We have to start somewhere, like where we are now. I’m sitting at my desk, surfing through a bunch of Earth Day notifications. I come across an announcement from Storyline Online about The Mess That We Made, a picture book by Michelle Lord, illustrated by Julia Blattman, published Jan 1, 2020.
Intergenerational Reading
Like other Storyline Online books, The Mess That We Made is accompanied by a Teacher’s Guide with synopsis, themes, standards, questions to stimulate discussion, and other activities. But rather than limiting a reading and discussion of the book to the classroom, we can share it with intergenerational individuals and groups, such as parents, grandparents (and other elders), and caregivers. Following are examples of questions that are suggested in the Teacher’s Guide to prepare kids for reading The Mess That We Made story:
What is a mess?
What types of messes do you make?
What kind of mess do you think the author is talking about in this story?
What are some things you notice about the cover of the book?
How does this illustration make you feel? Why?
Reading for The Child Within
Whether you have a child in your life or a child (or hoarder) within you, check out The Mess That We Made Storyline Online video at the beginning of this post. The book is also available in many local libraries and in digital format. It can be read and discussed by care partners, indpendent elders, and within elder communities. For more reading and discussion, check out Additional Sources listed in the back matter of the book.
Then clear up your own environment - the kitchen, bathroom, office, on out to the front stoop, garden and walking path.
I better take my own advice, before the sun goes down.