Beagles and Books is excited to be a part of the Eraser blog tour written by Anna Kang and illustrated by Christopher Weyant. It recently published on September 1, 2018. Special thanks to Two Lions Publishing and Barbara Fisch of Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Publisher’s Summary:
Eraser is always cleaning up everyone else’s mistakes. Except for Ruler and Pencil Sharpener, none of the other school supplies seem to appreciate her. They all love how sharp Pencil is and how Tape and Glue help everyone stick together. Eraser wants to create so that she can shine like the others. She decides to give it a try, but it’s not until the rubber meets the road that Eraser begins to understand a whole lot about herself.
Inspired by a school essay their daughter Kate wrote in the third grade, the author and illustrator behind Theodor Seuss Geisel Award–winner You Are (Not) Small have created a desktop drama about figuring out who you are, finding happiness, and the importance of second, third, and maybe even fourth chances.
Review and Thoughts:
Full of puns that will make kids laugh out loud, Anna Kang has written a sweet and humorous story that teaches students about recognizing your potential, the power of cooperation, and how mistakes make us great. Thanks to Christopher Weyant’s adorable and eye-catching illustrations and Kang’s witty prose, I will view my school supplies a little differently and will now always hold my erasers in high regard.
This week I had the opportunity to read aloud Eraser to a class of second grade students. Before I read a text, I always ask students to think about the author’s purpose for writing the book. I use Burkins and Yaris’ infographic to guide their thinking as I am reading. Click on the infographic below to visit the link.
When I asked students to share their thinking about the author’s purpose for writing Eraser, children shared that while the story definitely made them laugh out loud, the big takeaway was Eraser taught them empathy. One student stated, “Eraser was frustrated because Pencil took all the credit.” Another student added, “Pencil said Eraser doesn’t ever make anything. That was rude which made Eraser angry.” Another student shared, “I am glad that Pencil said he was sorry at the end. Eraser taught me about teamwork because Pencil couldn’t get an A+ on his math by himself.”
Before ending our discussion, I asked the students ” Does Eraser want you to take action?” A student explained, “Instead of telling people they can’t help, we should try to work together.” Another student shared, “We also have to be ok when we make mistakes.”
Realizing the value of teamwork and how mistakes are part of growing are important life lessons for children. Eraser is a fun and engaging story that reminds children about the power of collaboration and how mistakes truly do make us great.
Free Activity Kit:
For more information and to download a free activity kit, visit annakang.com, or download here.
Meet Eraser in this adorable trailer!
Giveaway Details:
Courtesy of Two Lions, one lucky winner (U.S. addresses only) will receive the following:
- a copy of Eraser
- a 7 piece school supply kit
Giveaway begins at Friday, September 21, 2018 at 12:00 a.m. and ends on Friday, September 28, 2018 at 11:59 a.m. Please click the link below to enter.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/46a61dc05/?
Meet the Author & Illustrator:
Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant are the creators of Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner You Are (Not) Small and its follow-ups That’s (Not) Mine and I Am (Not) Scared. Christopher’s work can be seen routinely in The New Yorker magazine and his cartoons are syndicated worldwide. As an author, Anna regularly goes through first, second, and third drafts. Chris wears down many erasers while making his art. This husband-and-wife team lives in New Jersey with their two daughters and their rescue dog. Visit them at www.annakang.com and www.christopherweyant.com.
Twitter: @annakang27 @chrisweyant05
Instagram: annakangbooks; christopherweyant
Facebook: Anna Kang – Author; Christopher Weyant
Beagles & Books 