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Pecan Pie Baby
By: Jacqueline Woodson
Illustrated By: Sophie Blackall
Publisher: Penguin Group; Putnam Juvenile
Copyright: 2010
Genre: Fiction, Picture Book, Multicultural Literature
Grade Level: Kindergarten- 2nd grade
Brief Synopsis:
Gia is tired of hearing about the new baby. It hasn't even been born yet, but everyone, even her friends, seem fixated on it. Gia thinks things are fine just the way they are! And she's worried: if the baby's such a big deal now, what's going to happen to Gia's nice, cozy life with Mama once it's born? Beloved author Jacqueline Woodson and Sophie Blackall have created a heartwarming story for kids adjusting to the idea of a new family member. Young readers will be reassured by Gia's eventual understanding that the baby won't ruin the special bond she has with her mom, and might even be a sweet addition to the family.
About the Author:
Jacqueline Woodson- she is the author of many award winning books. Through her stories she likes to show how love can come in many forms. Woodson currently lives in Brooklyn, where she writes full-time and can be found in the mornings hanging out in Prospect Park with her dog, Maus. She says she was inspired to write Pecan Pie Baby when "Jackson-Leroi – our son – was on the way and Toshi – our daughter – had decided, once she knew it was a boy, that she didn’t want a baby in the house after all. By then, of course, it was way, way, way too late. She’s since come to like him but she does complain about him breaking her toys! And yes, both of them love pecan pie. But I actually don’t like it very much."
Sophie Blackall- She began as an illustrator for magazines mostly, and made paintings for art exhibitions. When she had two children she moved from Sydney, Australia to New York and did her first book Ruby's Wish.
Themes: - Coping with a new baby
- The role of being an older sibling
- Highlighting family traditions
- Easing a child's nerves about losing a parent's attention
Pre-Reading Activities:
- Have students brainstorm, using their own graphic organizers, their own special family traditions. These can include anything...just things that they do with their loved ones that are special to them. This will get them thinking of how each family is special in its own way.
- Have two students get together to compare and contrast their families. In modern times it is evident that families come in may different shapes and sizes. A classroom can become even more accepting of each other with this activity because they will able to see visually what they have in common and what differences make them unique. This will also help them to compare and contrast their family to the family in Pecan Pie Baby as it is being read.
Post Reading Activities:
- Students will fill in a "Pecan Pie" with all of the ingredients (details) from the story. This will allow them to practice retelling a story after they have read it. They can bullet their details and list as many things from the story that they remember without looking back in the book. The paper "pecan pies" will be displayed around the room for students to refer to if they forget how to recall details in a story.
- Students will re-read the story and highlight special words or phrases that the characters say that may express their feelings. Ex. in the story Gia refers to the baby as a "ding-dong baby" many times. How does this express what Gia is feeling? This can be done in small groups with teacher assistance if needed.
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Reflection: This is a cute story to relieve children's stresses about a new baby arriving in their family. It would be good for parents and teachers alike for this purpose. I like the authors addition of personal experiences to add to the family in this story. The way the characters speak to each other really reflect on their personalities. I love that they come up with a nick name for the baby, and that the baby already has something in common with the sister before it is even born. This book will settle a lot of kid's fears of losing their parent's attention when their is a new addition to the family. The illustrations are also very welcoming to young readers. This book made me realize that it is important to include stories to help students cope in the classroom library.
Links:
Jacqueline Woodson- she is the author of many award winning books. Through her stories she likes to show how love can come in many forms. Woodson currently lives in Brooklyn, where she writes full-time and can be found in the mornings hanging out in Prospect Park with her dog, Maus. She says she was inspired to write Pecan Pie Baby when "Jackson-Leroi – our son – was on the way and Toshi – our daughter – had decided, once she knew it was a boy, that she didn’t want a baby in the house after all. By then, of course, it was way, way, way too late. She’s since come to like him but she does complain about him breaking her toys! And yes, both of them love pecan pie. But I actually don’t like it very much."Sophie Blackall- She began as an illustrator for magazines mostly, and made paintings for art exhibitions. When she had two children she moved from Sydney, Australia to New York and did her first book Ruby's Wish.Themes: - Coping with a new baby
- The role of being an older sibling
- Highlighting family traditions
- Easing a child's nerves about losing a parent's attention
Pre-Reading Activities:
- Have students brainstorm, using their own graphic organizers, their own special family traditions. These can include anything...just things that they do with their loved ones that are special to them. This will get them thinking of how each family is special in its own way.
- Have two students get together to compare and contrast their families. In modern times it is evident that families come in may different shapes and sizes. A classroom can become even more accepting of each other with this activity because they will able to see visually what they have in common and what differences make them unique. This will also help them to compare and contrast their family to the family in Pecan Pie Baby as it is being read.
Post Reading Activities:
- Students will fill in a "Pecan Pie" with all of the ingredients (details) from the story. This will allow them to practice retelling a story after they have read it. They can bullet their details and list as many things from the story that they remember without looking back in the book. The paper "pecan pies" will be displayed around the room for students to refer to if they forget how to recall details in a story.
- Students will re-read the story and highlight special words or phrases that the characters say that may express their feelings. Ex. in the story Gia refers to the baby as a "ding-dong baby" many times. How does this express what Gia is feeling? This can be done in small groups with teacher assistance if needed.
Blogger Graphics
Reflection: This is a cute story to relieve children's stresses about a new baby arriving in their family. It would be good for parents and teachers alike for this purpose. I like the authors addition of personal experiences to add to the family in this story. The way the characters speak to each other really reflect on their personalities. I love that they come up with a nick name for the baby, and that the baby already has something in common with the sister before it is even born. This book will settle a lot of kid's fears of losing their parent's attention when their is a new addition to the family. The illustrations are also very welcoming to young readers. This book made me realize that it is important to include stories to help students cope in the classroom library.
Links:
I think a lot of students have this problem; that they're the older sibling and it's only been just them, until now. When I was student teaching in 2nd grade, there was a boy who had a new baby sister soon after school started. Though he was used to having new siblings around, this book could probably have helped him out. Even if a child started out being the only child and had a new sibling soon after, they could use this book to reflect on how they first felt when first finding out about a new baby.
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