Emma Kate
Author & Illustrator: Patricia Polacco
Publisher: Philomel Books ( A division of Penguin Young Readers Group)
Year of Publication: 2005
Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Horn Book or Kirkus Review rating: Horn Book review of 3, and also a Kirkus review.
Summary: This book is a story about a young girl and her imaginary friend which is an elephant. The name of the elephant is Emma Kate. She is a grey elephant that does everything with the young girl in the story. Emma Kate helps this young girl with everything in life. She rides bikes with her, she plays with her at recess, bathes with her, and she even does homework with her. Emma Kate is a very good friend to the young girl and she even loves the young girls pet mouse " Gwendolyn". When the parents of the young girl in this book tuck her in at night, they hear all about their daughters imaginary friend and their adventures together.
Summary of Professional Reviews: The Horn Book review gave this children's picture book a rating of 3. Horn book discusses how important Emma Kate is to this young girl but a question arises at whether the elephant is real or imaginary but this isn't shown until the final double page spread in the back of the book. The review states that the pencil- marker illustrations play along perfectly with the text. This book also received a Kirkus review as well which states that the author of this book provides an interesting twist on the imaginary friend theme based on her own childhood.
Review by Sasha Ishak: The picture book, Emma Kate, demonstrates the qualities of a well iillustrated picture book that goes along perfectly with the text. The author of the book Patricia Polacco created a cheerful story that is a unique reflection of a young girl and her imaginary friend. The plot describes the friendship between a little girl and a friendly elephant who does everything the little girl does. Wherever the little girl is the elephant is. The first person narrator describes Emma Kate as her best friend, and the reader automatically assumes that Emma Kate is a figment of the little girls imagination but at the end of the book the final spread shows a pair of elephant parents tucking their elephant child into bed. Here the reader realizes that this surprising end is really the elephant child narrating all along and that Emma Kate which we thought was the imaginary friend is really the little girl. The imaginary friend being an elephant allows the illustrations to be more dramatic and comical. The imagination used in this book allows for a reader to reflect back on their experiences as a child with their imaginary friend. This book is a great story for young readers with easy words and fun and exciting pictures. Polacco also uses imaginative pictures and colors that relate to Dr. Suess's, Horton, which to whom this story is dedicated.
This book would be useful when teaching...
• This short story picture book can be useful when teaching a unit about science. It involves two very caring friends that do everything together. It also provides an ending that surprises the reader. Children can read this story and use their imagination to create their own imaginary friend or they can even relate back to their life.
Kindergarten Science : Observe the similarities of humans to other animals including: Basic needs.Growth and change.Movement.
• Throughout the story Emma Kate goes through life with the little girl including bathing and going to bed. For young students, Pre-K or kindergarten the teacher could first read the book aloud to the students then he/ she can discuss how animals need to be taken care of just like people do. This may also be a good time for student s to connect taking care of their pets to taking care of themselves. After this the teacher can have the students illustrate a picture of them and their imaginary friend just like in this short story. After this is completed the teacher can create the classroom’s own imaginary friend picture book with each child’s illustration. Creating a well developed lesson on this picture book can teach students about using their imagination and most importantly about how precious pets can be to a child. Some children can relate this book back to their own lives with their own pets.
Publisher: Philomel Books ( A division of Penguin Young Readers Group)
Year of Publication: 2005
Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Horn Book or Kirkus Review rating: Horn Book review of 3, and also a Kirkus review.
Summary: This book is a story about a young girl and her imaginary friend which is an elephant. The name of the elephant is Emma Kate. She is a grey elephant that does everything with the young girl in the story. Emma Kate helps this young girl with everything in life. She rides bikes with her, she plays with her at recess, bathes with her, and she even does homework with her. Emma Kate is a very good friend to the young girl and she even loves the young girls pet mouse " Gwendolyn". When the parents of the young girl in this book tuck her in at night, they hear all about their daughters imaginary friend and their adventures together.
Summary of Professional Reviews: The Horn Book review gave this children's picture book a rating of 3. Horn book discusses how important Emma Kate is to this young girl but a question arises at whether the elephant is real or imaginary but this isn't shown until the final double page spread in the back of the book. The review states that the pencil- marker illustrations play along perfectly with the text. This book also received a Kirkus review as well which states that the author of this book provides an interesting twist on the imaginary friend theme based on her own childhood.
Review by Sasha Ishak: The picture book, Emma Kate, demonstrates the qualities of a well iillustrated picture book that goes along perfectly with the text. The author of the book Patricia Polacco created a cheerful story that is a unique reflection of a young girl and her imaginary friend. The plot describes the friendship between a little girl and a friendly elephant who does everything the little girl does. Wherever the little girl is the elephant is. The first person narrator describes Emma Kate as her best friend, and the reader automatically assumes that Emma Kate is a figment of the little girls imagination but at the end of the book the final spread shows a pair of elephant parents tucking their elephant child into bed. Here the reader realizes that this surprising end is really the elephant child narrating all along and that Emma Kate which we thought was the imaginary friend is really the little girl. The imaginary friend being an elephant allows the illustrations to be more dramatic and comical. The imagination used in this book allows for a reader to reflect back on their experiences as a child with their imaginary friend. This book is a great story for young readers with easy words and fun and exciting pictures. Polacco also uses imaginative pictures and colors that relate to Dr. Suess's, Horton, which to whom this story is dedicated.
This book would be useful when teaching...
• This short story picture book can be useful when teaching a unit about science. It involves two very caring friends that do everything together. It also provides an ending that surprises the reader. Children can read this story and use their imagination to create their own imaginary friend or they can even relate back to their life.
Kindergarten Science : Observe the similarities of humans to other animals including: Basic needs.Growth and change.Movement.
• Throughout the story Emma Kate goes through life with the little girl including bathing and going to bed. For young students, Pre-K or kindergarten the teacher could first read the book aloud to the students then he/ she can discuss how animals need to be taken care of just like people do. This may also be a good time for student s to connect taking care of their pets to taking care of themselves. After this the teacher can have the students illustrate a picture of them and their imaginary friend just like in this short story. After this is completed the teacher can create the classroom’s own imaginary friend picture book with each child’s illustration. Creating a well developed lesson on this picture book can teach students about using their imagination and most importantly about how precious pets can be to a child. Some children can relate this book back to their own lives with their own pets.