PPBF: All The Lost Things

Happy Friday; today I'm thinking about hope.


It's an anchor, a bridge, an antidote.
It's passion. It's patience. It's power.
It's freedom. And it's light.


Title: All The LOST Things
Author/Illustrator: Kelly Canby
Publisher: Peter Pauper Press
Birth Date: June 1, 2015
Suitable for: ages 4-8 (and up!)
Themes: curiosity, generosity, hope
Brief synopsis: In the hustle and bustle of an ordinary day, Olive takes a walk and finds a secret hideaway that holds some incredible lost things. And in an act that's beyond ordinary, Olive recovers five keepers, not for herself, but to bless others.  
Opening page: Olive went for a walk.

Resources:
Publisher's Teaching Guide {here}
Phillip Grutzner reads it aloud {here}
The Parenting Patch book review {here}

Why I like this book: First of all, I like it because my friend Tanya recommended it, so I said to myself that if she likes it, I'll like it. She's planning to use it with her young friends when school resumes, to open up the conversation of what we've lost (and found!) during our stay-at-home time. Second, I went to Amazon to order it and I found that it was published on my birthday five years ago, so that's fun. Third, it is a brilliant story featuring a colorful, spunky girl whose curiosity leads to her generously thinking outside of herself to give joy and bring hope to others. What's not to love?

For fun, I might start with the idea of finders keepers, losers weepers. Is it okay that the Box Lady lets Olive go through someone else's stuff to find her treasures? That's always an interesting discussion with younger learners.

Then, I'd go straight to the meat of the matter with questions like:
What do you think Olive is going to find that she needs?
What have you lost that you wish you'd find again?

And very quickly, readers will realize that Olive isn't searching for stuff for herself at all. She fills up five jars with the things (which aren't really material things at all) that she has noticed that others in her orbit have lost:

Memory. 
Humor. 
Eyesight. 
The Way. 
Hope.

How do you think these gifts make the recipients feel?


Talk about the virtue of hope.
Ask your superheroes to define hope.

Can you actually give someone hope? If so, how?
What's your favorite quote or saying about hope?
What is the difference between hoping, wishing, dreaming?

Ventriloquist Dennis Lee rocks his explanation of HOPE {here}.

Unpack Olive's other treasured finds; what, if anything, 
did the author miss in her discussion about these incredible gifts?

I might also use this story to spotlight curiosity;
it'd be the perfect springboard for a passion project.
What are you curious about and want to research?
What are your essential questions about your project?
Does a similar project already exist?
What will you want accomplish with your research?
What's a hurdle or obstacle that might get in your way?

One little read-aloud; so many take-aways.
I can't wait to hear what you think about this find.

Now head to Susana Hill's blog for her adorable sandcastle pick
on our last PPBF before summer break.

Happy Fri-yay, dear reader.

Enjoy your day; stay healthy, happy, and hopeful.    






4 comments

  1. I missed this one when it originally came out, but it sounds like a perfect book for our times. Thanks for featuring this older title, as I think books often only get reviewed early on, something that makes me a little sad when I think of how many good books disappear off the radar after launch.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for stopping by the Corner; I missed it when it came out, too, so I was grateful when Tanya scouted it out for us!

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  2. What a treasure! I love this book and the unconventional things Olive collects. Ppretty deep, but I know children will get it. I love anything that teaches kids about virtues. Excellent suggestions about the many ways this book can be used with children! Can't wait to get a copy!

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  3. You found SO many other great themes within to focus on. Love it! :)

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I really enjoy hearing from my readers; thanks for sharing your reflections with us!