Rosie's Glasses
Picture Book Read Aloud
book summary
I used to avoided reading wordless picture books with my class because, after all, what was there to read? I have since had my eyes opened to the vast number of wordless picture books that brilliantly written and have a great message to share with my students. One of the books I have to thank for transforming my opinion of wordless picture books is Rosie’s Glasses.
The illustrations in this book are very well done and in most of them there is a lot going on because the story they are telling is not simple and shallow. The illustrations guide the reader through the plot and clearly deliver the author’s message without the use of a single written word.
One of the beautiful things about wordless picture books is they allows you to be the co-author of the story and it see it as you wish to. But, the basic story line of this text is…Rosie wakes up one morning and is feeling “blue”. She is having a bad day that just seems to be getting worse until she happens to find a pair of magic glasses. She puts the glasses on and is amazed at the difference in the way the world looks. Are the glasses magic? Or can we, as humans, change the way we view the world by just simply changing our perspective?
I’ve already mentioned the illustrations in this book, but I can’t say enough good things about them. As you know, the illustrations in a picture book are just as important to the reader’s understanding as the text….well, in this book, the illustrations are everything! At first glance, the illustrations appear deceptively simple, but with a closer examination they have a depth that truly captures the mood and experiences of the character that words are not needed!
suggested teaching point
In wordless picture books, symbolism plays an important part in telling the story. On page 1, guide students to notice the symbolism in the illustrations.
As this story begins, we notice that Rosie has a black cloud above her head. The cloud shown in the illustration is a symbol the author is using to show the reader that Rosie is going to have a bad day. If you look out the window, you will see that it is raining. This is another use of symbolism to show that Rosie is going to have a bad day. Take notice of the big frown that Rosie has on her face.
Looking for more teaching points for this book and other similar books? Check out more Interactive Read Aloud Lessons HERE
