Caldecott Book 4

The fourth Caldecott book I read was The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster and illustrated by Chris Raschka. The Hello, Goodbye Window won the Caldecott Medal in 2006.

What I really like about The Hello, Goodbye Window is that it is easy for children to relate to. Almost every child has visited their grandparents, can related to having a "hello, goodbye" window, seeing their reflection in a window, or staring at the stars through a window. This little girl is like most children. She is very curious and constantly exploring.

There are many experiences in my life that influences my reaction to this book. First, many of the experiences were similar to my own. While I did not have any grandparents, we did have a window that was very similar to the "hello, goodbye" window. This was our kitchen window. I remember doing many of the same things at my window as the main character did in this story.

While I haven't read any other books by the same author, this book does remind me of Ira Sleeps Over and Owen. Both of these books are about childhood experiences that most children can relate to. Sleeping over at someone's house for the first time, and giving up your baby blankie are big events in a child's live, and most children can relate. It is good for children to be able to relate to characters in children's literature.

The new insight I gained from this book was while it is important for children to learn new things from characters in children's literature, it is also important for them to be able to relate to these characters. If children can see themselves in the shoes of the character, then they are more likely to understand and remember the message the book delivers.