added which make the very lovable and interesting. These first pages show Amos getting out of bed and moving toward his dresser.

Color: The illustration is a mix of light colors with black and white. The yellow background gives a calming feel. Amos being in black and white give you a sense of him being ordinary. His blanket and uniform are in color. His uniform signifies that he words at the zoo which is of high interest in the story. The colors are put together to make the reader feel good.

Line: Most everything in the picture is outlined with a pencil look except for the yellow stripes on the wall. These strips are straight with no large contrast with the white. They are light enough not to distract, but pull you eye across the whole two pages bringing them together. There is a sogt look to the lines without harsh contrast. This goes with the story because of it’s calm storyline.

Shape: There are a lot of basic shapes in the illustration. lots of rectangles with circular knobs here and there. It shows the simplicity of the story and character. There are some interesting shapes on his blanket, but they are in a pattern. This blanket is to be seen many times in the story so it is also a repetitive piece.

Format: The book is a nice size to read aloud. It is not too much to hold, but can be seen. The pictures are large. There are details that would need to be pointed out, but the main illustrations are good size. Even the copy right page has visual interest and gets right into the story to attract attention. The page are mixed between a spread and individual pictures. The individual page is usually done when showing him alone or with one animal. The double spread is usually all of them together.

Texture: The illustrator has used size to show distance. Most things are very smooth looking, but pencil technique are used to show a little texture. Just with linesor pencil strokes.

Media and style: The illustrator used woodblock prints and pencil work to illustrate. This leave a lot of white cut out. This lets color be used to show emotion and importance.

Laura Cannady Illustrated Book Analysis June 26, 2011 A Sick Day for Amos McGee Written by Philip C. Stead Illustrated by Erin E. Stead

Stead, P.C. (2010). A sick day for amos mcgee. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press.

While I was initially unfamiliar with A Sick Day for Amos McGee I have now added it to my list of favorites. This whimsical story of a zoo keeper named Amos and his lovingly quirky group of animal friends is hard not to like. When Amos falls ill and is unable to make it into work a story of true friendship is unveiled. Each animal depicted in this fantasy provides the reader with a sense of comfort. They all seem to be friendly and willing to lend a helpful hand or paw. The words and illustrations are well coordinated and seem to flow flawlessly. The brilliant illustrations help to set the mood for this humorous tale. With every turn of the page I am eager to see what will happen next.

Reading the book in multiple ways: When first opening this book I was pleasingly surprised to see how soft and inviting the colors were. Each page stayed true to what is originally depicted on the cover. The text was the appropriate font and placed in an easy to read manner. The pages did not seem to be overly cluttered making the illustrations the main focus. I was immediately taken with Amos and thought that he could be anyone’s grandfather. The animals were very expressive and made me laugh with their choices of clothing attire. The sometimes wordless pages were easy to follow and helped to continue with the written story. I felt that after my first time through that this book could easily be classified as a story of true friendship.

While reading the text aloud I was able to easily see the story told through an omniscient point of view. The author was able to verbally depict all of the characters giving each one a charming personality. I also noticed that while doing this that some of the wording was printed in all capital letters or in larger font. This created the urge to put more of an emphasis on these words while reading aloud. The climax of this story was a great example of this. Once the animals had finally arrived Amos exclaimed in a larger font “Hooray! My Good friends are here!�.

When only reading the text I was still just as enamored. The storyline was very easy to follow making this a great book for a read aloud. It seemed to very simply describe the daily routine of the main character Amos and how much he cared for and cherished his friends. The animals on the other hand had just as much invested in Amos as he did in them. I noticed that the story pattern was in some ways reversed as the setting changed and the animals went to visit Amos.

He still spent time participating in activities with each animal even though he was sick. Instead of Amos taking care of the animals the animals took care of Amos. The text could easily stand alone and be able to share a heart warming story.

Reading the illustrations (pages 3 & 4): The artwork in this book was phenomenal. Each page tells its own story and works to draw the reader in. This book would be easy to follow even without the text.

Color: The colors depicted on these two pages helps to set the mood. They are very calm and visually relaxing. The majority of colors on these pages are black and white with minor patches of peach, blue, and olive green. The colors help the reader to focus on specific elements. They are easy on the eyes and really keep your attention on Amos and his actions. Some of the color choices could be seen in real life while others such as the peach colored tree leaves were more imaginary.

It is also easy to see that some of the pencil work is more muted while other elements have been darkened.

Line: The lines on these pages are very soft. The contrast of pencil drawings and woodblock printing provides a stimulating effect. It is easy to see that the lines of the tree branches are much more fluid as compared to that of the house. The tree is also unique in that it is free of any outlining.

Amos and the house appear to have more distinct outlines. The lines of the house, table, and windows appear to be more rigid than that of the tree. Both horizontal and vertical lines can be seen and often help to depict movement. It is easy to see that Amos and the tiny bird are moving on page four in opposite directions. On the same page puffs of smoke are rising into the air.

Shape: I would consider the shapes to be fairly proportionate in size. While I would describe this book to be fictional in nature many of the shapes work to depict fairly realistic images. There is repetition among many of the shapes found on pages 3 and 4. Some of these include the windows on the buildings, the fence surrounding the house, as well as the lines that were drawn on the kitchen wall.

Format: The format of this book is just the right size for its intended readers. It is easy to hold by students and could be used in front of the class as a read aloud. The text is easy to follow and displayed in an appropriate manner. The endpapers provided with this book provide excellent information about the story itself as well as the author and illustrator. Pages 3 and 4 as well as the rest of the book provide double-page spreads making it easier to see what in happening from scene to scene.

Texture: The illustrations provided on pages 3 and 4 work to covey a very uniformed texture. With the exception of maybe the tree trunk that seems to have additional shading the texture on most everything appears to be smooth. The illustrations create some dimensional aspects. You can see on page 4 that the house appears to be the furthest away. The fence is closer followed by the tiny bird and tree. The distinct backgrounds in each picture work to show an element of depth.

Media and Style: The media used for these two pages and the book as a whole is a combination of pencil drawings and woodblock printing. This combination of media techniques provide the reader with an exciting visual experience. This creative fantasy definitely has a style of its own making it an enjoyable read.

Michelle Castle Illustrated Book Analysis

A Sick Day for Amos McGee Written by: Phillip C. Stead Illustrated by: Erin E. Stead

Stead, P. (2010). A sick day for amos mcgee. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press.

The following is my interpretation and analysis of the Literary and Artistic elements of the book A Sick Day for Amos McGee. Reading Straight through: After reading A sick day for Amos McGee straight through, I notice that this book is “a simple story of compassion and friendship�. As I analyzed the book for meaning I noticed the book was about taking time to care for others, being there for friends and supporting their needs, thinking

about others not just yourself, and making others feel good. I also notice that the pictures tell the story beautifully and that the story can be told through the pictures alone.

Reading illustrations only: While reading strictly the illustrations my thoughts are that the story doesn’t need the words, the pictures alone tell the story. By reading the pictures alone you can see that the story starts off by introducing the main character, a gentle old man. It begins with the setting being in the old mans house. Next, inferring through the pictures the linear plot of the story begins with the man starting his day waking up and getting dressed, having tea for breakfast, walking to the bus stop and getting on the bus. The rising actions begin as he gets to the zoo and takes care of animals.

The other setting depicted is the zoo. The zoo animals or flat characters are introduced and you see the old man giving each animal special care and attention. At the end of the day at the zoo you see him reading to the owl. The colors on that page change and are used to set the mood and make it look like night time. The way the lamp is illustrated also adds to the night depiction. The next picture shows Amos at home in bed waking up and you can tell that he looks sick because the end of his nose is red and he has a kleenex. He doesn’t get dressed and doesn’t go to the bus stop. Next you see the animals looking sad and lonely that the old man isn’t there to visit them at the zoo. Then the animals leave their home, wait for the bus, and get on. They go to visit the old man at his home, he is still sick in bed. They play and take care of him the way he always does for them, and then they all get in bed. Through the pictures you can infer that it’s a simple story of compassion, taking care of others and then they return the favor and take care of you, in essence friendship is read through the pictures alone. It seems that the words are merely there to support the pictures, and that the pictures actually tell the story.

The pictures add the mood and the emotion of the man and the animals that you do not get from just reading the words alone. Through the pictures it is obvious the care and love shared between the man and animals, the patience and kindness between them, the loneliness the animals show when Amos doesn’t come, the desire they have to take care of each other. You see that they are friends. The words don’t say it, you see in the pictures that they care a lot about each other, like how the elephant is sitting on Amos’s blanket instead of just sitting on the floor. Also, when the animals are doing everything for him so that he can rest, they make the tea while he sits at the table, they serve him at the table, they snuggle him in bed that night cuddling him, keeping his feet warm. The implicit theme of friendship and compassion is oozing out in each picture; you don’t need the words to determine that.

Visual Interpretive Analysis, Artistic Elements Pages 5&6: Color: The colors used throughout this book are very purposely and strategically done. The illustrator did not choose to show all things depicted in color. There is a lot of white space, and color is only used in certain places to enhance certain aspects for effect. On one page depicting Amos’s house, his house is the only house shown in color. This gives the reader enough detail to determine which house it Amos’s and the other houses are not important to the story. On pages 5&6 the bus is distinguished as important by having a touch of blue outlining it. The number 5 on the bus is very bold and dark black showing the importance that it is bus #5, the boldness of

the shading on the words “city zoo� are also enhanced to give importance. The animals in the background at the zoo are sketched and shaded in very lightly showing depth to the picture and foreground. The old man is black and white except for his uniform, showing importance in the way he is dressed. The trees are shown in color through out the entire book but change depending on time of day. I infer that the color of the trees are a mild orange in the morning, in the afternoon they are colored more of a mild greenish blue, and at night colored a darker green, signifying the changing of the setting for day and night. All together the strategically placed colors draw the eyes and the mind into the most important aspects that the illustrator wants us to focus on.

Line: The use of line is very subtle throughout the book. When there are outlines of shapes and characters they are done very lightly and are not bold. The slight lining seems to only be used if an object needs to be set apart from the white background. Mostly the objects and characters seem to blend right in with the white background giving a sense of flow to the story. There are no harsh distinguishing lines used, giving the feel of gentleness in the story. I also notice with the lack of line that the characters when sitting or standing next to each other seem to blend in giving a feel of unity between them.

Shape: The shapes of the characters and objects throughout the book seem to be mostly true to size. On pages 5 the man’s height seems to be proportionate to the height of the bus and bus stop sign. On page 6 the monkey is proportionate to the tree and to the background in the distance. The man is bigger than the objects in the background distinguishing the foreground. Throughout the book the animals and Amos are shaped proportionate to one another and to the background setting.

There are no dramatic shapes, lending to the importance being with the meaning of the story, not to a certain object on a page.

Format: The book is a square, and is the right size to be read aloud to kids or to be read by kids who have been taught proper book handling skills. The format is probably not intended for a toddler to manage, but a school aged child should be able to manage it well. There are several double page spreads and several single spread pages. The single page spreads always go in sequence and give a good flow to the story. The double page spreads are used for dramatic effect. Such as the double spread showing that all the animals are on the bus, and the bus is large taking up almost the whole double page to show the foreshadowing that they are on a mission to see Amos. Pages 5&6 are single, on 5 he is waiting to get on the bus and on 6 he has arrived at his destination the zoo. They are in sequence and flow together nicely although they are single spreads.

Texture: The way that the illustrator uses the pencil to sketch and shade show a very soft and smooth texture adding to the gentleness of the story. There is a foreground and background on most of the pages shown with shading and proportion of objects. Specifically on page 5&6 there is a lot of white space and only a few objects showing movement. The bus, Amos checking his watch, walking into the zoo, and the giraffe in the background are showing movement and textural effect with the way the illustrator has shaded lightly and smoothly.

Media & Style: The media used to create the pictures in the book is a combination of woodblock printing and pencil. All of the above elements combined lend to the style of the pictures. The strategic usage of the mild colors here and there and the use of the pencil with sketching and shading create a “gentle” style. The gentle and subtle use of the media and style add to the meaning of the story being “a simple story of compassion and friendship”.

Davis

A Sick Day for Amos McGee Written by: Phillip C. Stead Illustrations by: Erin E. Stead As I was getting ready and gathering books for our summer classes I was intrigued by the addition of Sick Day for Amos McGee as a required text for our class. In my past classroom teaching I have not taken much interest in Caldecott Medal books, because I have always introduced my students to the Mark Twain Award Nominee books as I felt that those were geared to their age group. When I began searching to purchase this book I was unpleasantly surprised that the bookstore in my own home town did not have it available for purchase on their shelves. I had always thought that if a book selection was an award winner then all book stores had it available. I was incorrect about that. So I turned to an online outlet to purchase my copy and read the reviews about it and then made my purchase.

When I received my copy of the book my first thoughts were that the cover of the book portrayed a sense of friendship and caring among the characters that I was going to encounter in the story. I spent some time looking at the dust cover of the book and reading the information inside about the author and the illustrator of the story. It was there that I was introduced to the characters in the story and read information about the author’s motivation for writing the story and his use of writing language and the illustrator’s choice of medium for creating the illustrations. I was looking forward to reading a book from an author that used such a friendly, kindhearted main character along with an ensemble of animals and an illustrator that utilized soft colors and tones to create the mood of friendship and care. I feel that these qualities and the fact that the story centered on the theme of friendship and caring were the most important parts of the story.

Reading the book straight through: As I began my adventure with our story I again turned my attention to first the book cover and jacket. I wanted to see what introduction the author gave to me the reader and what other information I would find that would help me read through the story to understand its meaning. I read about the main character Amos McGee and how he was such a good friend and that he always made time to visit his friends in the zoo. I looked at the cover and the soft muted colors left me thinking about a quiet serene play date with two friends and them enjoying their card game. From this my thoughts were that the main character of the story was a great friend and that his friends cared about him equally as much.

As I opened the first pages of the story the low color tones of yellow and green introduced me to Amos McGee, the main character and gave me a feeling of simplicity and routine. The soft gray color of Amos’s armoire gave me the idea that Amos’s life was simplistic but elegant. As I glanced over the print in combination with the illustrations on the first page my image of Amos was that he was a kind, caring gentleman who was a kid at heart. I felt this because of the bunny slippers that he was wearing as he stepped out of bed to start his day. This was also evident in the manner that he spoke to the sugar bowl. It was almost as if he was in a pretend play situation in which he thought of the sugar bowl as a character in his play. The illustrations within the page were in deep hues of blue and gray with a picture that was on the wall of a penguin. This picture led me also to thinking about the friendship that he had with the

penguin at the zoo. This was another instance of evidence that Amos was a caring individual to his friends.

As I continued to read the book I sensed routine as Amos caught the bus at his normal time. The author even mentions in the text that Amos says, “6 a.m. Right on time.” Again the author gave me the feeling that Amos was a person that lived by routine and did his job at the zoo not because it was his livelihood but, because he cared about the animals. Amos’s routine did not stop at the bus stop as he made his rounds to each and every one his animal friends within the zoo. He made sure that he made time to satisfy each and every one of them with games, races, sitting, taking care of their health and reading. As I looked at the illustrations on these pages I noticed that the color and tone changed from each page depending on the activity that he was doing with the animal. However the pages meshed together and the illustrator used clean lines and soft color tones to shift from one idea to the next. When I reached the section of text where Amos is reading to the owl at sunset I sensed a quiet peacefulness that made me think of the bedtime stories that my mother read to me as a child. I remember she did this because I was afraid of the dark like the owl and that it gave me peace of mind and allowed me to sleep easier. I think that the low green with splotchy hues of white intermingled in allow the owl to feel secure and safe with Amos.

When I reached midway through the story I feel a shift in the story as Amos wakes up and does not feel well. The illustrator leaves out the yellow hues that she had used at the beginning of the story and leaves a blank white background. This left me thinking that Amos not only felt sick, but that he felt alone and upset because he was unable to attend to his duties at the zoo. The illustrator then gives us a page layout of what things were like back at the zoo. The animals are all illustrated together on two facing pages and even though the color tones had not changed, the animation and countenance of their faces had. Each of the animals looked gloomy and sad because Amos was not able to be there. As I made my way through the next couple of wordless pages the illustrations created a tone for me. As I noticed the animals walking out of the zoo and to the bus stop area it was evident to me that the animals had thought about Amos and what they could do to assist him.

As the animals arrive at Amos’s home the illustrator switches back to yellow and white striped wall that she had used at the beginning of the story. Amos becomes happy that his friends came to his home to take care of him. This is evident because the color tone in the illustrations become brighter and convey a sense of care and friendship as one by one each of the animals help Amos as he is sick in the bed. The author’s writing tone is more upbeat in this part of the story as he writes about all the things that the animals do for Amos. The author closes the story with Amos telling each of the animals good night and the illustrator ties the story up with a heartwarming illustration of Amos and all the animals sleeping peacefully in Amos’s home. This drawing really tied the story all together and created a serene picture for the ending.

Reading the text only, ignoring the illustrations: As I began reading the story I found it very hard to not look at the illustrations. I now understand why, when a child is listening to a story and they tell you they cannot see the pictures, why it is so important to them to see them in the first place. I left like I was a lost child as I maneuvered through the text and sought meaning from the story. From reading the first page of the story I know that the main character will be Amos McGee, but without the illustrations I feel as though I only know a name and not what Amos McGee really is like. The text gives me

some information about his routine but, I have to draw pictures in my mind to see what I think he truly looks like. The author of our story uses quotations in the text to set off the conversations that Amos has with the sugar bowl and the animals in the story. The author uses parentheses to tell us about the character of each of the animals that Amos encounters in the story. For instance, the author says that when Amos races the tortoise, the tortoise always wins because he has never lost a race. After reading this I began thinking that the author wrote the story this way because he was giving us a deeper picture of Amos’s character and also gave the reader a deeper meaning of the overall theme of the story. When the author comes to the middle of the story where the problem develops, which is when Amos becomes sick and the animals wonder where Amos is the author uses an ellipse to shift to the animals and their activities at the zoo. This ellipse tells me as a reader that I should pause in anticipation of the action that will occur. After this the author gives the animals a voice and allows them to question to each other exactly where Amos is.

As I came to the wordless pages my mind wanted to rush to make meaning of what was occurring in the story, but without words I moved on to the next page with words. As the action of the story was coming to a close and the animals solved the problem of missing Amos the author used more quotations between Amos and the animals, as the animals took care of him as he was sick in his bed. One particular part in the text that struck my eye as I was reading was when Amos said to the animals, “Perhaps will share a pot of tea.� This small piece of text cemented the relationship that Amos shared with the animals and that was a deep friendship.

After just looking at just the text in the story I was left thinking that there was something missing. I thought that the manner in which the author had written the story was fine, but I thought that the illustrations made the story even better. I thought that the illustrations developed a mood that you could only receive if you were able to view them in conjunction with the text. I think that the two together make good companions and complement each other.

Reading the Illustrations only, taking notice of illustrator choice: (Analysis of page 7 & 8)

Before I began analyzing the two pages that were assigned to me I began thinking about whether or not the story could stand alone without the text. I know that in the past that many Caldecott books have been wordless books and have done an excellent job in telling a story without words but I wanted to see if this story could do that. As I took a few minutes to look at the story as a young child who did not read would do I looked very closely at the pictures and the details in the pictures. As I looked at page after page it became clear to me that I think that illustrator did a wonder job at creating images that would most definitely tell the story without words. I could see the details in the drawing that gave me the impression, plot and theme of the story.

Now my Analysis: The images that were depicted in this selection gave the feeling of friendship, care and compassion to the viewer. The soft colors and delicate lines would give any young child a feeling of serenity and peace as they view the story. The illustrations are appealing to the eye and give the story an extra personal touch that the text is unable to provide. Amos McGee is portrayed as a kind caring individual and the animals are just as much his companions as he is their companion.

Artistic Elements Color: The colors used in the illustrations are soft shades of yellow, blue, green orange, gray and red. The illustrations chose to use different shades and color combinations in conveying the mood of the story. For instance, at the beginning of the story the illustrator introduces us to the character of Amos and shows us the bright yellow walls within Amos’s room. The illustrator gives us the picture that Amos is a happy individual, but then later in the story the illustrator changes the mood of her illustrations and creates a sad image as she portrays Amos’s room as he is sick. In the illustration of Amos’s room when he is sick the illustrator leaves out the yellow walls and as a reader this creates a different mood than at the beginning of the story. The animals in the story were depicted in the same soft colors but were enhanced with shading to show definition. For instance, the elephant and the turtle (from pages 7 & 8) were drawn with soft coloring with shading to show definition in detail and give them an enhancement to the rest of the page.

Line: The lines in this story are drawn with pencils and colored pencil. In the illustrations that are above the lines are not straight motions but lines that requires curvy lines and extra definition such as the shaded lines on the elephant’s ears and the lines that were drawn to show the different shapes on the turtle’s shell. There are also extra fines lines that show minute details such as the laces on Amos’s shoes, chess pieces on the board and the small illustration in the background of the bird and mouse cheering on the turtle in his race with Amos. The upward lines on page eight were exception in that they were effective in showing the movement of Amos and the turtle as they were racing. There was also extra line shading underneath the feet of both characters to show their movement on the page.

Shape: The shapes in the illustrations were proportionate to each other. In the illustration on page seven Amos is drawn much smaller on the page than the elephant and on page eight the turtle is smaller than Amos. Soft shapes are used in the illustrations to coincide with the colors schemes that were used in the story. The shapes are noticeable in the feet of the elephant and on the shell of the tortoise. Without these shapes the illustrations would lack in characterization and would change the mood of the story.

Format:

The book is very easy to read for enjoyment or even to a class of students. The size of the book is easy for children to handle. The text is written at the top of each page and then the illustration takes up the rest of the page. There is more illustration on the page then there is text or print, which gives the reader an opportunity to survey and create meaning before moving onto the next page. The endpapers in the story set the mood of the story and give us a heartwarming ending that enhance the theme. During the story there are multiple opportunities where the illustrator chose to use double page spreads. These spreads allowed all the characters to be together and to emphasize the theme of friendship and caring.

Texture: In the pictures above, the illustrator has utilized a variety of strokes to show a variety of texture and dimension. These characteristics are evident in the strokes lines on the elephant’s ear and body and the fine lines that were drawn for Amos’s hair. These details are important because they give definition to the illustration. The strokes lines on the elephant show the structure of the elephant and how the skin of the elephant would be in relation to its life like counterpart. As for Amos’s hair the illustration texture gives the reader the idea that Amos’s hair is thinning. The tortoise on page eight has soft shaded lines drawn on its legs and this gives the reader the idea that the legs are a likeness to the legs of a real life turtle.

Media & Style: The colors are so soft and shaded so meticulously that it is evident that the preferred media that the illustrator utilized was wood block printing. The intricate details and color was enhanced through the use of pencil and colored pencil. The colored pencils enhance the illustrations through the technique of shading and shape. The artwork is for the most part centered on the page, utilizes most of the page and is neat and orderly. The illustrator uses a white background, displays her main images and inserts small pieces in the background and foreground to add to the images that are already on the page. This technique adds more meaning to the story and can also cause the reader to think about the action in the story.

As I noticed the illustrator’s craft in the selection I took note that most of the illustrations were placed about midway on the page and were drawn to the bottom of the page. The illustrator paid attention to the text when she created her illustrations because she looked at the mood of the characters and utilized color and line to evoke feeling and demeanor in the characters. By looking at the illustrations a reader can see when the characters are happy because of the use of color and when they are sad because of line and lower or duller color.

Recommendation: After reading this selection and analyzing the illustrations I feel that this story is a valuable piece of literature for classroom use. The theme of this selection is heartwarming and would be a welcome companion in teaching children about the true meaning of friendship. The text and illustrations are compatible and enhance each other as they tell the tale of a man who cared about his friends and in turn they were able to show him compassion when he needed it the most. The illustrations are very child friendly and children will be able to see the true theme behind this story. This story will be one that children will want to read over and over again.

Rebecca Davis Illustrated Book Analysis Literature Opportunities June 24, 2011

A Sick Day for Amos McGee Written by Philip C. Stead Illustrated by Erin E. Stead

Stead, Philip. (2010). A sick day for amos mcgee. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

I didn't know what to expect when I picked up a copy of A Sick Day for Amos McGee at the local library. Both the author and the illustrator were unknown to me, but knowing it was selected as the Caldecott Medal winner for 2011 was promising. I had never given much thought to what criteria were necessary for a book to receive this prestigious honor, and I was ready to read with a more critical eye than perhaps I would if looking for a good read aloud for my class or the next book to add to my daughter's library. What makes Sick Day worthy of our attention and analysis?

Upon my initial reading, I found this to be a charming, tender story about finding friendship in unlikely places. The words and pictures work together to tell the story of Amos McGee, an aging zookeeper who is dedicated to the care of the animals he works with each day.

A work of fantasy, Amos makes sure to he adds playing chess with the elephant, tending to the rhinoceros's allergies, racing with the tortoise, sitting with the shy penguin, and reading to the owl to his daily routine. When Amos finds himself sick one day and unable to come to work, he finds his kindness reciprocated by the animals, who come to pay him a visit in his home. They each care for Amos's needs they way he has always cared for theirs, and he finds himself feeling much better as they all snuggle into a snoozing heap by the end of the story.

The text goes a long way towards telling the story on its own. The author chose words the average school-aged child would understand on her own, with a few more challenging words or phrases (such as "ambled" and "limbered up") that could be understood in context. Most

pages contain only two or three lines of text, so there is very little action on each page - only enough to perhaps set the next scene or drive the plot a little further ahead. An exception to this can be found on page 13, where many lines are used to tell what each of the animals do to prepare for Amos's visit, creating the rising action for the story. The last line on the page, " 'Where is Amos?' " hangs in the reader's mind... what will they do next? The other exception is the last page of text in the book, in which Amos says good night to each of the animals in succession. The reader can breathe a contented sigh as the good friends find themselves ready for sleep. Interestingly, the text was written by Phillip Stead specifically for his wife, with her strengths as an artist in mind.

The though the story is charming by itself, it is only through the illustrations where we are given a deeper understanding of the characters and their motivations. Erin Stead does a remarkable job of showing the emotions of the characters through her illustrations, not only with Amos, but the animals as well. We can see the look of pride on the tortoise's face as he crosses the finish line and the kindness in the eyes of the rhinoceros as he offers Amos a handkerchief.

Without the pictures, we would be unable to discern Amos's age. We can see his modest, oldfashioned home nestled among a block of tall buildings, as if the world has changed around him as he remains the same. We are given indications of his child-like nature, from his bunny slippers to the teddy bear he clutches for comfort. We do not see that he shares his home with a wife or other companion, and the picture of the penguin hanging on the wall rather than children or other family indicate that these animals may be his only friends. In real life, this could be a recipe for a grim and depressing tale. However, we can see that Amos greets each day with a smile and feels he has a purpose-driven life, finding obvious joy in his work with his animal companions.

There are several pages where they plot of the story are moved forward through pictures alone. On pages 17 - 20, we are shown rather than told that the animals solve their problem by waiting for and then boarding the bus to Amos's house. Besides the main sequence of events, the illustrations provide us with several subplots that are not indicated in any way in the text. There is a mouse and bird that are present on nearly every page, having their own parallel adventures.

The mouse holds a pocket watch before he waits patiently at his own tiny bus stop. The bird dons his tie and grabs his book as he starts his own day's work. Both animals stop to cheer on the tortoise as he crosses the finish line, listen and Amos reads a story, and discuss the day's events with each other. There is also the red balloon, which, though never mentioned, is almost a character in the book as well. It seems to follow the penguin in particular, who perhaps needs something to busy himself with to help overcome his shyness.

Reading the illustrations only (Analysis of pages 9 & 10): Color: Erin Stead chooses a soft color palette for her illustrations. Amos appears throughout the story in a muted green color. The penguin shows a hint of color only on his beak, and the rhinoceros is a light tan. A creamy, white background allows the characters to be noticed even with their subtle coloring. The relatively vibrant shades of blue and red used in the animals' accessories draw the reader's eye to these absurdities and create gentle humor throughout the story. I think the penguin's socks on page 9 tell us a lot about his character, and Stead chooses a deep red and blue so we are sure not to overlook it. Perhaps the penguin is a bit of an outcast.

(What kind of penguin gets cold feet?) They also seem to be a reflection of his shyness, as his socks force us to notice his inward-turning feet - an awkward stance for someone who feels as if he doesn't quite fit in. The balloon receives the most striking coloring, a dark red, to highlight this subplot in the story. I believe Stead chose to use particular colors - and the absence of color

- because Sick Day is intended to be a quiet story. Brighter or more varied colors may have been over stimulating to the reader, and would have detracted from the intended mood.

Line: I am hard pressed to find a true, straight line in Sick Day. Elements that often appear straight in children's stories - such as the horizon line on page 10 - are depicted as gently waving, even varying slightly in thickness. In this day of computer images, it is refreshing to see illustrations with a distinctly hand-drawn appearance. It creates an overall sense of softness in the picture, and highlights the craftsmanship that went into the drawings.

Shape: The shapes in these pages are organic, and remain uniform throughout the book. Stead creates the impression of icebergs, water, and grass in the background using simple outlines, allowing the characters to be the focus of each page. Amos looks to be in relative proportion to the animals, though the larger ones perhaps seem a bit smaller than they would appear in real life. This makes them appear less intimidating and more accessible as a companion.

Format: This book appears to be the correct size for the intended audience, easy for a child to hold, and large enough for a read-aloud with a small group. The text on the story is fairly small, and for the most part, they have chose to include only a few lines on each page. It supports the action of the story without overwhelming the illustrations, which are clearly meant to receive the majority of the of the reader's attention. The largest text in the story appears on page 22, with a surprise for Amos, "Hooray! My good friends are here!" adding to the excitement of the moment. Pages 9 and 10 offer one of the few departures from the two-page spread used in most of the book, giving each animal a little time to shine on their own, as well as giving us insight into Amos's relationship with each as an individual.

Texture, media and style: I find it difficult to discuss these features separately in this book, because the media used create the texture in the illustrations. Stead uses woodblock printing and pencil to create the artwork. The use of woodblock to add color allows for not flat color to appear on the pages - saturation varies within the same colorscape, while the wood grain is apparent through subtle, gently moving lines. The pencil drawings allow for some of the most beautiful features of the illustrations, revealing the depth of emotion in the characters. We can see how tenderly Amos gazes at the shy penguin, and how relieved the rhinoceros feels when Amos comes to his aid. The sparing use of color lets the truly lovely facial features to shine.

Pencil also creates shading, and allows for authentic looking images even within a fantasy story.

The overall effect is at once realistic and fanciful. The rhinoceros may need a handkerchief and show human emotion, but he is not cartoonish or a caricature of himself.

Recommendation: I would recommend this book for any child from three and up. It could be used with younger children with supervision from an adult. My not-quite-two year old daughter loves to point out the pictures of the animals - but the traditional picture book format lends itself to being browsed or read independently by less destructive hands than the average toddler. I do think that, with some coaxing, this book could be used with much older children as well, perhaps to teach the woodblock techniques used in the illustrations. I feel this book is a superb example of children's literature, worthy of the honors it has received and a wonderful addition to any classroom or personal library.

References Stead, Philip. (2010). A sick day for amos mcgee. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

We read like this. (2011, April 5). A sick day for amos mcgee: look at those faces! Retrieved from http://wereaditlikethis.blogspot.com/2011/04/sick-day-for-amos-mcgee-look-atthose.html

Illustrated Book Analysis—Doll, A. C & I 8900 Literature Opportunities June 26, 2011

A Sick Day for Amos McGee Written by Philip C. Stead Illustrated by Erin E. Stead

Stead, P. C. A sick

(2010). day for amos mcgee. New York: Roaring Book Press.

I was pleased to find myself reviewing A Sick Day for Amos McGee, the 2010 Caldecott honor book, for my master’s class. Although I cannot recall every Caldecott honor book, I recognize titles or covers of Caldecott winners for the most part. In all honesty, when I first saw the book it did not strike me as a winner of the Caldecott honor. My first impression clearly revealed my ignorance of the qualifications a Caldecott winner exhibits. As I began my journey reading A Sick Day for Amos McGee and learning more about the qualities found in Caldecott honor books, it quickly became clear why this book stands out above others and why I fell in love with the book. The simple story of a heartfelt companionship between Amos and his zoo friends draws you in with soothing and carefully depicted illustrations.

Read Only the Illustrations, Ignoring the Text: I believe that this book can stand on its own with just the illustrations. In fact, readers could very well gain more insight from the pictures themselves due to the inferences they can make that are not noted by the text. The theme is clearly evident throughout the pictures as they capture the sincerity and joys of a heartfelt friendship.

The illustrations show the affection that is felt for Amos throughout each page, which is not always clear in the text. On the first pages it is evident by the placement of the teddy-bear and mouse that they are happy to start their day with Amos. Throughout the rest of the book, Amos’ friendship with the zoo animals is clear by the attention they give each other, especially when they travel to Amos’ house to visit him while he is sick.

There also appeared to be symbolism depicted by the illustrations, another important

aspect not mentioned in the text. The first object that I believe is symbolic to the story is the balloon that we see in many of the pages. Sometimes the balloon is show in red and sometimes in gray. I think the red balloon is a symbol of joy and fun. I also believe the illustrator purposely chose red because the color red portrays certain emotions such as love and excitement. I believe the balloon symbolizes the relationship between Amos and his zoo friends, a relationship based on fun and love. The gray color of the balloon might represent that time without friends is not as fun. The times we see the gray balloon are in pictures that the animals and Amos are not together. Another object that I felt was symbolic was the flower in the vase. In the first picture of the flower and the vase, the flower appears healthy and vibrant, like how Amos feels. The last picture of the flower and the vase, the flower is limp and appears sick like Amos. The mouse even notices it and looks concerned, just like the animals were for Amos.

The setting plays a role in the interpretation of the pictures as well. The pictures of Amos with the animals at the zoo create a feeling of fun and enjoyment, emotions that would most likely be associated with a day at the zoo. The clocks included in the illustrations move the setting along, creating the feeling of the time spent throughout the two days. The illustrations of the bus also move the setting along as it shows the journey taken from Amos’ home and the zoo.

As the setting changes to Amos’ home, it is evident that a relaxing and cozy feel are portrayed as Amos plays with his friends from his bed.

The pictures in the book also capture the plot as well as what kind of character Amos exhibits. It is apparent that the plot unfolds as cumulative in that Amos wakes up to start his day at the zoo. While at the zoo, Amos visits his friends and heads home to start a new day. The next day begins the same, but adds a new aspect; Amos wakes up sick and his friends visit him so they can spend time with him. Amos also is seen as the round character as he is included in almost every illustration. The illustrations of Amos also portray him to be dynamic in how he spends time with his friends when he is sick. The illustrations show how Amos changes from running a race with tortoise to playing hide-and-seek, sleeping while penguin kept his feet warm instead of sitting quietly, allowing the rhinoceros to offer him a tissue instead of Amos offering the rhinoceros a tissue, and drinking tea with his friends.

So much is captured from the illustrations of A Sick Day for Amos McGee that it is clear why it is worthy of the Caldecott honor.

Read to Notice Where the Text Breaks: The choice of how the language breaks is evident as it sets the mood and tone of the story. The effects that the author created with the text breaks create a comforting tone and set the story at a slower pace. The pages that show Amos’ interactions with the animals at the zoo all have added details in parenthesis. This slows down the reader even more than what a comma would do if it was in its place. I believe the author has done this to signify the importance of spending time with each animal. Some of the pages have more text than others, one in particular on page thirteen. I believe the longer text is demonstrating the anxiousness felt by the animals as they wait for Amos. I think the pages without text are to create a mood of waiting and being patient. Even the placement of the text impacted the mood. All of the text is found at the top of the page except for the page with Amos sitting with the penguin, which was found at the bottom of the page. The placement of this text created a stronger reaction from me because it made the shyness of the penguin even more prominent.

Reading the Illustrations Only (Analysis of page 11 and 12):

Artistic Elements: This book is a wonderful book to use with children of any age as it portrays a kind message of friendship and the difference you can make in a person’s day by giving them time and attention, something that everyone can relate to.

Colors: The colors used in this story are significant in creating the mood. The choice of colors creates a calming effect. It is evident that the illustrator dulled the colors mildly to create a soothing and comforting experience for readers. Page eleven is dominated by a cool sea-green color to create the mood one would expect on an early night. A brownish-red covers the owl’s body with white exposing his face and stomach. Amos sits happily in his moss-green suit while the rest of the page is drawn with gray tones. Page twelve makes a statement with most the page being filled with white, steering the eye to the important colors found in the moss-green stripes of Amos’ pajamas and his gray-blue blanket.

Line: On page eleven the characters, Amos, the owl, and the bird, are outlined in a thin, black line, drawn in pencil to contrast the sea-green color in the background. The lines on the rest of the page are very still and create a serene effect. The same is true on page twelve. Since the background is white, the illustrations are not outlined as the coloring stands out itself. The lines on this page are sharp and crisp, drawing the eye to the colored illustrations.

Shape: The shape of the pages is rectangular, complimenting the block like illustrations. Most of the illustrations have a sharp line, creating a box-like shape that is striking. The exceptions on the pages include the bed posts, mouse, pillow, bird, and teddy bear which have a rounder, softer shape. The text is written in a block like style as well.

Format: The size of the book is a nice size that is inviting to all readers, not too small and not too big. Its slight rectangular shape encourages a pleasing two-page layout. The blue-gray endpapers compliment the quiet, calming effect the book creates. The reasonably sized text is in a simple, black font that is clear to read and easy to follow. The all caps text prepares readers for a transition in the story. The details in parenthesis set the pace for the reader, by slowing them down to note the importance of the words included inside the parenthesis.

Texture: The illustrator uses pencil and woodblock printing to create sharp edges. The shading drawn in pencil is then blended to create a softer look to color the illustrations colored in gray.

The illustrations in color appear to be finely porous, with hints of grain work as would be found on the surface of a piece of wood.

Media and Style: The illustrations found on pages eleven and twelve are drawn in pencil. Woodblock printing done by hand is also used. It appears that the woodblock printing done by the illustrator might have included watercolor. The colored illustrations display slightly lighter and darker

tones that is seen when watercolor bleeds together. The colored illustrations display a softness that is also found in watercolor.

Elizabeth Weddle A Sick Day for Amos McGee Illustration Analysis A Sick Day for Amos McGee is a sweet story about friendship. I had not heard of the story until our class and when I got the book, I spent some time looking at the cover and the odd group that was formed. From the cover alone, it appears that an old man is buddies with an elephant, a penguin, and a mouse. The illustration is simple, not overly eye-catching, with dull looking colors and yellow and white stripes in the background. The stripes seem to give the cover illustration depth and the warmth that implies the friends are comfy and cozy inside.

Upon First Read When first reading A Sick day for Amos McGee, I was struck by the simplicity of the storyline. A zookeeper who keeps the exact same schedule on a daily basis getting sick one day and having to be out. His zoo buddies, worried in his absence, take the opposite of his normal route and go to his house to perform their daily rituals. A simple story with a sweet moral, friends taking care of their friends.

Reading the Story Without the Illustrations Reading the storyline of A Sick Day for Amos McGee without the illustrations is interesting. While the storyline is simple and easy for a child to follow, whole pieces are missing due to a several page stint where there are no words. When the words pick up, you can easily find yourself and pick up where the text had left off without missing a beat, but without the illustrations, you miss out on the journey of the animals to see Amos. The text is also very wordy. While the story remains simple, there are several lines of text per page which could cause a younger student to become antsy or confused with all of the text, especially without the pictures to focus on.

Reading the Illustrations Without the Text The absolute detail given to the illustrations in this book are amazing. If you follow the book through, start to finish, looking only at the pictures, you can clearly trace Amos’ path, his day, his illness, and then the animals’ path to visit him. From here, you can track the interactions that Amos and the animals are having at his home and see the similarity between those and his early interactions at the zoo. Also, as mentioned before, you can see the animals’ journey to Amos’ house through the illustrations and this is left completely out of the text. The illustrations seem to tell a story themselves as each character is drawn very specifically—you can see the sadness on the animal faces when Amos does not arrive, as well as the delight on his face when the animals come to his house. While the illustrations do not alter the meaning of the text, they certainly give the text more depth, allowing the reader to enjoy the journey, not simply the arrival.

Reading Aloud to Hear the Sounds On my fourth time through the book to simply listen and not look, I found myself

growing tired. There is not a catchy flow to the text, and the lines are very long and sound somewhat cumbersome when read aloud. For a young child, aged 3-5, they would be lost in the text and find themselves focusing mainly on the pictures. For older readers, the text would be more meaningful, however would still require the narrator to use inflection wisely to keep their interest.

Reading the Colors I found the use of the use of color very interesting in the story. They are all very dull, some even black and white alone. While the illustrations, done in pencil, are amazingly detailed, you have to be looking for that detail to truly appreciate the illustrations. With such muted colors, a child would find themselves not necessarily drawn to the story as much as they may with a book that plays to their curiosity about color and vivid, bold illustrations. The muted colors do well to showcase the details in Erin Stead’s work, however, would appeal more to an adult than a child. The muted colors are also used very cleverly to create a contrast to much of the black and white portions of the story, allowing for the main attraction on the page to “pop.”

This color contrast, along with the penciled in details by Snead, give the illustrations the look of texture, creating an almost three-dimensional effect on the pages.

Analysis of Illustration Two Page Spread-Amos and the Owl and Amos Feeling Sick The media of the illustrations in A Sick Day for Amos McGee is pencil drawings. The simple artform used creates lovely illustrations that Erin Snead does not overshadow with colors, yet enhances by using muted shades on top of black and white to catch the reader’s eye and pique their interest. This illustrating style would be wonderful to use with older students in an art class to point out the intricate details that can be in place without overshadowing with color and fancy effects. Using these illustrations with younger students would work if the teacher spent time, pointing out the details that a young child may overlook upon first glance.

Color: The color of these two pages truly exemplifies the color throughout the story. The muted green wash behind Amos and the owl signaling twilight or dusk as Amos reads a story to the owl provides a sharp contrast to the black and white pencil of the large tree, causing the tree to look three-dimensional from it’s place on the page. Similarly, the bed in Amos’ room is drawn in black and white with a subtle green stripe in his pajamas and a bright blue on his quilt. This blue causes the quilt to pop in the picture, appearing to really be falling off of the bed. Using muted colors with darker shade throughout the story (see Amos’ green suit against the green of the dusky sky), Snead is able to allow particular parts of the illustrations to pop and, to a patient eye, allows for the reader to get a closer glimpse at the faces and details included in her characters without the distraction of many bright and bold colors.

Line: Snead has outlined all of her characters and shapes in black in this story, filling in some details with a wash of muted color. Looking at the illustrations above, you can see that in Amos’ quilt, the pattern is outlined in black and the blue color seems to be washed over it so that the pattern stands out. The lines of the tree are very distinct and give depth and movement to the tree itself and if you look closely at the lamppost, it appears that the clean lines of the light itself are radiating light without washing everything in yellow due to the shadows cast in the otherwise clean lines of the page.

Shape: Snead uses shape differently on each page. The main body of Amos is repeated throughout the book, you can tell he’s older by the slump in his shoulders on each page, however his demeanor and carriage change with what the page dictates. In the picture with the owl, Amos leans forward and sits comfortably, whereas on the sick page, the shape of Amos changes and he is more hunched as well as tense looking all the way to the shape of his feet.

Snead also uses the shadows cast in the Amos and owl page in an interesting use of shape. You can see Amos’ shadow inside the picture of the tree as well as see a gap in the shading of the ground where the lamppost casts its glow. These shapes give the picture more meaning and add to the depth and three dimensional feel of the page.

Format: This book is the correct size for young readers, however I do feel that there is a lot of print present on some of the pages. There are several pages that are two-page spreads for the illustrations, especially when showing the procession of the animals to Amos’ house when he is sick. The particular pages that I studied are not a two-page spread but show two very different sides of Amos, side by side. On the first page, a healthy Amos enjoys the owl’s company, while on the second page, we can clearly see that Amos is not himself and has fallen ill. I think it was important for Snead to show this contrast on these two-pages side-by-side so that even a young emergent reader could follow that Amos went very quickly from his normal routine to being ill.

Texture: The texture of these illustrations is what I find most intriguing. In doing the pencil drawings and adding a light wash of muted color, Snead creates this almost three-dimensional

feel to each page. The shading she does on the tree trunk gives if form and makes it look as though it feels rough, similarly, the shading of the light green in the background gives the appearance of dusk, illuminated by the lamppost. The texture of the pictures in A Sick Day for Amos McGee are the true glory spots for me in the illustrations. The texture really makes the story come to life.

I would certainly recommend this story to anyone studying illustrations. The story is a cute story to share with young children, however it will not keep their attention for a repeatedly read beloved story. I can see this book being used more to impress upon students the pencil media and how to use that to truly bring out the depths of your characters and settings. Each character in this story has a face that seems to have their own story to tell—I think it is most important that we show children this so that they can understand what a huge impression illustrations can make on the story as a whole.

Jessica Eash Illustrated book Analysis LTC 8900 Literature Opportunities

6/19/11

A Sick Day for Amos McGee Written by Philip C. Stead Illustrated by Erin E. Stead

Stead, P.C. (2010). A sick day for amos mcgee. New York: Roaring Book Press Before taking this class, I briefly read A Sick Day for Amos McGee. The first time I read the book, I read it fast without really observing the illustrations. When I started this assignment I began to analyze the book more closely and saw that not only was this book a great children’s book that teaches about friendship and being there for your friends when they need you but also the illustrations in the book are excellent. In this story Amos McGee is a zookeeper that spends time with his animal friends everyday and is there when they need him. Then when Amos gets sick and does not go to work the animals go to his house to take care of him by spending time with him to make him feel better.

Read only the text: The text of this story alone painted a picture in my mind by using descriptive words to help me visualize the story as I read. The text of the story included additional descriptions of the character personalities written in parentheses, which made the story fun. The story used repetitive words and situations in both the beginning and end of the story, which would make it easy for children to follow along. There was a main character in the book along with other minor characters that helped tell the story. Each character had their own personality and interacted with one another. This book also contained all of the aspects typical books contain such as a climax and resolution. In the climax the main character got sick and could not go to work. In the resolution the animals went to the main character’s house to make him feel better.

Read the illustrations: By reading the illustrations alone I was able to imagine the story as it was originally written without actually reading the words. If anything, the illustrations added more to the story because the illustrations contained small details that were not included in the words. Each page contains a continuous picture spread out on two pages. The pictures show the setting of the story in detail so you can imagine yourself immersed in the pages. The illustrations also show each character and are done in a way that you can see elements of their personality in their picture. An example of this is the picture of the rhinoceros, in this picture the rhinoceros has allergies so the picture shows him with a scarf around his neck and a red nose. This book could easily be read just by looking at the pictures.

Read aloud, listening to the sound of the text: When reading aloud I noticed that I read the story with a rhythm that flowed easily. The language of the story is humorous and repetitive in parts making it enjoyable to read and understand. The words used in the story are descriptive and help paint a picture of the story without looking at the illustrations. Overall, it was an enjoyable, easy to read text that included many parts to read with feeling and where you could put a voice to the characters words.

Read to notice where the text breaks: I think that the text breaks represented in this book helped me to pace my reading when I read the book aloud. There were some pages with more words then others and some pages with no words. On the pages with less words you can take the time to really look at the details in the illustrations. The same can be said about the pages with no words. On those pages you can easily look at the illustrations and be able to tell the story correctly or you could make up your own part of the story based on the pictures. This text break could also serve as a chance to get the students involved in the story telling by getting their thoughts on the pictures.

Read to notice the illustrator’s choices: The illustrations on each page represent the character point of view and what the characters are currently doing in the story. Each picture is detailed to go along exactly with the word and sometimes the details in the illustrations add more to the story.

Read the colors: This book is colored in a variety of colors ranging from dark colors to bright colors.

Some pictures are done with the background in black and white but the characters are colored.

The artist used different tones in some parts and each character has their own color making them easy to identify. The illustrator used wood block printing and pencil so you can see the wood grain in the illustrations. This type of art makes the pictures have different shades of the same color within the picture. During parts of the book like when Amos is sick the illustrator shows this by making Amos have a slightly pink nose. I think the colors complement the story by giving the characters a unique color and in the subtle variances within the pictures that add depth and character to the pictures. The colors are not too bright and match the feel of the story.

Read for page layout: The illustrations in the book cover both pages creating a continuous picture. This makes the illustrations the main focal point rather then the words. The font is done in a larger size font that makes it easy to read.

Analysis page 13 and 14: From analyzing the two pages I was assigned, I think the artists main purpose was to tell the story by the pictures. On these pages each picture conveys what the words say showing emotion through the illustrations. The words tell how the animals are waiting for Amos but he does not come and if you look at the pictures this is clearly shown. In one part it says that the rhinoceros had allergies and they were worsening since Amos was not there and if you look at the picture you can see a bird wiping the rhinoceros’ tears and his nose is a little red. This makes me think that the rhinoceros is sad because Amos isn’t there conveying to me exactly what the words say and serving the purpose of the illustration. The illustrator’s use of wood printing and pencil are shown in the pictures because if you look closely you can see the wood grain within the picture. I think this adds depth to the picture giving it a unique look. The illustrations on the pages are spread across both pages creating a continuous picture. The text is positioned on the page so that it does not interfere with the illustrations but can be easily read. In addition, the lines of the drawings are clean and the colors on the pages convey the mood of the words written.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed reading this book and analyzing the illustrations. Normally I might have just read through the book paying little attention to the pictures. The illustrations in this book are unique and excellently done. I can see why this book won the Caldecott medal.

This is a great book that teaches students about friendship and I look forward to using it in my future classroom.

Dana Hooper Illustration Analysis June 23, 2011

A Sick Day for Amos McGee Written by Philip C. Stead Illustrated by Erin E. Stead

Stead, P. C., & Stead, E. E. (2010). A sick day for Amos McGee: New York: Roaring

Brook.

Read only the illustrations, ignoring the text.

In trying to determine if the illustrations could tell the story without the text, I felt it was best to view them first, before I knew the story. We are introduced to an old, yet childlike, man, rising from his bed. He prepares a breakfast before leaving his small house and walking down the street with his lunch pail. He checks his watch, perhaps making sure the bus is on schedule that will take him to the City Zoo. A monkey sits in a tree outside the zoo’s fence and a giraffe appears to roam free, unlike the cages we are familiar with today. Amos plays a game of chess with a large elephant on a stool, participates in a race with a turtle, sits beside a swimming hole with a penguin in socks, while other penguins have their own small stories going on in the background. In a story with color used sparingly, we are introduced to a bright red balloon, almost a character in itself, floating above the penguins in the background. Amos helps blow the nose of a scarf-wearing rhinoceros, and reads to an owl by lamplight. This is no ordinary job, and these are not ordinary zoo creatures. Later, in bed, Amos is seen with a handkerchief to his lightly pinkened nose. The elephant plays chess with no partner, the turtle, rhino, penguin, and owl sit together, but not taking part in their usual activities. Together, they have left the confines of the zoo, with the red balloon hovering nearby. They are walking, then waiting at the bus stop, the penguin reaching up for the balloon. Our animals find themselves on a bus, for the first and only time, not in color. Is this somehow blocked by the “glass” of their windows? The animals arrive in Amos’ house, which brings a look of joy to the old man’s face. The earlier activities are mirrored in the new location: Amos and the elephant play chess; Amos and the turtle play hide and seek (a slight deviation from the earlier race); Amos and the penguin sit quietly together; the rhinoceros now blows Amos’ nose. The friends join Amos for cups of tea, a story read by owl, and then sleep tucked and curled about one another in Amos’ room, while the penguin watches his red balloon float in the night sky. While this is the end of the story, it is fully concluded on the back cover as the animals walk back into the City Zoo, the balloon in the lead. What I found to be missing were small details about the idiosyncrasies of the characters,

which were further explained within the text. There are details within the illustrations that are never mentioned by the text as well: the mouse in Amos’ house or the bird that is frequently in the scenes with the zoo creatures. They have a small subplot of their own as they follow the main characters and eventually meet. The illustrations also take us further into the characters’ personalities, for instance, watching the penguin become less shy with his security blanket, I mean, balloon.

Read the book straight through What struck me most in the story were the things left unsaid and while I felt the theme was about friendship being reciprocated, I felt there was something else to be learned by the mouse and bird whose presences are seen, if not described. Do they look up to the main characters as role models, showing us how children often play through imitation? I also felt, through the endearing depictions of the characters that this was a book, not just for today’s youth, but for people of all ages and for many years to come. One doesn’t need flashy colors or modern conveniences to know the kindness of a friend.

Read only the text, ignoring the illustrations While there is enough of a story present to make sense, and there are small details which make the animals seem more human, the story itself lacks the heartfelt quality that is added by the illustrations. In addition, the double-page spreads without words help move the plot along.

Otherwise you go from the animals wondering where Amos is to magically being in his presence. Without words, one may wonder if he had suddenly shown up for work, just happening to be late that day. The illustrations also provide the closing scene of the animals nestled snuggly together for the night, rather than with a long string of goodnights.

Read the colors The illustrator does not have a wide variety of color in her palette. Instead, we are presented with muted shades of yellow, green, red, blue, and brown. The coloring is subtle. It does not jump from the page and grab your attention. Instead, it highlights details of our characters since the background is frequently just done in pencil. Colors do not really change with the story because each character is assigned their own colors: Amos wears green, the penguin is blue with red and blue socks and carrying a red balloon, the rhinoceros and elephant are shades of beigish pink, etc. Due to the muted quality of all of the colors, everything blends together in a harmonious effect. The colors bring out the characters without becoming distracting. They let the story speak for itself. They create an old-fashioned feel to the story, which makes it seem timeless rather than contemporary and modern.

Analysis of Pages 15-16 Artistic Elements: Color Most of the pages contain white space. The background of the zoo in the distance is done in pencil, letting us know where the characters are located, while not being a pivotal element of the story. The characters and leaves are done in their trademark colors. We know the characters by their colors since these never change, except for the leaves which seem to alternate between a peachy orange and a blue-green. They are the important parts of the scene, though the penciled

bird is a repeated motif.

Line: As for the whole story, there are a lot of vertical stripes in the wallpaper, bed frame, wainscoting, Amos’ pajamas, fencing, direction of the shading. Outlines are completed in pencil, if at all.

Sometimes the color from the woodblock is a sufficient border. When present, the trees provide a nice framing effect. On these two pages, we see lines in the fencing, lines in the shading of the trees and zoo structures, and detail clarified by pencil, such as the wrinkles in the elephants skin.

Shape: The element of line is complemented by the more rounded shapes of the characters, balloon, moon, bus wheels. Movement always seems towards the right, towards moving on to the next page by the direction the characters face or are in action towards, like riding the bus or walking.

Size is fairly realistic as far as what should be large and small, though perhaps unrealistic in terms of practicality. How would an elephant and rhinoceros fit on a bus? On these two pages, one’s eyes are drawn towards the right and the direction the characters are walking, but the brightness and location of the balloon draw the eye back to the left-hand page, perhaps guiding you to look closer at the details. For instance, there is a bird sitting on the fencetop that is found on many other pages, though not recognized as a character in the text.

Format: The size of the book is perfect for young hands to hold onto and large enough for pictures to dominate the page and be shared from a distance, as in a teacher sharing with a class. The placement of text is predominantly above the heads of the characters, where it does not interfere with the pictures, if words are used at all. It is not always in the white space of the background, but sometimes in the leaves of the trees or along the wallpaper of Amos’ house. The ends pages are a nice, complementary shade of blue, with the copyright information appearing on the first scene of the story: Amos’ bedroom. It appears the artist wanted to use as much available space as possible to bring the story to life. Single- and double-page spreads are used throughout the book. Usually the single-pages highlight Amos’ relationship with one particular animal at a time, whereas the double-page spreads cover scenes in which all are interacting together.

Besides the copyright/1st page of the story, where Amos is waking up, this is the first of the double-page spreads, the start of a whole section of them. We see the characters uniting together “later that day” to search for their friend Amos who has not shown up for work.

Media and Style: The artist combines techniques, using color from woodblock cuts to highlight items like Amos’s blanket, clothes, cookstove, wallpaper and house. The leaves of trees and blue of the bus are outdoor elements that receive such coloring. Finally, the animals and their associated items (books, balloons, scarves, socks) also have signature colors. The grains from the wood also add an element of texture, an older quality to the illustrations. Finer detail is provided by pencil, adding outline, shading, and detail.

Final Response While this book was captivating from my first read-through, it was only through subsequent readings that I began to notice more from the pages. Amos has a simple sweetness about him,

with his stuffed teddy bear, bunny slippers, and framed photograph of the penguin. The small, penciled animals who mimic Amos’s activities of rising to an alarm clock, waiting for and riding a bus, cheering on the tortoise, listening to stories, sharing a pot of tea, and falling asleep together. The shy penguin’s fascination with the red balloon. Erin Stead did more than illustrate the words on the page; she breathed life and personality into the characters that not only complemented the plot, but enhanced it as well. Young and old alike will enjoy gazing at the many details that adorn each scene.

Illustrated Book Analysis Kristina Kearns A Sick Day for Amos McGee

Written by Philip C. Stead and Illustrated by Erin E. Stead

Stead, P. (2010). A sick day for amos mcgee. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

A Sick Day for Amos McGee is a loving tale of friendship and dedication. An older man, Amos McGee, finds great companionship in a zoo with an elephant, tortoise, penguin, rhinoceros, and an owl. One day Amos wakes up sick and cannot go to the zoo to visit his friends so his friends come to him. A Sick Day for Amos McGee is a wonderful picture book that proves that good deeds are rewarded.

Reading only the books text and ignoring the illustrations: The story, A Sick Day for Amos McGee, begins with Amos helping his friends and ends with Amos’s friends helping him. The character roles are parallel. The characters demonstrate empathy and understanding for each other throughout the story. The main character is Amos McGee with the supporting characters being the elephant, tortoise, the penguin, rhinoceros, and the owl. Central themes within the story include friendship, love, and loyalty which are supported by the rich text that can stand alone without the need for illustrations.

Reading only the illustrations and ignoring the text and noticing the illustrator’s choices: The illustrations in A Sick Day for Amos McGee can tell the story by themselves without the use of written text. I do not believe the story would be different if it did not have any words.

With the help of the words you do find a lot more details to the story. The illustrations do not change the meaning of the text rather they just add to the meaning of the text. You, the reader, discover new surprises each time you turn a page. The red balloon and a little bird seem to travel throughout the illustrations of the story.

The supporting characters of the story, the zoo animals, are anthropomorphized meaning they have human characteristics. The elephant is a deep thinker who likes to play chess. Tortoise likes to race and play hide and go seek. The rhinoceros wears a scarf and blows his nose from being sick. Owl wears glasses, is afraid of the dark, and likes to read stories. The penguin begins the book by acting shy but seems to gain confidence throughout the story with the help of the red balloon.

The illustrations take place during the events of the text. The reader gets to see what the animals are doing when Amos is not there, what Amos is doing, and all the small details in between. The reader has omnipotent view of the characters.

Reading aloud, listening to the sound of the text: The author, Philip C. Stead, uses descriptive words that help you imagine what is taking place in the story without the help from the illustrations. The words seem to paint a picture by themselves. A repetition of words can be found when the characters are getting ready for bed at Amos’s house. Everyone gets a saying of “goodnight” from Amos with each animal getting their own sentence. The repetition of “goodnight” for each zoo animal friend, reminds us that everyone is important.

Reading to notice where the text breaks: Each text break allows the reader to focus on what one specific thing is going on in the story. By only having a few sentences on each page or each set of two pages, allows the reader to enjoy the illustrations that complement the given sentence(s). The use of “later that day” slows the reader down and makes them focus on the next two wordless sets of pages. This is when the character roles become reversed.

Reading for the page layout: All of the pages have text at the top of the page except for the two pages that are wordless and the page when the penguin is introduced. By having the words at the bottom of the page when the penguin is introduced it gives significance to the penguin being shy. The text is the same size on all of the pages except when the zoo animal friends find Amos in bed and he is happy that they came to visit. The larger print portrays his happiness. The phrases “meanwhile at the zoo” and “later that day” are written in a different font. They move the reader on in the story.

Reading the illustrations only (Analysis of pages 17 and 18): The illustrator, Erin E. Stead, uses a woodblock technique and pencil drawings for her illustrations in the picture book A Sick Day for Amos McGee. The woodblock print provides texture to the pictures as the pencil drawings provide definition and depth. Soft flat colors are used for the illustrations on top of a white background. The white background moves the reader to notice even the smallest illustrations contained on the page. Strong vertical lines can also be found in the background of the illustration. The soft flat colors are used sparingly but help bring warmth to the characters and their surroundings. Some objects on the page are bright red. This seems to make the objects pop off the page especially surrounded by the soft or non-bright colors. The bright color choice gives the viewer a sense that the object is important or meaningful to the story. The brightest object on the page is the red balloon that travels from page to page throughout the picture book. Other red items included on pages 17 and 18 are the scarf around the rhinoceros’s neck, the book that owl is holding, and the socks that the penguin is wearing.

Recommendation: I thoroughly enjoyed this picture book and cannot wait to share it with my students in the fall. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to read. A Sick Day for Amos McGee is a wonderful story that teaches about friendship and kindness. The illustrations were amazing and complimented the text that was easy to understand and read over and over again.

Amie Mathews Illustrated Book Analysis

A Sick Day for Amos McGee By: Philip C. Stead Illustrated by Erin E. Stead

Stead, Philip. (2010). A sick day for amos mcgee. New York: Roaring Book Press.

A Sick Day for Amos McGee is about an older man, Amos, who works at the zoo, taking care of the animals. Even thought he is busy at the zoo, he always visits with his friends; the elephant that he plays chess with, the tortoise who he races with, the penguin who he sits with, the runny nose rhinoceros, and the owl who is afraid of the dark. One day Amos woke up not feeling well and he decided to stay in bed. Back at the zoo his friends waited for him, and when he did not show up they decide to go visit him.

Amos was very excited to see his friends and he interacted with them like he did at the zoo. It began to get late so Amos got into bed and his friend the owl read him a book.

This is a wonderful story about friendship with amazing illustrations to accompany the pictures.

Reading the book straight through I believe that the most important idea in the book is the idea of friendship. The author takes the time to explain the relationship that Amos has with each of the animals.

When Amos is sick and the animals come to visit him you see that the animals value their special friendship with Amos as much as Amos does. To say it simply this book is a tribute to friendship. It shows that friendship is not just between humans.

Read only the illustrations, ignoring the text After reading the book using just the illustrations I noticed that you could still understand the story. You know that there is an older gentleman who works and the zoo and does activities with the elephant, tortoise, penguin, rhinoceros, and owl. The illustrations show that one morning the man wakes up and has a red nose that he is holding a handkerchief to. Using this illustration you understand that he is not feeling

well. The next couple of illustrations show the animals waiting to do their activity with him but he does not show up. The following illustrations show the animals get on the bus and arrive at the house. The animals now take to role of the man and take care of him. At the end of the story you see the animals sleeping with him, which shows that they care for him.

While the pictures do tell you the story, when you just read the illustrations you do not understand how special the relationship is between Amos and the animals. You do not feel connected to either Amos or the animals. I did not get that sadness when Amos did not show up for work or the warm feeling when the animals decided to go to his house. With out the text the reader misses that friendship connection that I think is so strong with both the text and the illustrations.

I do not think that the illustrations help you understand the setting or character development more then using the text alone. The illustrations do show the character development that the text explains. For example, we know that the penguin is shy because the illustration shows that he is not with the other penguins and when you look at him you can see that he is slumping which can show a lack of confidence. When just looking at the illustrations alone you also understand the plot and climax of the story.

Read to notice the illustration’s choices The illustrator chose to depict what the text was saying in her drawings. She shows what is happening in the present. The drawings do give some of the characters perspective like showing sadness in the animal’s faces when Amos does not show up.

The illustrations do comment on the characters situation when there are not words on the page. She drew the pictures in a way that tell the story when text is absent. You can tell the illustrator went into great detail to make sure the illustrations fit in correctly with the text.

Analysis of the illustration of the animals on the bus When first looking at the illustration on the assigned pages I can tell that the drawings are telling the story with out needing text. At first look you see that then animals are in what looks to be like pencil and the only color on the page are the top of the bus and the green of the trees. This helps draw your focus in on the animals. There is no detail left off, there is even exhaust coming out of the bus, and you can see that the skin of the elephant and rhinoceros look like the skin on a real animal.

Color: When looking at the color on these pages you first notice that there are only three colors, blue, green, and gray (pencil). You see that there are different shades of gray to show shading and texture. The illustrator has used a lighter gray to show the other side of the bus to almost create a 3-D shape. It shows that the animals are in the bus but it does not take away from the animals that are also in gray. The green resembles the tree leaves and helps the eye distinguish the height and sky. The blue on the top of the bus helps the bus jump out at you and draws the attention into the bus. The use of color allows the drawing to detailed with out getting busy.

Line: The animals have a very thin darker outline. The mixture of the straight lines of

the fence and the curve lives of the bus work well to show the different shapes.

There is a horizontal dimension with the lines of the fence and the lines on the bus that allow the eye to see the length of everything. The vertical lines of the bus show the height of the bus. The illustrator uses curve lines to add detail to the animals, which contributes to the animals looking more life like, then cartoon.

Shape: There are all different shapes and sizes on these pages. This allows the reader to understand that an elephant is larger then a penguin. The illustrator uses familiar shapes to draw the bus. This helps small children recognize that it is a bus and that the rectangular shapes are windows. The lack of shape for the leaves helps keep the drawing simple but still allowing a young reader to understand that there are leaves in the trees. The shapes on these pages play in important role in helping young readers understand what is happening because the pictures have to tell the story because there is no text.

Format: The format is perfect for young readers. The illustrations are large enough to allow all students to see the pictures during a read aloud but have little details that small children would love to look for if reading during a small group or oneon-one.

Texture: There is a great deal of texture on these two pages. The illustrator uses shading and individual lines to convey a rough or smooth texture. The elephant is a great example of this. You can see the lines on the animal’s skin, which show that his skin is not soft; it is more dry and rough. When you compare the elephant to the penguin you can tell the penguin is sleek and soft because the penguin is all black. The light shading around the inside of the bus allows the eye to see depth in the bus. The use of light shading with a pencil gives a smooth shiny texture to the bus where chrome would be. Another object that shows texture by using shading is the light pole. You can see the bumpiness at the bottom of the pole.

Media and Style: The illustrator did a wonderful job creating the artwork to look realistic. Young children are able to tell exactly what is happening on this page and what each object is. The animals are proportional to one another and include details that children would recognize from looking and photographs of these animals in the wild. When thinking about what media was used to create the illustrations I think that it is a mixture of pencil and something else. I am not sure what else is used besides pencil because it looks like it could be colored pencil or some sort of paint. The Association for Library Services to Children website says the illustrator used pencil and woodblock prints to create the drawings.

I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to anyone at any age group. It is a great book with wonderful drawings and a sweet message.

Jenni McHargue Illustrated Book Analysis June 14, 2010

A Sick Day for Amos McGee

Written by Philip C. Stead Illustrated by Erin E. Stead Reading the text only: After reading this book and not paying any attention to the illustrations, I really realized how much they truly enhance the book. Without the illustrations, the story is fairly boring and flat.

All we know if there is this guy, Amos, who goes to the zoo to visit animals. Then one day he is sick, and he stays home. Then the animals come to visit him instead. Without looking at the pictures, I felt like I knew nothing about Amos; I didn’t know what type of man he was. I had no idea if he was young or old. I couldn’t picture the animals or how Amos and the different animals would interact. Some of the pages did not have any words at all. When I was just reading for the text, I skipped these pages. This was very detrimental to the story because those wordless pages showed the animals waiting for the bus, getting on the bus, and showed Amos and all the animals going to sleep at the end of the book. Without the illustrations, I felt no connection to this book, and the theme of friendship was not nearly as prevalent as it is with the pictures to help.

Reading straight through: When I read the book straight through, I really liked the book. I felt a connection to the characters, and the theme was very prevalent to me. I noticed that the illustrations were unique and added a lot of details to the text that would have otherwise not have been evident to me as a reader. I noticed that the illustrations were sparely colored and that the illustrator included small details (like the little mouse on the floor by the bed). However, I did not think about why the illustrator did these things. It was not until I spent a lot of time looking at the illustrations alone that I realized the importance of the coloring chosen or the reason that the tiny mouse might have been placed where it was. Although I enjoyed the book the first time I read it, it was not until I really examined the illustrations that I began to truly appreciate the book for all that it is.

Reading Illustrations Only: Analysis of pg. 21-22 The artwork in this book would be appealing to any child three and up. The illustrator’s use of pencil and woodblock printing make the pictures realistic, yet simple, and the story really comes to life in through the scenes. Each illustration has small details that are easy to overlook, which is why I think it is important for readers of all ages to really take their time when reading this excellent book. I believe that the picture in this book would make this story interesting and engaging even for the middle school students that I will teach.

Color- The white and yellow stripped wallpaper in the background really brightens up the otherwise subdued colors on the page. The illustrator uses red to highlight the scarf on the rhino, the balloon in the hand of the penguin and Amos’s red nose. These three red highlights keep the picture balanced and keep the viewer’s eye moving across the page. The illustrator uses green in a similar way; she balances out the turtle’s greens shell on the light side page with Amos’s green stripped pajamas on the right. The illustrator’s choice of color keep the illustrator clean, and simple, even leaving some items in the black, white, and gray scale of her pencil. For example, Amos’s face is left in this gray scale (except for a little bit of red on his nose) and this accurately

portrays his sick, worn out, pale complexion during his sick day in bed.

Lines- The lines outlining the shapes in this picture are very soft. The pencil marks are undetectable on some of the shapes including much of the elephant. The lines are clean and crisp but yet are not harsh or sharp. The soft, curvy lines of the animals and Amos contrast with the strong, straight lines of Amos’s bed frame. The illustration has mainly vertical lines on the left hand side of the picture with all of the animals. On the right hand side, however, the lines are mainly vertical with the wallpaper, the bedframe, and Amos’s pajamas pointing up and down; however this is balanced out by Amos’s laying position and the long horizontal line of his bed.

Shape- The shapes in the illustrations are very important in this scene. The sheer size and shape of the animals contrast Amos and point out the major differences in the sick human to the big, burly, strong animals. The animals are arranged in an effective manner that creates beautiful positive and negative space. It is easy to tell by the shape of the animals where they are standing in relation to one another and in relation to Amos. The small shape of the penguin, the animal closest to Amos’s bed, contrasts with the large animals behind him and makes him appear brave and powerful despite his size. This idea is also conveyed by the tall balloon floating far above him. Amos’s shape is half sitting and half lying in his bed, yet leaning forward towards the animals, happily welcoming them. The text is clear and simple placed directly above Amos and balancing out the much emptier right page.

Format- The book is large enough to read in front of an entire group of children and have them all be able to see the pictures. However, it is small enough to easy handle and is not cumbersome to take on the go. The double-page spreads are a great asset to the story and allow the students extra time to examine the pictures in the scene before them. The dialogue on the page is placed directly above his head show that the words were spoken by Amos: “Hooray! My god friends are here!”

Texture- The author creates a very realistic, 2-dimestional illustration. The background and foreground helps to show the placement of the animals, and the attention to the shadows of the figures keep them grounded. The texture in the scene is very complex. Using woodblock printing techniques and pencil, the illustrator does an excellent job creating a rough looking texture on the animals’ skins. Both the coloring and the pencil marks work together to create the life-like text. The elephant’s skin looks stretched and aged, and the turtle’s legs look rough and wrinkly. In contrast, Amos’s cover and pajamas appear soft and flowing. The texture used in the picture is so effective that, after looking at Amos’s hair, I feel like I know exactly what his wispy hair would feel like. His hands look cold and his bed looks comfortable yet firm. The texture used in this scene really makes the scene come alive.

Alison Wolfe Illustrated Book Analysis June 26, 2011

A Sick Day for Amos McGee

Written by Philip C. Stead Illustrated by Erin E. Stead

Stead, Philip C. (2010). A sick day for amos mcgee. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press.

I had never heard of A Sick Day for Amos McGee or the Caldecott Medal until this class.

I absolutely love the book and completely understand why it won the Caldecott Medal. The illustrations are phenomenal and the story is a classic. My mother works with preschool aged children and when I went home for a visit I let her borrow it to read. She also loves the book and will be incorporating it in her classroom this fall. This is a great story about the strength of a true friendship that is full of compassion.

Read only the text, ignoring the illustrations I covered up the illustrations and started to just the words of the book. For about half of the story, the words alone in A Sick Day for Amos McGee can tell the story. The words explain Amos McGee’s daily life of getting up, getting ready, going to the zoo, and playing with the animals. Truthfully, the words alone work just fine until the page where it says, “Later that day…” Up until this point the storyline has stood alone without illustrations even if it was a little boring. However, starting on the “Later that day…” page, the words alone no longer tell a good enough story. Three pages of illustrations make up a huge section of the story without any words.

Since I had to skip these pages, I was just left with “Hooray! My good friends are here!” page. I missed so much. I was left wondering how the animals got to Amos McGee’s house and what animals came to the house? I felt disappointed that all I had were the words.

On the next few pages, the words did give me a sense of which animals were there, but it went back to the original boringness of just having words like the beginning of the story. Finally at the end of the story, I was again left wondering where the animals were going to sleep and if they had really stayed at Amos McGee’s house. I just don’t think this story without illustrations would make it on its own. The story line is just not a lively without the illustrations to help paint the picture of what is happening.

Read only the illustrations, ignoring the text I have now read this book six times and still the illustrations never cease to amaze me. It seems as if I always find something new in the illustrations that I didn’t see the other x amount of times I read it. As I read the story this time focusing on only the illustrations, I realized that the words were not really necessary to convey the overall message of being a good friend. Only the first few pages with Amos getting up and ready to go might be slightly confusing without words. This is due mostly to the fact that the reader is wondering who this man is and where in the world he is going. That confusion is fixed though on the page opposite the bus stop where the illustration clearly shows “City Zoo.” After that the message of the story is easily recognized through the illustrations.

The reader realizes that the man likes to hang out and help the zoo animals. As the story progresses, the universal red nose of being sick shows that the man will not be going anywhere today. The sad looks and poses the illustrator uses shows the reader that the animals are waiting for the nice man. Then the following pages show the animals taking matters into their own hands and go to find the man. These sets of pages are my favorite because even if I was reading the story with words, these pages have no words. They are completely left to the reader’s interpretation and thoughts. Finally, the remaining pages also do not require words for explanation. Up until the tea pages, the pages are just the same as the beginning ones at the zoo with the roles reversed. The animals are now being friendly and helping the man. The final page is perfect without words because the animals and man are all cuddle up together showing and sending the message that friends are always there for each other—no words necessary.

Before this reading of just the illustrations, I did not realize how important the background and setting of this book were. The background of Amos McGee’s house helps the reader realize where this man is. The additional background of the bus and city zoo put the setting in a city rather than a jungle where most of the animals in the book would be found. Also in more specific scenes like the penguin scene the background really adds to the disconnect the main penguin has with the other ones. All of the other penguins in the background have at least one other penguin with them whereas the penguin with Amos has no one else. The same goes for the scene with tea. The background helps the reader remember that all of these animals are in Amos McGee’s house.

The illustrations are just so intricate and detailed that they truly tell the story on their own. No words are necessary to show how strong the friendship and the compassion are between this group of animals and Amos McGee. Reading the illustrations only (Analysis of page “Hooray!...”

I truly feel that this book would appeal to children of any age and adults too. I didn’t see an age recommendation for this book, and I am glad I didn’t. I think very small children would enjoy the visual representations of the animals and the soft colors that are used. Older children would also appreciate the illustrations but would have an added understanding of the story of friendship behind the beautiful visual representations. Even adults can appreciate the intricate artwork and the meaning of true friendship, which most of us tend to forget.

Color: Color is very prominent on this two-page layout compared to the rest of the book. The majority

of the other backgrounds are completely black and white or have very little color. This background has a beautiful yellow striped wallpaper look. Although the eye is drawn to the beautiful yellow, the background color is not overwhelming and has soft fade marks in it to fit with the rest of the book for a rustic look. Other dominant colors in this spread shades of brown for the bigger animals and green for the turtle. These colors contrast well with the smaller black and white figure of Amos. Although he has green striped pajamas and a blue cover, the contrast of the completely colored animals shows with Amos McGee’s black and white body. Finally, this is one of the few pages without lots of white space. Only the floor, bed, and Amos are white spaces.

Line: All of the characters are outlined in a black pencil line. The only part of the whole scene that is not outlined in a black pencil line is the background wall that is yellow and white striped.

There are some vertical and horizontal lines on the wall, the floor, and the bed. All of the other lines are not sharp and have a more natural flow to them, which helps to enhance the characters realistic qualities of them. The intense contrast between the background sharp lines and the characters’ loose lines really helps to capture the audience’s attention.

Shape: The shapes on these pages vary greatly. The animals all have their individual shapes that are unique to the elephant, rhinoceros, turtle, owl, penguin, and even the small mouse and bird.

There are the rectangular shapes of the wallpaper; but other than that, there are not anymore uniformed shapes. The shapes do take up the whole page though especially the shapes of the animals and wallpaper.

Format: This is a “just right” size book. The book is large enough for a good visual effect and small enough that it is easy to hold not only for adults but also for children. The story varies from single page spreads to double page ones. This is a nice break and helps keep the reader interested. The placement of the text varies from top, middle, and bottom depending on the scene. On this spread, the text is in the middle right at about eye level. There are no endpapers so those do not affect the format.

Texture: The animals have the most texture. The rough texture is best shown in the elephant. The illustrator uses wrinkled line to make the texture of the elephant’s skin look real and like tough leather. This is a huge contrast from the texture of Amos and the background. Amos McGee’s skin looks soft and smooth like most human skin does. The background also appears to be smooth like that of real walls. The background isn’t very diverse in this scene, but the other scenes have elaborate illustrations that include other animals and landscapes.

Media and Style: According to the illustration insert on the cover, this illustrator uses “woodblock printing techniques and pencil.” If I didn’t know this already, I would have said that all of the illustrations had been done with pencils and colored pencils. The details are too intricate to have been done with anything else. There is a lot of color and black and white contrast that really adds to overall

effect and style.

Kristen Price June 26, 2011 LTC 8900 Illustrated Book Analysis A Sick Day for Amos McGee

Written by Philip C. Stead Illustrated by Erin E. Stead

Stead, Philip. (2010). A sick day for amos mcgee. New York: Roaring Book Press.

Reading the book straight through: I was very excited to read A Sick Day for Amos McGee for the first time since this was a book that I had not previously heard of. Before I began reading I looked at both the front and back covers and was instantly drawn to the book. I love the soft illustrations. My first impression is that Amos McGee is the man on the cover and somehow he is connected to the animals he is pictured with. I think my students would enjoy this book and find it humorous that the cover pictures a man playing cards with an elephant and a penguin.

As I began to read the book I could tell that the story was told from a narrator’s point of view and there are a few pieces of dialogue from Amos here or there. I like reading stories that are written this way aloud to my students.

The book starts out with Amos following what seems to be a morning routine while getting ready for work. He gets on the bus and takes it to the zoo. Since he is wearing what seems to be a uniform and he has his lunch box in one picture this leads me to believe he is a zookeeper at the zoo. The story takes us through each of his visits with the different animals.

He does different things with each animal. The things that he does are not what you would typically see a zookeeper doing with an animal. For example, on one page he plays chess with an elephant and on another he reads stories to an owl.

One day Amos wakes up with a cold and is unable to go to work. The next page shows us that the animals really seem to miss Amos and are concerned when he does not arrive at the zoo. The next three pages have little to no words on them. The illustrations on these pages tell the story. First the animals leave the zoo, then you see them waiting at the bus stop, and finally they are on the bus. On the next page Amos says “Hooray! My good friends are here!” This shows you how important the animals are to Amos. The animals and Amos do the things that they normally would do at the zoo, at Amos’ house. After a little while he is feeling better and the animals make and serve him tea. On the next page, Amos gets ready for bed. All of the animals and Amos say goodnight to each other. The book ends with another wordless page. The illustration on this page shows Amos and all of the animals sharing a bed.

There were a few things that I noticed with illustrations throughout the whole story. First

the red balloon and/or the mouse make an appearance on almost every page throughout this story. I found this to be somewhat interesting because on the cover you see the mouse holding the red balloon. If I were using this book for a read aloud, this is something that I might have my students look for. Also, on each page there may only be a two or three colors on the whole page.

I really like how this was done.

After reading this book for the first time straight through, I came to the conclusion that this was a sweet tale of the importance of being there for your friends. I felt that friendship was the overall theme of the story.

Reading only the text, ignoring the illustrations: The main character in the story is Amos McGee. For the most part the story makes sense reading only the text and not paying attention to the illustrations. However, there are three pages of the story that are wordless. This could cause some confusion for a child if he or she wore to read only the text without the pictures to guide them.

Reading only the illustrations, ignoring the text: The illustrations in my opinion make this book what it is. The illustrations really do tell the story and this book could stand on its own as a picture book without text. The only thing that I feel would be missing without the words is the dialogue. I actually really enjoyed the dialogue in the story. I felt it helped you understand the relationship Amos had with the animals a little better.

There were a couple pieces of information that I picked up from this story by looking at the illustrations that were not presented in the text. For example, the text never told the reader that Amos was a zookeeper. I assumed this by seeing that in the picture he was getting ready for work and putting on a uniform that looked like something a zookeeper would wear. He also got off the bus at the zoo carrying a lunch box which also led me to believe he worked at the zoo.

Also, without the illustrations the reader may not understand how the animals arrived at Amos’ house. The pictures show us that they left the zoo, boarded a bus, and arrived at his home.

Lastly, the text ends with all of the animals reading a bedtime story with Amos and saying goodnight. The last page of the story is another wordless page that shows the animals all sleeping soundly with Amos in his bed. If they were only reading the text, the reader may think that the animals returned to the zoo after they said goodnight to Amos but the illustration on the final page shows otherwise. This page really adds to the overall friendship theme of the book. It shows how close of a bond the animals have with Amos.

Analysis of Illustrations (pages 23-24) I analyzed the pages beginning with “The elephant prepared a game of chess…”

Color: The color choice used in the story was one of the first things I noticed about the illustrations. I felt that the use of color was so important to this story. On the pages that I analyzed I noticed that the illustrations are relatively black and white with the exception of three colors. There are only five or six colors used in the entire book. I think this gives the story a very simple routine feel much like the life that Amos lives. I like the way the author used color

on these two pages. You can see that there is a chess game going on and that they are playing in a bed but the subtle use of color draws your attention to Amos and the elephant on pg. 23 and Amos and the tortoise on pg. 24. In this story, the color is what helps the reader see the mood.

On the pages where Amos is sick there seems to be a lot less color used. When Amos’ friends arrive the picture is bright and full of color because he is happy. I also noticed that on the last page of the book the illustrator filled the page with color and left no white space. This is the only page in the book that is completely in color. I found this to be interesting. It almost gives an “everything is complete” feeling.

Lines: The illustrations in this book appear to have been done in pencil. Most of the lines in the illustrations are thin, very straight and the angles are defined. Amos, the elephant and the tortoise are essentially the only drawings on the two pages that have any curves to them. Again, I think this draws the reader to these objects because the lines are not as harsh and they are more appealing to the eye.

Shape: Much like with the lines in the illustrations the shapes in the pictures are very defined.

The different parts of each picture are proportionate with one another. For example, Amos looks very small sitting on his bed compared to the large elephant sitting on the floor next to him. On the next page the tortoise is also on the floor but compared to the elephant in the previous page he looks much smaller.

Texture: The texture of the illustrations is soft but also defined in a way. The use of colored pencil allows the illustrator to show a lot of detail on the illustrations. The pencil strokes show every wrinkle in the elephant and the bumpiness of the tortoise’s shell. Much like you would see if you were looking at the real life animal. Although the drawings are very detailed, I feel the use of shading give the illustrations a soft feel.

Format: It is evident that this book is a picture book by looking at the layout of the story. The illustrations were the first thing I noticed about each page. The words are at the top of the page in black, while the illustrations have color and your eyes are drawn to them as there is little color on the page. The author also used full page illustrations which is helpful for young readers.

Something I noticed throughout the story was that the words are almost part of the illustration.

On some pages the words are found on the trees or in the sky. I think this shows the importance of the illustrations overall.

Media and Style: It appears that the drawings in the illustrations were done with colored pencils. The focal points of each page, the elephant, tortoise, and Amos, were done in color and shaded darker than the rest of the drawings. For the most part the bed is white, with the exception of the lines and a little light gray shading on the bottom. The illustrator also used some light shadings on the ground to show shadows which I feel adds depth to the illustration. I think the colors that the

illustrator chose and the colored pencil shading that was used helps set the tone of the story. It is very light and happy.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading and analyzing this story. I feel this is a wonderful tale of friendship and shows readers what it means to be a good friend. I think this a great book for young readers. Even children who are still learning to read will be able to tell what is going on in the story by using the illustrations as a guide. I am looking forward to using this story in my own classroom.

Illustrated Book Analysis--Reddig C & I 8900 Literature Opportunities June 2011

A Sick Day for Amos McGee Written by Philip C. Stead Illustrated by Erin E. Stead

The front cover of this picture book eloquently sets the tone and pace and reflects the theme of friendship. The book captures the quiet dedication of Amos and his animal friends as each page adds a new dimension to their friendship. The muted colors and simple text invite the reader to enjoy the story as it unfolds. Instinctively, we mirror Amos’ unhurried pace as we make our way through the book and come to appreciate the loyalty and compassion Amos and his friends feel for each other and that they express through their actions more than their words.

Reading only the text The text reflects Hillman’s description of picture books when it uses short sentences, accessible vocabulary, and has a plot that is easy to follow. While all ages can appreciate this well written book, the target audience is young readers. Amos’ actions are predictable and make it easy for children to identify with him. The focus on action verbs captures the reader’s imagination and moves the story along. The alarm clock “clanged” and Amos “swung” out of bed. While Amos keeps his talking to a minimum, he does talk with the sugar bowl, a detail that children are likely to find amusing. The author emphasizes the predictability of Amos and his actions through absolute statements such as “every day” and “always.” The story reflects the story structure described in the Hillman text. The reader is introduced to Amos and gets to know him as a quiet, simple man who takes his work at the zoo very seriously. We are also introduced to the animals, one at a time and understand their special bond with Amos. The action begins to rise when Amos wakes up one morning too sick to go to work (the problem.) The animals wait for Amos to arrive and begin to feel his absence (the consequences of the problem). The animals make the bold decision to board the bus and visit Amos at his house. The climax is when the animals arrive at Amos’ house and are greeted by an excited Amos. The second half of the book reflects the falling action or resolution as the animals spend time with Amos and reaffirm their friendship. Amos feels better and shares a cup of tea with his friends. All is right with the world and the animals sleeping with Amos provide the final piece of closure.

Despite the sparse text, there are several examples of literary elements in the story. As Hillman suggests about many picture books, the animals are anthropomorphized when they take on the

role of Amos’ friends and act much like humans do. Amos even carries on a conversation with the animals in the second half of the book and, while Amos is the only one talking, it is most certainly not a one-sided conversation. Several of the words reflect onomatopoeia, such as “clanged” on the first page of text. The text also uses parallelism to reflect the two-sided nature of the friendship. The first part of the book describes Amos’s interaction with the animals at the zoo and the second half mirrors this interaction when the animals visit Amos at his home. We also see parallel sentence structure when the book describes how each of the animals are waiting for Amos to arrive. These separate, yet parallel sentences reinforce the special bond Amos has with each of the animals. We see the use of repetition and parallel structure when Amos says goodnight to each of the animals, further reinforcing his individual relationship with each animal. The text alone communicates a touching tale of friendship and could stand alone, but the illustrations provide a valuable compliment to the story.

Read only the illustrations The illustrations reflect the story of a simple, calm man who wakes up in the morning, gets dressed and rides the bus to the zoo. The reader gleans from the illustrations that Amos has few material possessions but the things that he does have stand out. We notice the teddy bear on his bed, indicating a soft side to Amos. We also notice the mouse under the bed holding his own alarm clock which hints at Amos’ connection with animals. Amos’ closet only contains one outfit and his kitchen is free from clutter. We do notice a framed picture of a penguin, again indicating his strong attachment to animals. The illustrations of Amos walking somehow convey his unhurried pace and his glance at his watch indicates that he is punctual and dependable. We initially are not sure from the illustrations why he is going to the zoo, but we soon discover Amos spending quality time with each of the animals. He intently plays chess with the elephant, cheers the tortoise on in his race to the finish line, sits with the penguin, and carefully wipes the rhinoceros’ nose. He ends the day by reading to the owl (and the mouse).

While the missing text does deprive us of some details, the lack of text also focuses our attention on details that might have been overlooked. We are more likely to notice that Amos has changed into tennis shoes with the tortoise, indicating that he may be participating in the race as well. We might also notice the red and blue socks on the penguin and that Amos has once again changed his shoes. Amos’ decision to wear different shoes based on the activities and habitat of the animals indicates that he is spending a significant amount of time with them, that he pays attention to details, and that his visits occur on a regular basis. As we shift to Amos’ house again, we might notice the mouse is still under the bed, along with bunny slippers (a little surprising for a grown man but somehow fitting for the Amos we have come to know.) We might also notice Amos is holding his teddy bear, perhaps a sign that he needs some comfort.

On the page with all of the animals, we may notice that their actions reflect their shared experiences with Amos. Even though we don’t yet know where the animals are going, we can make an educated guess that their departure from the zoo is significant. The animals also seem to share bonds with one another since the penguin is holding onto the elephant’s trunk as they walk.

Once the animals reach their destination, we can tell Amos is excited by the animated look on his face. Then, we see the animals interacting with Amos, each on their own page and in ways similar to their interactions at the zoo. We see the animals sharing tea with Amos, indicating that

Amos is indeed feeling better after a visit from his friends. The story ends with owl reading a book and then everyone (except the penguin) sleeping peacefully in Amos’ bedroom. We see the elephant holding the teddy bear with his trunk and the mouse tucked in under the rhinoceros’ scarf. The illustrations can stand alone and tell a delightful story of Amos and his friends.

Read the text aloud Reading the text aloud, I felt the slow, steady pace reflected in both the text and the illustrations.

I found myself stopping to study the illustrations again for something I missed before I turned the page. The action verbs reverberated and several other words caught my attention when they deviated from the simple text, such as “ambled” and “limbered up.” Overall, the text is quite easy to follow and yet it manages to keep even older readers’ attention because the story continues to progress and doesn’t get bogged down in unnecessary details.

Notice where the text breaks I noticed that the text always ends with a punctuation mark, so the breaks occur at a logical point where the reader will either stop or pause. I also noticed that most pages have one to two sentences and the text does not overwhelm the page or overshadow the action on the page. There is little direct interaction between the text and the illustrations even though they do complement one another. A few pages have no text but they occur later in the story and don’t come as shock to the reader who is already used to studying the illustrations for information.

Notice the illustrator’s choices The illustrator chooses to convey the action described in the text and also to capture the emotions of the characters. The relative size of the animals in comparison to Amos offers some funny situations but the realistic drawings of the animals help us to imagine Amos having these animals as friends. The jacket cover indicates that the illustrations are done with block printing and pencil. The details in the illustrations are amazing, especially considering that most of the details come from the pencil lines and shading. Another choice that stands out is the decision to put yellow and white stripes on the cover and continue them on the first two pages. We see the stripes again when the animals arrive at Amos’ home and then again at the very end of the story.

Since the stripes are absent from some of the pages where the action takes place in Amos’ room, we must assume the choice of when to include them is a deliberate one. Maybe the illustrator chose not to include the stripes on the pages where Amos is interacting individually with each of the animals so that our attention would be drawn to other details that might get lost in the stripes.

Read the colors Unlike many popular picture books, this one does not use vibrant colors to capture its young (or old) reader’s attention. Instead, the illustrator uses subdued colors in a reserved style. My eyes are drawn to the red balloon and I wonder about its significance when I see it again and again.

The subdued colors also help to create a calm, soothing tone that complements the slow pace of the book and reflects Amos’ personality. The fact that he wears green, typically a soothing color, further enhances the calm mood of the book. The consistency of colors used for Amos’ clothes, the penguin’s socks, the rhinoceros’ scarf, and even the handkerchief also reflect the consistency of the friendship shared by Amos and his friends and help to explain why the animals were unsettled by Amos’ absence. Even when this disruption to the normal routine

causes a significant shift in the story, the tone doesn’t change too much. The animals seem to calmly board the bus and even Amos, while initially excited to see his friends, settles back into his normal calm routine.

Read for the page layout The font size remains consistent except for one exception. Amos’ reaction to his friends arriving at his home is in slightly larger, bolded font and ends with two exclamation marks. This is quite a display of emotion for Amos! The only other deviation is the few times the text is written in all caps. The first sentence of the story is written in all caps as are the first few words of the sentence explaining that Amos is sick. The first sentence on the next page describing the animals as they wait for Amos to arrive is in all caps and the text on the next page, “LATER THAT DAY…” is also in all caps. The use of capital letters signifies a shift in the story and captures our attention. The capital letters come at the beginning of the story, as the action rises and just before the text stops for several pages. The lack of capital letters for the rest of the story indicates that the problem is resolved and Amos and his friends have restored (and probably strengthened) their bond.

Analysis of pages 25 and 26 This two page spread reflects the overall style, pace, and theme of the book. The author uses action verbs like “yawned” and “awoke” to slowly move the action along. The text is, as always, at the top of the page and is kept to a minimum so we focus our attention on the illustrations.

The muted colors are used sparingly and highlight the red balloon, the penguin’s colorful socks, and even Amos’ bare feet sticking out from under the covers. Even though the blue bedspread does cover a good portion of page 25, its muted color and repetitive pattern do not draw too much of our attention. Instead, we focus our attention on other details, such as the red noses of both Amos and the rhinoceros, indicating a common bond in the form of a runny nose! This time, the rhinoceros is the one to offer Amos the handkerchief. The presence of the red balloon, this time held by the penguin, brings the significance of the balloon into question. Why does the illustrator choose to include the balloon? Does it add a playful tone to the story? Is it a symbol of the zoo that the animals bring with them to Amos’ home? Is it meant to be a get well gift for Amos? On page 26, the penguin has let go of the balloon. He is rubbing his eyes and seems to be slowly waking up from his nap. The balloon, while not attached to anything or anyone, is still floating close to the action. The balloon seems to serve as a unifying image throughout the story.

The attention to detail with the pencil drawing and the shading is so precise. Even the bed frame receives shading as do Amos’ toes, fingers and hair. The two pages alone effectively communicate the quiet friendship and loyalty shared by Amos and his animal friends.

Emily Reichert Illustrated Book Analysis June 16, 2011

A Sick Day for Amos McGee Written by Philip C. Stead Illustrated by Erin E. Stead Stead, Philip. (2010). A sick day for amos mcgee. New York: Roaring Book Press.

A Sick Day for Amos McGee is a heart warming story about the power of friendship. It is also a lesson in treating others the way you would want to be treated. It shows that small acts of kindness towards your friends can help everyone feel better. Before reading this book, I was struck by the front cover illustration. It struck me how easy and real it looked to see an elephant and a penguin paying a card game on the floor. I saw that the man’s nose looked red so I predicted that he was Amos McGee. The red balloon held by the mouse was so bright and cheerful looking. Even though Amos looked like he wasn’t feeling well, he still had a small smile on his face as he was looking at the elephant. The back cover shows the entrance to the City Zoo and the animals walking towards it. I could already tell that kindness would play a role in this book because the elephant and penguin were holding hands. The colors on the front and back cover were almost light, as if they were made by a color pencil.

After analyzing the covers, I chose to read just the text without looking at the art. This was hard to do! Even though I found myself wanting to see those illustrations, I felt like the story could stand alone. The text was simple and straightforward. I noticed that when Amos played with the animals at the zoo, the author would put certain phrases in parenthesis.

- “He would play chess with the elephant (who thought and thought before making a move), run races with the tortoise (who never lost), etc…

When the animals visited Amos the acts were reversed. The elephant still played chess with Amos, but it was Amos who thought and thought before making a move. Since Amos was too tired for a race, the tortoise played hide and seek with Amos.

When the animals surprised Amos at his home, the text was very simple but showed emotion with the exclamation marks.

- “Horray! My good friends are here!”

It is at this point that the story almost repeats itself except it is now the animals who are being good friends to Amos. There is a sense of friendship being reciprocal.

I also noticed that there was not a lot of dialogue taking place between Amos and the animals.

The setting occurs in 2 main places: Amos McGee’s home and the city zoo. Amos and the zoo

characters are the central characters in the book. He spends equal time with each of them. The problem occurs when Amos becomes ill and he is not able to go to work one day. The animals wait for him, but then they decide to visit Amos at his home. The animals take on his role by doing those same things that Amos does when he goes to work each day. The story comes to a conclusion by Amos stating that he is beginning to feel much better.

Next, I chose to do read the book’s illustrations and not the text. I noticed that animals are always present around Amos. He wears bunny slippers, has a teddy bear, a house mouse, and a picture of a penguin on the wall. There is even a rabbit reading the newspaper on the number five bus. By just focusing on the illustrations I became very aware of Amos’s facial expressions.

Through the illustrations, the reader really gets to know Amos in a way that they wouldn’t if they just read the text. When playing games with the zoo animals, Amos looks so content, kind, and thoughtful. I love how Amos and the penguin have the same body language as they sit quietly.

The red balloon always seems like it is a present reminder of friendship. I love the last illustration because there are no words, but you can tell that everyone is happy and content just by being together. The balloon looks like it is leaving the window. The penguin is looking at it, almost symbolizing that they did their best to cheer up their good friend Amos. The colors throughout the book are subtle and not at all overwhelming. The subtlety allows the reader to analyze facial expressions, body language, and the detail in her drawings.

Two page analysis - page 27 and 28 The text states that Amos suggests that they all share a pot of tea. The picture shows this in action. Amos is out of his bed for the first time and the animals are taking good care of him by bringing him tea. Even though the text does not state it, you could almost feel through the picture that they are waiting on him hand and foot. The picture also suggests that they might be having a conversation. The animals never converse with Amos, but the pictures suggest that they have that relationship on a different level through their actions.

Artistic Elements Color - The colors are very light with a mixture of pencil gray shading. The animals are colored with the exception of the small bird and mouse and this makes them “pop” out of the white space. Amos McGee’s nose has a small hint of red color to show that he is not feeling well.

There is a lot of white space in the background. The color is not overwhelming and seems very simplistic. This fits nicely with the simplicity of the story’s theme of friendship.

Line - The characters are not outlined in black, but rather the color of a soft gray pencil marking.

The characters are very delicate, even the large elephant and rhinoceros. They appear life like and very human. The large animals look at ease sitting on the small stools of the kitchen table.

The kitchen tables and chairs and walls look like they were sketched with a pencil and outlined in gray markings.

Format - I believe the format of this book is a “just right” size for the reader. The illustration on pages 27 and 28 covers both pages and it is large enough to capture a child’s attention and imagination. The words are placed in the upper left hand corner and help set up the tea that the animals are sharing in the picture. The front cover and back cover illustration help set up the

story and allow for predictions and questions.

Shape - The shape of the characters take up the two page spread. The animals take on human qualities as the owl pours tea, the turtle balances the tea tray on his back, and the penguin, elephant and rhinoceros lounge comfortably on the chairs.

Texture - The illustrator creates texture through the shading of the animals’ skin. There is also a rough quality to Amos’s hair and the kitchen tables. There is shading on the floor and the table is round with characters sitting all around it, therefore the scene doesn’t feel flat.

Media and Style: The illustrations look as if they are made through pencil/colored pencils.

According to the information about the illustrator, she used woodblock printing as well as pencil.

The illustrations on these pages appear light and delicate. It appears that she was trying to create a friendly and light mood. These are old friends sitting down to have some tea. Their expressions and body language show warmth and comfort. The hints of color seem “just right” for the story. It isn’t overwhelming and does not take away from the message of the story.

I would definitely recommend this book to others. The illustrations are done in such a way that I have not seen before. These illustrations beg the reader to examine them. There is so much to see that you really do need to read this book multiple times to take it all in. I love the message of this book.

Rebecca Rembold Illustrated Book Analysis June 26, 2011

A Sick Day for Amos McGee Written by Philip C. Stead Illustrated by Erin E. Stead

In general, I think I have read most of the Caldecott winning picture books. Many of them are in my classroom library and I use them as exemplar texts as I teach reading and writing mini-lessons throughout the school year. However, I had not even heard of A Sick Day For Amos McGee before I was assigned to read it for this course. After reading it through several times, I have really grown to like it. The characters are all very sweet, and it is a simple, thoughtful story about friendship and how much friends mean to one another.

Read the book straight through It took me a couple times of reading this book straight through to really understand it.

This book is really about friendship, and being there for your friends. Amos is a man who lives by himself. He follows the same routine each day, as he gets ready for his job at the zoo. The animals at the zoo are Amos’ friends, and in the story, they take on some very human characteristics as they interact with him. Amos does the same thing with each animal each day.

First, he plays chess with the elephant. In parentheses after the sentence, it says “who thought and thought before making a move.” The illustration shows the elephant sitting on a chair across the table from Amos. The way his body is positioned and the way his trunk is curled make him look like he is contemplating his next move. Next, Amos runs races with the tortoise. In parentheses, it says “who never ever lost.” The illustration shows Amos cheering on the tortoise, who is crossing the finish line with a look of triumph on his face. On the next page, Amos sits quietly with the penguin (who was very shy). The illustration shows Amos and his penguin

friend, removed from the other penguins. The way the penguin is standing, and the downward tilt of his head, definitely makes him look shy or scared. I think it is so interesting how the illustrator is able to take the different animals and make them take on very human emotions. Then, Amos lends a handkerchief to the rhinoceros (who always had a runny nose). The rhino really does look sick. I assumed he had a cold, but we learn later on that it is allergies. Lastly, Amos read stories to the owl (who was afraid of the dark). Perched on a tree branch next to a street lamp, the bespectacled owl listens intently as Amos reads to him. In addition to the owl wearing glasses, the rhinoceros in the last illustration was wearing a scarf, and the penguin before that was wearing socks. I am not sure why some animals are wearing articles of clothing and others are not; maybe the illustrator added these to make the animals appear more human-like?

On the next page, Amos awakes with a cold. He does not go in to work, which causes the animals to worry and wonder where he could be. All the animals are pictured together, looking upset, worried and lonely as they go about their day, doing their same activities, but without their friend. The next page has the words “Later that day…” with an illustration of the animals leaving the zoo. The next two spreads have no words, just an illustration of the animals waiting at the bus stop, then them on the bus. Next, we see a delighted Amos in bed, greeting his zoo friends (who seem a little large to fit in his house). On the next several pages, Amos and his friends take part in their usual activities, but at Amos’ house instead of the zoo. This time, their roles are reversed.

Amos thinks and thinks at chess, the penguin sits with him, the owl reads him a book, etc. The last page of the book shows all the zoo animals in a darkened room, sleeping soundly gathered around Amos’ bed.

Read only the text, ignoring the illustrations For the most part, I think the text could stand alone. You would not know some of the details of the story, like what Amos looked like, or what his house or neighborhood looked like, but you would get to know Amos. You would know that he followed the same routine each day, wore a clean pressed uniform, and worked at the City Zoo. However, the pages of the book where the animals leave the zoo and hop a bus to Amos’ house have no words, other than “Later that day…” If there were no illustrations, that part of the book would be totally lost.

Read aloud, listening to the sound of the text I think this would be an easy book to read aloud. Each page has a good amount of words, not too may and not too few. Each page gives you a bit more information about Amos, and the illustrations show that. When you are introduced to the zoo animals, there are fewer words per page, (each page is a new character) which makes you turn the pages a bit quicker.

Read for colors At first, I was turned off by the colors in this book. I thought they made the book look old and worn, and they didn’t seem appealing. The illustrations have very soft, muted tones and are sparse. Pale blues, yellows, peaches, browns and greens are used in the illustrations, but only for certain things. On the page where Amos ambles out the door, the tree is brown and orange, the house is blue, and Amos’ suit looks to be a dull shade of green. Everything else has lacks color. I wondered why the illustrator made some of the choices she did and at first, I thought that maybe only the important things were given color, to accentuate the imporatnt things and let the rest fade away into the background. However, then on other pages, that didn’t really make sense. For

example, on the page with Amos and the rhino, why was the rhino’s scarf colored a bold red, when the handkerchief Amos used to wipe the rhino’s nose had no color? All questions aside, my thoughts about the color and illustraions changed after I read the book several times. The soft colors allow the message of the story to come through, and let the simple, sweet characters and their relationships take center stage.

Analysis of page 29 and 30:

Artistic Elements: Color: I think one of the most interesting things about the illustrations in this book are the colors the illustrator chose. Very soft, muted colors were used, which almost give the illustrations the look of being from a book from the fifties or sixties. I thought it was an old book at first when I picked it up. I also find it interesting that not all the elements in the illustrations have color. This two page spread is probably one of the most colorful in the entire book, but even it has some elements without any color: the floor, the bear with the alarm clock, the bird, and Amos’ body.

Line: Some of the characters anditems on the page are outlined in black, but others are outlined in a darker shade that matches their coloring. For example, the elephant is outlined in a slightly darker shade of peach. However, the red balloon and Amos himself are outlined in a dark charcoal/black color. I think overall, using coordinating colors to outline things give the illustrations a soft appearance.

Shape: The background of these pages is a wallpapered wall with sharp lines,and Amos’ bed also is comprised of sharp, dark lines. However, the characters have softer lines and have pleasing shapes. The elephant’s trunk is wrapped softly around the owl, and is being held by Amos. The round balloon tied to the bedpost is floating gently above the characters. The way the blanket is tucked around Amos looks soft and inviting as well. Overall, I think the shape of the elements of this two-page spread contributes to sense of calm and relaxation.

Format: I think this book is the right size for a child to hold, or to hold up as a read aloud. In general, the text is always at the top of the pages (with the exception of the wordless pages).

Most pages have new text and illustrations on each page, with each page functioning independently of the others, except for the two-page spread on pages 27 and 28, and these two pages, 29 and 30. When all of the animals are in the same room and doing things together, I think it is necessary to devote both pages to the illustrations.

Texture: The pencil shading the author used in this book contributes to the texture on the pages.

The elephant, rhinoceros, owl, penguin, and tortoise are all shaded with just one color, but the variations in the color and the inclusion of some white space add to the textured look of their skin or feathers. The outline of the stripes on the wall in the background also give the room some dimension and the illustrations texture.

Illustrated Book Analysis--Streeter C & I 8900 Literature Opportunities June 24, 2011

A Sick Day for Amos McGee Written by Philip C. Stead Illustrated by Erin E. Stead

Reading the books text and ignore the illustrations and listening to the sound of the text: The text in A Sick Day for Amos McGee can stand alone without the help of the illustrations. The characters are mentioned in the text along with their actions. Since the reader has a limited view of the characters’ dimensions, I would say all the characters in this book are flat characters. Several places in the text it shows how Amos helps out or spends time with the animals at the zoo. However, at the end of the book, the text tells about how the animals help Amos out at his house. The author chose great verbs to describe the characters’ actions. The author did not repeat the same verbs over and over again, but picked different words to convey the same meaning. Some of the verbs I enjoyed from the text are: swung, swapped, clanged, amble, and lend. The text in the book sometimes repeats phrases about the animals. For example, “The elephant…, The tortoise…, The penguin…, The rhinoceros…, and The owl…” represents a part where "the" is repeated along with the animal the sentence is about. This next phrase is also repeated many times on the same page, “And goodnight to the (animal).

I also realized that most of the time the text was written in the top middle of the page or in the top left hand corner of the page. Only once in the entire story is the text placed in the bottom left hand corner of the page. Some of the sentences from the story are not completed on one page. Some of the sentences in the text are strung over a few pages on the story. I believe this is done to keep the reader interested in the story and to keep reading the text.

Lastly, I am not for sure if the author was trying to be humorous in a certain part of the text, but I found it very entertaining. This part takes place near the end of the text, where Amos

and all the animals are getting ready for bed. This is what is said in the text, “And goodnight to the owl, who – knowing that Amos was afraid of the dark – read a story aloud before turning out the light.” I liked how the author explains that owl is the animal who is going to read the book.

The main reason for my enjoyment is that “who” can be taken two different ways. It could mean who – like a person or who – the sound that an owl makes. I do not know if the author intended for this to happen, but I rather like its placement in the text.

I found several elements of fiction in this text. First, the plot of the story is in a linear sequence. The text includes the problem that the animals cannot be with Amos and are lonely, so they solved their problem by going to Amos’ house. The theme that I believe that comes from this book is of friendship and that friends can come in all shapes and sizes. The mood from the text is one of love, caring, and calmness. There does not seem to be a sense of urgency in this story. I would say that the story comes from the omniscient point of view, because the author uses all the characters to keep the story and the plot moving.

Read only the illustrations, ignoring the text and read to notice the illustrator’s choices: From the illustrations in the book, I believe that the pictures convey all the meaning and possibly more than the text did in the story. The illustrations added small humorous details and the characters’ expressions that the text did not present. The setting of the story was easily seen by the illustrations. The setting either took place at Amos’ house, the bus ride, or at the city zoo.

The settings timing was evident throughout the whole story, with Amos waking up two times and two times having a bed time story read.

The illustrations go along with the text that is written on the page. Sometimes there are two page spreads that do not include any text, but the illustrations convey the meaning of the story. I noticed that the illustrator did not have every single page in full color. It looks like she sketched each picture with a pencil. Then decided what parts of the illustration needed color.

Most of the things that are colored in the story are the characters. When the author uses colors, the color is very light and subtle. This creates a very soothing mood for the text and plot.

Reading the Illustrations – Only the Last Page Color: This one page spread is in total color; even the parts that are supposed to be white have a hint of shading. The only exception is the sliver of the moon out the window. It is solid white.

This is one of the few pages of the story that is entirely colored. The colors on this page are not bright, but dull. It appears that the whole illustration is darkened by a light shape of blue, to create the feeling of night and/or sleepiness.

Line: Most of the objects in this illustration are outlined lightly with black. The black outlining is very subtle on this page. The elephant’s back is not outlined in black, but outlined by the colors of the wall behind the elephant. The unanimated objects on this layout have straight, leveled lines; however, the living beings have curved and rounded lines to make the illustrations look alive.

Shape: The main focus on this page is in the middle and to the right. There is not a uniform shape to all the things in this picture. Each animal has its own shape that makes it easily recognizable even to young children. The background is created by vertical columns on the wallpaper alternating with yellow and white.

Format: This book is the right size for the audience of children. It is easy to hold and maneuver, especially without the book jacket. The endpapers of the story are a calming shade of blue that gets the reader ready for the delicate and loving story. Both the text and illustrations are used in

a way to keep the reader wanting more and building excitement about the animals leaving the zoo.

Texture: This one page illustration conveys smooth textures through the use of fully filling in all the space on the page. Also, making sure the whole animal is colored in gives the animal the appearance of being smooth. However, the illustrator did use some rough textures on this page.

The owl’s feathers seem to have a rougher texture because of the lines used to make the outline of the feathers. Another example of a rough texture is of the elephant’s tail. The illustrator seems to want the elephant’s tail to be stringy and coarse.