Module 2 Classic Literature: The Snowman and Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs

The Snowman

Bibliographic Information
Briggs, R. (1978). The snowman. New York: Random House. 

Summary
The Snowman is a wonderful, wordless story of a boy and his snowman.  One morning the boy wakes to find snow falling and his yard covered in a blanket of white.  He spends the day building a snowman, and when the boy goes to sleep that night, the snowman comes to life in his dreams.  They go on a truly incredible adventure, rummaging around the house, riding on a motorcycle, and finally the pair flies through the air and joins other snowmen.  Sadly, the boy wakes in the morning only to find the sun shining brightly and the remains of his snowman lying in a melted heap outside. 

Impressions
This book seems magical to me.  The illustrations make me feel like I'm really in a winter wonderland, like I'm six-years-old and looking out the window at the wonder of everything covered in snow.  These images are almost dreamlike and convey the message of the story perfectly.  The absence of words invites readers to use their imagination to interpret the story, and I believe it also makes it easy for children to see themselves in the role of the boy, flying through the night in the snow. 

Review 
PreS-Gr 3–Language is unnecessary to understand the affection between a boy and his snowman—and the child’s sadness when the creature melts. In between, however, onlookers are swept up in the wonders of electricity, false teeth, skateboards, and the twosome’s marvelous nighttime flight. Small panels propel the motion; panoramas slow it down. 

Review Reference
Lukehart, W. (2011, April 1). [Review of The Snowman, by R. Briggs]. Wordless
     books: Picture perfect. School Library Journal. Retrieved from
     http://www.slj.com/2011/04/collection-development/wordless-books-
     picture-perfect/

Library Use
~This book could be used to introduce wordless books and to teach young students how to read and interpret pictures to understand a story.  It could be carried over to books with words to emphasize the importance of illustrations and show how pictures help tell the story, even in books with words.
~The Snowman could be part of a winter book display in the library.



Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs 

Bibliographic Information
dePaola, T. (1978). Nana upstairs & nana downstairs. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons.

Summary
Tommy is a small boy who loves spending time with his grandmother, Nana Downstairs, and his great grandmother, Nana Upstairs.  During his weekly visits, Tommy always runs up the stairs to see Nana Upstairs, where they eat candy and play games together.  One day his mother tells Tommy that Nana Upstairs has died.  He tries to understand what that really means and cope with the loss of his beloved great grandmother. 

Impressions
I think this book is a wonderful story and introduces children to loss in a way they can understand.  It is a very touching story, one that a variety of kids can relate to and connect with, a story that will spark meaningful conversations in the classroom. 

Review 
Ages 3-7. Originally published in 1973, this autobiographical picture book was one of the first to introduce very young children to the concept of death. Given its graceful treatment of a difficult subject, it has been a parental staple ever since, and a new generation of readers will be glad to discover this timeless tale in a lovely new edition. In an appended note, dePaola says he approached this project "as a completely new book." Thus, the format is larger than formerly, the pictures have been re-done in full color, and even the text has been slightly modified, though the story remains the same: every Sunday four-year-old Tommy's family goes to visit his grandparents. His grandmother is always busy downstairs, but his great-grandmother is always to be found in bed upstairs, because she is 94 years old. Tommy loves both of his Nanas and the time he spends with them. He is desolate when his upstairs Nana dies, but his mother comforts him by explaining that 'she will come back in your memory whenever you think about her." Although dePaola's book is a nostalgic tribute to his own family, its theme--that not only people but our love for them survives in our memories--is universally true and important. 

Review Reference

Cart, M.  (1998, Feb. 15). [Review of Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs, by T.

     DePaola]. Booklist. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/

     ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA20395203&v=2.1&u=txshracd2679&it=r&p=

     LitRC&sw=w&asid=b7da7cfe4f012b0aa2d19c13768f07d6

Library Use
~I would use this book to teach the Memoir genre, showcasing it as a model of stories that are real memories but are written like stories. 
~This title could also be used to compare several Tommy dePaola books during an author study.