Shake It Off! written and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, published by Nancy Paulsen Books (PRH).
Look at the joy in this little goat! She loves to sing. But unfortunately, not all the neighbors enjoy her voice. She seems to ignore their negativity until the day this little goat falls into the hole of an old well.
Since no one could conceive of a good enough plan to rescue her, they decide to leave her there. Despair! But no.
With every shovel of dirt and the negativity that comes with it, this little goat shakes... She shakes off the dirt. She shakes off their hurtful words. And she packs it all firm underneath her. The neighbors may have given up on her. But she does not give up on herself. She takes their filth and uses it in her favor. This little goat packs so much dirt underneath herself, she walks right out of that hole on her own!
Author-illustrator Vanessa Brantley-Newton also likes to sing. And her talent for words and rhythm results in an energetic and endearing narrative. Her illustrations equally sing. The lively artwork on each page is a combination of, among other tools, hand-drawn images and collage work. She cleverly incorporates printed text in the illustrations to further the message of how words can lift you up or put someone down... and as such, must be chosen carefully and used wisely.
Shake It Off! is a valuable and entertaining read that would enhance any home, school, or classroom library.
Imagine It!
In this story, the goat sings to herself every time she feels dirt on her head, "Shake it off. Pack it under. Shake it off. Pack it under." And she does exactly what she sings. In the illustrations of this scene, the reader notices words mixing with dirt and gradually filling the hole.
Now that you know the little goat better, imagine all the kind words you can to describe her. Draw a picture of the goat and write these words all around her.
Or, cut out words, sentences, paragraphs, from a magazine or a newspaper and paste them on a piece of paper around your drawing of the goat (or a photo of one).
Now, imagine someone else: a pet, a friend, a classmate, a grown-up, anyone. Draw or find an image of them and do the same exercise. You could write your own words in fancy, fun, or colorful letters or cut out words you find in printed materials.
Imagine how happy your words could make someone feel!
And I hope you also do this activity for yourself. I'll get you started... You are WONDERFUL!
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