Blog #6

Emma Kate

Written and illustrated by: Patricia Polacco

Scholastic, Inc., 2005

30 pages

Fantasy

            I chose this book because of the book’s author, Patricia Polacco.  I have read a few books by this author before.  Emma Kate is a book about a little girl with an imaginary friend named Emma Kate.  Throughout the book, the illustrations depict a little girl with an elephant.  The reader automatically assumes the imaginary friend is, of course, the elephant.  As the story reveals itself, the reader is shown that the girl and Emma Kate do everything together and are never apart.  At the end of the book, it is bedtime for the girl.  The text tells us she goes to sleep and dreams of Emma Kate.  It all makes total sense when you look at the illustration on the last page.  The elephant is shown sleeping and dreaming of her imaginary friend: a human girl named Emma Kate.

            The illustrations were created by the author, Patricia Polacco.  The artwork was done in pencils and markers.  The pictures are very detailed and have imagination.  Polacco has a big imagination and a huge talent for drawing.  I am amazed she used only pencils and markers to draw these beautiful pictures.  Everything in the illustrations is done in pencil except Emma Kate, the human little girl.  Her dress, shoes, and socks are red and green.  This simple illusion makes the reader think the main character is the little girl, and not the elephant! It’s genius!

            This book is appropriate for any age.  I enjoyed it as a college student!  The language is simple enough for a third-grader to read independently and the concept is simple enough for a preschooler.  I would use this in my classroom during a Language Arts lesson.  This book, with its surprise ending, would be great when talking about thinking while reading.  Assuming can really confuse a reader.  Also, it is just a fun story.  Good writing captures the attention of all age groups.  I love this book because of the surprise ending and because I love elephants.  In fact, I’ve ridden one before!  I highly recommend this book.  This book has won no awards.