Currently in casa oct 4th

Moris the Artist is about a little boy who loves to paint. His mother tells him that he needs to come with her to pick out a birthday present for Benjamin because he would be going to Benjamin's birthday party later that day. The mother asked if he wanted to pick out a ball, or a dump truck, or blocks but Morris said no. He picked out a special gift and wouldn't let Benjamin have it when he got to the party. Everyone had already given Benjamin blocks, a dump truck, and a ball. Finally Moris let Benjamin have the gift but Morris opened the gift. It was paints. Morris used the paints and began to draw pictures. Everyone joined in and began to paint pictures and mix the paints. Morris draws two bright suns on Benjamin's knees.

I liked this book because took a creative, artsy spin on demonstrating a social story. Although the text reflected realistic fiction, the illustrations took the readers into a fantasy world where artwork came to life. At Benjamin’s birthday party, Morris refuses to give the birthday boy his present due to selfishly wanting to keep it to himself. However, when he finally does want to give him the gift, he is able to share it with all of the party guests. As the text states how all of the children begin to paint, the illustrations show paint and artwork flying all across the pages. Rather than the characters being the central focal point of the pictures, it becomes about the artwork. This draws readers into a whole new world that inspires them to pick up a paintbrush and see what they can paint on their own. However, the author fails to wrap up the social lesson in the story and ends on how amazing the paint is. This could be quite confusing for readers who do not yet understand the importance of being giving to others. The main message of this story is that it is more rewarding to be giving of yourself than to hold onto something for your own personal benefit. ( )

Morris doesn’t want to give up his present to his friend, but he finds a party’s no fun carrying around a big box. Children will enjoy the repetition in this book, both verbal and through actions. They will understand Morris’s position—he wants the gift, he doesn’t want to give it up—and will learn with him that it is better to give. The illustrations in this book do wonders in adding to the text. They show the box getting bigger and bigger as Morris hauls it around, showing the burden it is becoming when the text does not. When the painting begins, the pictures really shine—the frenzy is shown through paint splashing up into the sky and the children’s illustrations look like real paintings. However, the strongest asset of the book is also its weakest, as the children in these illustrations are rather creepy in appearance, with disproportionate bodies and faces that look like dolls. The ending is also abrupt, so much that the reader will flip the pages, wondering if there are some missing from the book. This book will appeal to some, creep some out, and leave some disappointed. ( )