Imaginative Books Inspire Imaginative Writing

Author(s): Sidney W. Tiedt and Iris M. Tiedt

Source: The Elementary School Journal , Oct., 1965, Vol. 66, No. 1 (Oct., 1965), pp. 18-21
Published by: The University of Chicago Press

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/999234

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 SIDNEY W. TIEDT

IRIS M. TIEDT

San Jose State College

Imaginative Books Inspire Imaginative Writi

Imagination is more important

than knowledge.
ALBERT EINSTEIN

Have you browsed through thesolution is to draw horrible frightening

highly imaginative books that arefaces on paper bags, which they wear
being published for young children? Ifas they shout "Boo!" at the dragon. So
not, leaf through these stories. Youterrified that his socks fall off, the
will soon find yourself chuckling de- dragon flees the countryside, while all
lightedly, for these provocative com- the people roll on the ground with
mentaries on life have special appeallaughter. After hearing several of these
for adults as well as for children. humorous escapades, young writers
In these books you will find ageless will enjoy writing their own versions
fantasy, an obvious love of words, andof mean stories.
sly, good humor-creative qualities Where Does the Butterfly Go When It
that make the stories excellent devices Rains? (New York: Young Scott
for inspiring original writing in theBooks, 1961) is the questioning title of
classroom. May Garelick's fascinating book. The
Children enjoy the characters de- wonderings of this child may lead the
scribed by Janice Udry in The Mean class to imaginings about what other
Mouse and Other Mean Stories (New creatures do when it rains--dogs,
York: Harper, 1962), a collection of cows, caterpillars, flies, fish. Children
short, clever tales of a mean dragon,can also talk about what they them-
a mean witch, a mean horse, and other selves do when it rains. How does rain
mean creatures-all of whom get their change their way of life? What do
just deserts in the end. they find pleasant about rain?
The mean dragon, who likes to scare Ounce, Dice, Trice (Boston: Atlantic
everyone, is properly put in his placeMonthly Press, 1958) by Alastair
by a little girl and her friends. TheirReid is an intriguing book about
18

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 BOOKS AND WRITING 19

words. Plainly fascinated by the

you feel
may find it highly useful for intro-
and the sound of words, the author
ducing elementary-school pupils to
recommends making lists of wordsletter-writing.
by After reading the book
letting sounds grow. The sound og pupils can invent situations
together,
grows into frog, ogled, goggle, that
and require
so the writing of letters in
on. The author plays with wordsthe and
manner of Sesyle Joslin. After
encourages his readers (or listeners)
composing letters, the children can de-
to play, too, as he examinesvelop
light
illustrations to add delight to the
words, heavy words, words to storybe said
situation presented in each letter.
on the move, and odd words. Other provocative stories by the same
author are What Do You Say, Dear?
The last part of the book is perhaps
(New York:
the most fun of all. It contains progres- Young Scott Books,
1958) and What Do You Do, Dear?
sive definitions arranged in garlands
(New York: Young Scott Books,
that take the reader on an extremely
entertaining journey and then1961).
bring
him back to the starting point. "Here it comes ... WHOOSH...
"What is a Hamburgler?" Alastair
there it goes and in such a hurry,
Reid asks. "A hamburgler is aone could see it .. ." and no one ever
ham-
burger which you creep downstairsdoes see it, whatever it is. As the
WHOOSH
and eat in the middle of the night when zips across the pages, the
you wake up hungry. Mim people reader is introduced to many strange
never eat hamburglers . . ." and and the
interesting animals, such as the
definition continues, "Mim "circus
people squck (half squirrel, half
are . . . ." Ounce, Dice, Trice suggests
duck) ."
many possibilities for stimulatingToin-stimulate the thinking of young
terest in words and in the use of words.
writers present Here Comes the Whoosh!
Sesyle Joslin is another authorbywho
Vincent Fago (New York: Golden
has a perceptive sense of humor. Her
Press, 1960) as one author's way of
Dear Dragon ... and Other Useful Let-
playing with words and ideas. Pupils
ter Forms for Young Ladies and Gentle-
of all ages will enjoy creating similar
men Engaged in Everyday Correspond-
imaginary animals, describing their
ence (New York: Harcourt, Brace and
habits, their appearance, and their be-
World, 1962) is a delightful collection
of letters and notes written in ex- havior by means of words and illustra-
tions.
emplary style. An unusual situation
prompts the writing of each letter. The
Magic
collection will produce chortles in
teacher and pupils. The wise humor Children are always enchanted by
the idea of getting the best of adults.
appeals especially to the more mature
child. The Big Green Book (New York:
At first glance you may dismiss thisCrowell-Collier, 1962) by Robert
book as just another picture book, butGraves depicts Jack, who lives with

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20 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL JOURNAL October 1965

his aunt and his uncle. Jack considers

clearly demonstrates an adult's regard
them unkind because they neverfor letimagination.
him take walks alone. One day Jack
Wisdom in legends
fortuitously finds the Big Green Book
in the attic. Its pages are filled with
The Happy Owls by Celestino Piatti
magic spells that enable him to get (New
the York: Atheneum, 1964) is a
best of his aunt and his uncle, butcommentary
he on society told in simple
generously refrains from telling them
language and with superb illustrations.
what he has done, only laughing The se- book offers an excellent means for
cretly when he remembers the effects encouraging pupils to write legends in
of his tricks. A little afraid of the
contemporary language about modern
power of this magic, Jack decides to life.
use only the ability to learn lessons by Another author who inspires crea-
looking at them for just one minute. tive thinking and writing is Bruno
With this power he easily becomes the Munari. One of his provocative books
best pupil in his classroom. is Who's There? Open the Door! (New
How many children have wished York: World, 1957). Munari's books
that they had magical powers? How are imaginative, not only in content,
many boys and girls have dreamed of but also in format. They delight the
revenge against the adults in theirreader, who is repeatedly asked,
"Guess what's inside?" In most stories
lives? After listening to this story,
children might spin stories of their
interest is centered on something to be
own on such topics as What If I Were
opened-a box, a door, a suitcase. The
Two Feet Taller Than My Father?objects are progressively smaller until
Principal for a Day, and My Magic
the final surprise is discovered. After
Power.
reading Munari's books, pupils will
Fish, fish, fish-of all sorts, shapes, enjoy writing short stories to share
and sizes. McElligott's Pool (New with their classmates.
York: Random House, 1947) by Dr. A fascinating book that explores the
Seuss is a long-time favorite and a good
many possibilities of a single shape is
launching pad for the imagination.The Hole by Cliff Roberts (New
Marco's imagination knows no limit asYork: Watts, 1963). A crescent-
he follows the small, insignificant poolshaped hole cut from cover to cover is
underground all the way to the sea,
part of each picture in the book. On
envisioning the variety of fish that just
one page the hole outlines a piece of
might be tempted by his bait. Here iswatermelon, on another the body of a
another story that encourages children crane. Children, too, can draw pictures
to invent strange animals, describing based on this shape (or any other).
them through word and picture as they They can then write a short story or a
imagine catching them for a zoo. The poem about the picture drawn. Each
chief merit of a book like this is that it
child can compose several pages using

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 BOOKS AND WRITING 21

After
the same shape or different shapes to the Sun Goes Down by Rainey Bennett.
New York: World, 1961.
produce an individual book, a unique
Do You See What I See? by Helen Borten. New
book.
York: Abelard-Schuman, 1959.
The reading matter of these books The Wish-Tree by John Ciardi. New York:
suggests that they are for the primary Crowell-Collier, 1962.
grades, but you will find that children Nine Magic Wishes by Shirley Jackson. New
York: Crowell-Collier, 1962.
of any grade will appreciate the provoc-
The Snowy Day by Ezra Keats. New York:
ative ideas. The brevity of the stories
Viking, 1962.
is a decided asset if the teacher wants
What Would You Do If ... by Leonore Klein.
to use them in motivating original New York: Young Scott Books, 1961.
writing, for in ten minutes the class A Hole Is To Dig by Ruth Krauss. New York:
can come to know the book. The ideas Harper, 1952.
See What I Found by Myra Cohn Livingston.
presented provide a common ground New York: Harcourt, 1962.
for discussion followed by individual Sparkle and Spin by Ann and Paul Rand. New
writing. York: Harcourt, 1957.
If you have enjoyed browsing with Supposing by Alastair Reid. Boston: Atlantic
Monthly, 1960.
us, you may want to explore further.
Let's Imagine Thinking Up Things by Janet
Here are some other titles we recom- Wolff and Bernard Owett. New York: Dut-
mend: ton, 1961.

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