ReadWriteThink: August 25, 2009: Caldecott-winning illustrator Lane Smith was born in 1959.

August 25, 2009

		Lane Smith has collaborated with Jon Scieszka on titles including the Caldecott Honor book The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Stories and the best-selling The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. In addition to his collaboration with Scieszka and other authors, he has written and illustrated several of his own children’s stories. His illustrations have appeared in several publications other than books, including The Atlantic Monthly and Newsweek. Image courtesy of Penguin Group USA.

Caldecott-winning illustrator Lane Smith was born in 1959.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY

Discuss with your students some of the ways in which illustrations can enhance a story. Begin by reading just the text of a picture book. Then share the actual book, pointing out the illustrations. Ask students how the pictures help them understand the story better. Then, have your students become illustrators, using a variety of media. Offer choices including paint, pencil or colored pencil, pen and ink, felt-tipped markers, or collage. Offer students a variety of choices such as:

Illustrate a favorite story they have written.
Collaborate with a partner and become an author—illustrator team. Alternatively, each student writes a story and then illustrates each other’s works.
Select a favorite children’s book and mimic the illustrator’s style, or create illustrations for the story in their own style.

When students have completed their illustrations and stories, be sure to display them in the classroom or school library!

Lesson Plans

Engaging Students in Read-Alouds Using Fractured Texas Tales
In this lesson, students in grades K–2 engage in expressive and performative reading responses. Use The True Story of the Three Little Pigs as one of the books for the lesson.

Comics in the Classroom as an Introduction to Narrative Structure
Versions of The Three Little Pigs, such as Sciezka and Smith’s True Story, demonstrate plot structure in this lesson for grades 3–5.

Once Upon a Fairy Tale: Teaching Revision as a Concept
In this lesson, middle school students use fractured fairy tales to practice revision and editing as separate activities.

Once Upon a Time Rethought: Writing Fractured Fairy Tales
In this lesson for grades 3–5, students use the characteristics of a known tale and change one literary element to create a new tale.

Web Links

The Time Warp Trio by Jon Scieszka, Illustrated by Lane Smith
This KidsReads.com page features information about Lane Smith, Jon Scieszka, and their popular book series. Author information, trivia, a list of titles, and other resources are offered.

Lane Smith
Penguin Publishers offers this biography of Smith. Also included are links to an author interview and a booklist.

Squids Will Be Squids
This resource from Scholastic provides suggested activities for teaching Squids Will Be Squids by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. There is a link on the page to similar resources for The True Story of the Three Little Pigs.

Lane Smith’s Website
Lane Smith’s website offers a brief biography and bibliography, as well as sketches, videos, and games related to his work.

Texts

Scieszka, Jon and Lane Smith. 2003. Squids Will Be Squids. Puffin.
This collaboration between Scieszka and Smith is a hilarious collection of 18 Aesop-style tales for young children.

Scieszka, Jon and Lane Smith. 1996. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. Puffin.
Smith illustrated this classic tale, told from a unique point of view—the wolf’s!

Scieszka, Jon and Lane Smith. 2002. The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales. Viking Juvenile.
This 10th anniversary edition offers a great collection of fractured fairy tales for children of all ages.

Scieszka, Jon and Lane Smith. 2004. Knights of the Kitchen Table. Puffin.
This first book in the Time Warp Trio takes readers on an adventure to the time of King Arthur.