Tool Tuesday: The Picture Books of Mac Barnett!

Picture books are more than literacy tools—they are gateways to critical thinking, narrative competence, and social-cognitive understanding. And they are useful way beyond the early grades—though it helps to find an author that has some edginess and humor for older students. This month, I wanted to revisit the picture books of Mac Barnett; his “Shapes Trilogy” collaboration with Jon Klassen was previously discussed here.

Barnett’s stories are playful, visual, and funny. Whether it’s the humor in Oh, No! and Oh, No (Not Again), or the adventure and irony of Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, these books present many narrative and expository opportunities with Story Grammar Marker^®, ThemeMaker^®’s expository maps, and, of course, visual tools such as magnets and digital icons.

What sets many of these books apart is the way they use visual cues, nonverbal behavior, and subtle character plans—a perfect match for SGM® icons that help students recognize story structure and the “landscape of consciousness” (characters’ plans, mental states, and feelings).

Oh, No! and Oh, No! Not Again!

Collaborating with illustrator Dan Santant, these books feature exciting plots and minimal text, providing numerous opportunities to scaffold the process of making meaning. Stories of an academically driven girl whose sometimes-irresponsible dabblings in science lead to disastrous consequences, the books play with sequence in a manner that keeps students bridging narrative gaps.

I recently used this book to explore situational awareness with a student, using Ward/Jacobsen’s model of Space, Time, Objects, People (STOP) to analyze school science fairs—this could be aligned with the use of an Expository Setting or Sequence Map.

We love a sequel or series! The illustration above, near the beginning of Oh No! Not Again!, tells a rich story without many words, but is ripe for analysis with icons/elements (such as the kick-off), the use of multiple character perspectives, and feeling, mental states, and plan.

• What is the kick-off for the girl? Having one point taken off for not knowing the country that has the oldest prehistoric cave drawings.
• What was her reaction? To complain to the teacher (this plan, when it does not work, drives the rest of the silly story).
• What are the kids in front of her, who were not nearly as successful on this test, thinking about her? Jeez, get over it!

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole (illustrated again by Jon Klassen)

On its surface, this book is about two kids digging for treasure. But under the surface (literally!), it explores persistence, changing plans, and differing perceptions and perspectives.

Over many twists and turns in their journey downward to find something of value, kids I have worked with have enjoyed observing Sam and Dave’s focus, sadly never moving to their dog’s cues to “dig here!” Again, while an entertaining and mappable Complete Episode, the elements of thinking abound here, and will be a hook for your Minecrafters.

I am looking forward to Barnett’s next series, the Now I See books about the four seasons (also with Klassen). Time periods are always a great executive function-building topic to explore!