Transcript Margie Palatini - Appalachian State University

Margie Palatini
Author & Illustrator
By: Kellie Dimmette
RE 5140
Childhood
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Grew Up: Edison, New Jersey
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Favorite Childhood Books:
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Favorite Childhood TV Shows
“Bugs Bunny”
“I Love Lucy” (still watches it today!)
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Has 1 sister and 1 brother
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As a child she was always drawing pictures, making up stories, and acting out plots she made
up.
The Little Engine that Could
Alice in Wonderland
The Wizard of Oz
Little Women
“I was always putting on plays or puppet shows, making up stories and characters. I created
scenes, settings and dialogue all the time. Only not on paper.”
Education
Elementary
“I had a wonderful teacher in the 3rd and 4th grade named Hilda Farwell
who read to us every day. She didn’t just read-she brought the
characters to life.”
Middle School
She made attempts at creative writing in middle school, but her
teachers were not impressed. She wrote Pimple Capone and His Gang of
Blackheads and a biography of Edgar Allen Poe. She decided that her
writing was going to have to be more serious so she put her humor to
the side.
College
She attended Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia where
she studied art.
After College
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After college she worked at several advertising agencies as an art
director. She married her boss and they later had a son named Jamie.
Writing Career
Jamie, her son, inspired her to begin writing funny stories once again.
When he was three years old she read him one of her old manuscripts that
she found in the attic. This manuscript had been rejected fifteen years
earlier by editors who said children would not think it is funny and told
Margie that she should not be writing children’s books. When she read it to
her son he laughed and laughed and laughed. That book was Piggie Pie
and it was published a year later.
After this inspiration from her son she realized that funny stories were her
calling. Each time she writes a story she uses Jamie as her “giggle-tester”.
Life Today…
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Lives in Plainfield, New Jersey
Continues to play and doodle
Jamie is growing up but each book she writes must pass his giggle test
and he continues to inspire her to write funny stories.
Her passion in life is to make children across the country laugh.
Advice to children: “Just do it! If you have passion no one will be able
to stop you.”
Fast Facts
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Favorite TV Show: Still watches I Love Lucy
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Favorite Music: Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Broadway and Hollywood
musicals
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Favorite Funny People: Mel Brooks, George Burns, Carol Burnett, Bugs
Bunny
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Favorite Book: To Kill a Mockingbird
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Favorite Children’s Books: Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz,
Little Women, Martha Speaks, and The Stinky Cheese Man
Once again on the run, wolves Willy and Wally, come up
with a plan to disguise themselves to raid a sheep farm.
In what they believe is their perfect plan they meet their
match in the form of three very smart sheep, and they
get what was coming to them.
Can you guess what original story this is a new twist on?
North Carolina Children’s Book Award Nominee
Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Nominee
Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominee
Missouri Show Me Book Award Nominee
Volunteer State Book Award
“The wordplay flies fast and thick throughout this text
and it’s dead-on for a young audience.” –Bulletin of the
Center for Children’s Books
“An outstanding read-aloud and a fine collaboration of
text and art…” –School Library Journal (starred review)
“…this is a sure-fire hit for all who enjoy fairy-tale
variations, fun puns, and a good laugh.” –School Library
Journal (starred review)
Classroom Activities
Find out what students already know
Ask? “What is a fairy tale?” Follow up by asking
students what fairy tales they have read or heard.
List responses on chart paper. Come back to this
question at the end of the unit. At that time ask
students if they can identify the common
characteristics of a fairy tale. Compare the later
answers to the original answers.
This activity can be set up as a K-W-L chart and
used to track what students think they know about
fairy tales, and what they actually learned about
fairy tales. (This can include story characteristics,
plot similarities, history of fairy tales, famous tales,
puns, etc.)
New Classics
Explain to students that many of Margie Palatini’s
stories are new versions of old classics. How many
can they identify? Make a chart.
WANTED Poster
Have your students make a ‘wanted’ poster of Willy
and Wally.
Goldie becomes very angry when her little brother drools all over
her doll, but during her time-out punishment she realizes that a
little brother is not so bad after all.
This book is an excellent way to discuss sibling anger and
frustration with children.
"...the perfect choice for preschoolers defining their own
position in the family hierarchy." School Library Journal
Possible Activities:
Oh, Brother!
Have children talk about their own brothers or sisters. What
sort of things do they do together? Draw a family picture.
Look What I Can Do!
What sort of things can your students or children do that a
younger sibling cannot? What things do their older siblings do
that they cannot?
Gritch the Witch is very hungry and decides she wants some Piggie
Pie. Her only problem is she doesn’t have any pigs. After
discovering Old MacDonald’s Farm in the yellow pages she sets off
to get her final ingredient. When she arrives she finds all sorts of
animals besides pigs (but actually they were pigs disguised). In the
end she meets up with wolf who seems to have some trouble finding
pigs to eat too! They leave together with different images of their
lunch.
First book published by Margie Palatini
Bill Martin Jr. Picture Book Award Winner 1998
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Winner 1998
Colorado Children’s Book Award Winner 1997
Kentucky Bluegrass Award 1997
Red Clover Children’s Choice Picture Book Award Winner 1996
Classroom Activities:
What’s For Dinner?
Besides pies made of piggies, bunny bread,
eekspresso, batscotti, rat-tail-tooey, and brew-ha-ha, what else
does Gritch’s belly grumble to eat?
Have students add their own
imaginative recipes to the witch’s Old Hag Cookbook.
Sequels: What happens next to the wolf and Gritch?
Elizabeth really wants a pet, instead her parents got her a cactus
plant. She liked the plant, but she still wanted a pet so she came
up with various plans to convince her parents to buy one for her. After
her many unsuccessful attempts she encountered Doug, which is a bug. He
becomes her most unusual, perfect pet.
A Junior Library Guide Selection
IRA Children’s Choice Award
California Young Readers Medal Nominee 2005-2006
“Palatini is once again exercising her masterful grin
on picture-book humor. She makes funny look easy.”
Kirkus
“…a most delightful story about an urge almost every
child has…the pictures are wonderful.”
Childrens Literature
Classroom Activities:
Pet Search
Look through the book and see how many illustrations you can find that show the reader Elizabeth
really, really, really loves pets. Don’t forget to look at what she’s wearing. Put on Your Thinking Cap.
Elizabeth makes ‘plans’ to convince her parents to let her have a pet. What’s your plan?
Adopt a Plant!
Have your own class pet plant.
Doug Bug
Make your own ‘Doug’ bugs: Use cardboard or styrofoam egg cartons for body. Pipecleaners for legs.
Use your imagine to embellish and create your own very unique ‘perfect pet’.
Get Buggy!
Study insects. Where do they live? What do they do? How do insects help and hurt our environment?
SOCK PUPPET
Create your own ‘perfect pet’ from a large white sock. Add ears, eyes, tongue, beak, feathers --whatever! to make your own special animal friend.
Other Books by Margie Palatini
Moo Who?
Stinky Smelly Feet
Moosekitos
Sweet Tooth
References
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Margie Palatini Welcome Site. (2006). Retrieved February 2006, from
http://www.margiepalatini.com/
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Hyperion Books for Children. (2006). Retrieved February 2006, from
http://www.hyperionbooksforchildren.com/authors/displayAI.asp?id=132&ai=a
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Children’s Literature Reviews. (2006). Retrieved February 2006, from
http://0-clcd.odyssi.com.wncln.wncln.org/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~5czUXS:3
http://0-clcd.odyssi.com.wncln.wncln.org/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~kSiSmt:1
http://0-clcd.odyssi.com.wncln.wncln.org/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~jA4ZtT:1
http://0-clcd.odyssi.com.wncln.wncln.org/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~uorbJM:1
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HarperTeacher. (2006). Retrieved February 2006, from
http://www.harperchildrens.com/teacher/catalog/book_xml.asp?isbn=006000102X