December 1

Mystery Reader…Revealed!

On Friday, we had our most recent mystery reader come and visit with us. We welcomed Mrs. Fitzpatrick! She did a fabulous job reading the book called Ferdinand by Munro Leaf and illustrated by Robert Lawson.

 

It was originally published in 1936 so this is a story that has been loved and read by children for many years! It tells the story of a Spanish bull named Ferdinand that does not follow or define himself in the way other bulls do. Rather, he is quiet, peaceful, and happy just sitting under the cork tree, enjoying nature. When he is selected to fight in the bull fights in Madrid, you can imagine what he did…or didn’t do.

The story reminds all of us that we all should be our own unique selves and not who others think we should be.

Here are some fun facts about the book you may not have known:

  • In WWII times, Adolf Hitler ordered the book burned in Nazi Germany, while Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, granted it privileged status as the only non-communist children’s book allowed in Poland.
  •  Mahatma Gandhi called it his favorite book.
  • Leaf wrote “The Story of Ferdinand” in less than an hour one rainy fall afternoon as a gift to his good friend Lawson.
  • The story was adapted by Walt Disney into a short animated film entitled Ferdinand the Bull in 1938. Ferdinand the Bull won the 1938 Academy Award for Best Short Subject (Cartoons). 


Posted December 1, 2018 by MrsS in category Book Talks, Reading Workshop, Teacher Talk

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