Jan Brett
By Melissa Lange and Peggy
Cunningham
RE 5140 Advanced Study of Children’s Literature
Spring 2009
About Jan Brett
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Born December1, 1949 in Hingham, MA
Decided as a child that she wanted to be a illustrator
Attended Boston Museum School
Painter, author, and illustrator of children’s books
Uses her love of hedgehogs in many of her books
Uses her travels as inspirations
Pictures from www.janbrett.com
More about Jan Brett
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Holds contests for children in connection with the books
Uses love of animals to connect with characters and
Draws from her daughter’s fascination with undomesticated
critters
She furthers the main story lines through ornate pictures
Shows a sense of humor in her illustrations
She recreates the feeling that imaginary places really exists
www.janbrett.com
Picture from www.janbrett.com
Awards
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National Education Association Educators' Top One Hundred Children's Books
2007, THE MITTEN
The New York Times Children's Picture Book Bestseller List September 22,
October 7, 14, 21, 2006, HEDGIE BLASTS OFF!
Boston Public Library 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award
The New York Times #1 Children's Picture Book Bestseller List October 10, 2004,
THE UMBRELLA
Publishers Weekly Children's Top Ten Bestseller List October 2004, THE
UMBRELLA
North Carolina Book Award Nomination 2003-2004, DAISY COMES HOME
The New York Times Children's Picture Book Bestseller List October 19, 26,
November 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, December 7, 2003, ON NOAH'S ARK
Publishers Weekly Children's Top Ten Bestseller List October 2003, ON NOAH'S
ARK
California Young Reader Medal Nomination 2004-2005, DAISY COMES HOME
Colorado Children's Book Award Nomination, 2003 DAISY COMES HOME
The New York Times #1 Children's Picture Book Bestseller List, WHO'S THAT
KNOCKING ON CHRISTMAS EVE? December 8, 2002
Georgia Children's Book Award Nomination 2002, HEDGIE'S SURPRISE
The New York Times #1 Children's Picture Book Bestseller List March 10, 17,
2002, DAISY COMES HOME
National Teachers Association Top Ten Titles for Elementary Students 1999, THE
MITTEN
Awards
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Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year 1999, GINGERBREAD BABY
Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year 1998, THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
American Booksellers Association, 1998 Abby Award - THE HAT
Publishers Weekly #1 Children's Top Ten Bestseller List November, December 1997, THE HAT
Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa Fitchburg State College, 1996
Association of Booksellers for Children 1995 Picture Book Award, TOWN MOUSE COUNTRY MOUSE
Parent Choice Foundation 1994 Illustration Award, TOWN MOUSE COUNTRY MOUSE
Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books of 1994, TOWN MOUSE COUNTRY MOUSE
Publishers Weekly, #1 Children's Top Ten Bestseller List October 1994, TOWN MOUSE COUNTRY
MOUSE
American Bookseller Pick of the Lists Fall 1994, TOWN MOUSE COUNTRY MOUSE
Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Picture Book Award 1994, TROUBLE WITH TROLLS
David McCord Children's Literature Citation November 1993
Newsweek Magazine Best Children's Books 1991, BERLIOZ THE BEAR
New Yorker Magazine Best Children's Books 1991, BERLIOZ THE BEAR
American Bookseller Pick of the Lists Fall 1992, BERLIOZ THE BEAR
American Library Association Notable Book 1991, THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT
Parents Magazine Best Children's Books 1991 THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 1991 THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT
Publishers Weekly #1 Children's Top Ten Bestseller List December 1990, January 1991, THE WILD
CHRISTMAS REINDEER
New Yorker Magazine Best Children's Books 1990, THE WILD CHRISTMAS REINDEER
Parent's Choice Award 1990, GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS
New England Booksellers' Association Artist Award Winner Bookweek New England 1990
American Library Association, Booklist Magazine Best Children's Books of the 1980's, THE MITTEN
Awards
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New Yorker Magazine Best Children's Books 1990, THE WILD CHRISTMAS REINDEER
Parent's Choice Award 1990, GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS
New England Booksellers' Association Artist Award Winner Bookweek New England
1990
American Library Association, Booklist Magazine Best Children's Books of the 1980's,
THE MITTEN
New Yorker Magazine Best Children's Books 1989, THE MITTEN
London Sunday Times Books to Buy for Christmas 1988, GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE
BEARS
New Yorker Magazine Best Children's Books 1988, THE FIRST DOG
American Library Association Booklist Magazine Editor's Choice 1987, GOLDILOCKS
AND THE THREE BEARS
Newsweek Magazine Best of Year 1987, GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS
Parent's Magazine Best of Year 1987, GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS
Redbook Magazine Top Ten Children's Books of the Year 1985, ANNIE AND THE WILD
ANIMALS
University of Nebraska Children's Book Award 1984,FRITZ AND THE BEAUTIFUL
HORSES
Parent's Choice Magazine Best of Year 1981, FRITZ AND THE BEAUTIFUL HORSES
Books Written and
Illustrated
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Gingerbread Friends 2008
Hedgie Blasts Off! 2006
The Umbrella 2004
Daisy Comes Home 2002
Christmas Treasury 2001
Hedgie’s Surprise 2000
Gingerbread Baby 1999
The Hat 1997
Comet’s Nine Lives 1996
Armadillo Rodeo 1995
Christmas Trolls 1993
Trouble With Trolls 1992
Berlioz the Bear 1991
The Wild Christmas Reindeer 1990
The First Dog 1988
Annie and the Wild Animals 1985
Fritz and the Beautiful Horses 1981
Book covers from barnesandnoble.com
Books Retold and Illustrated
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The Three Snow Bears 2007
Honey…Honey…Lion! 2005
On Noah’s Ark 2003
Who’s That Knocking on Christmas Eve 2002
Town Mouse, Country Mouse 1994
The Mitten 1989
Beauty and the Beast 1989
Goldilocks and the Three Bears 1987
Book covers from barnesandnoble.com
Books Illustrated
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The Night Before Christmas 1998
The Owl and the Pussycat 1991
Happy Birthday Dear Duck 1988
The Twelve Days of Christmas 1986
Scary, Scary Halloween 1986
Mother’s Day Mice 1986
Noelle of the Nutcracker 1986
Valentine Bears 1983
St. Patrick’s Day in the Morning 1980
Book covers from
barnesandnoble.com
Hedgie Blasts Off!
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This science fiction book takes Hedgie to space. The
personification in the story is cute and easily accepted by the
children. The dogs are the scientists who must find a solution
to planet Mikkop's problem, “Big Sparkler is failing”. They
come up with a solution that goes haywire and Hedgie comes
to the rescue. Once he arrives on the planet he discovers the
problem and comes up with a solution from something he
observed in the lab (where he is a custodian). The children
really like the page that opens Up (fold out) when they count
to three. The moral of the story … everyone can help no
matter how big you are or pay attention you never know when
you will be asked to solve a problem.
Reading; connections to non-fiction space travel, this could be a fun introduction to a
unit on space. Extend this story to what planet would you like to travel to and why.
Math; Why did Hedgie have to go to Mikkop (size of the rocket ship)?
Compare/contrast the size and shapes of the characters in the story. How far are other
planets from Earth? Use various sized balls and space them according to how far apart
the planets are from one another (on the playground).
Science; Chose your favorite planet and write a short report to present to the class.
Have animals ever gone into space? What kind and when?
The Hat
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This animal fantasy would have you believe that animals can
talk to one another. A curious hedgehog gets a stocking, that
has blown off a clothesline, stuck on his head. He tries many
ways to get it off, while all the time other animals laugh at
him. He makes them think it is his new hat to keep him warm
and dry. Of course this makes them think they are missing out
by not having their own hats. Eventually they all go off to find
pieces of clothing to wear as their hats. Finally the little girl
who has hung out her clothes chases Hedgie to get her
stocking back, reminding him that animals do not wear clothes,
only to turn around and see all of the animals have taken her
other garments to wear.
Reading; many of the students will know to watch the borders to make
predictions, so take time to stop and ask for predictions. Have they ever seen
animals wear clothes? What kind?
Math; what could the temperature be, in Celsius/Fahrenheit? How do they know?
Science; where do these animals live? Are they hibernating during winter? Do
they co-exist or are they enemies in nature?
Armadillo
Rodeo
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Traditional literature in this case tells teaches the lesson of listen to
your elders via an armadillo. Many young children are curious about
their surroundings as is Bo. He wanders off following something
pretty...he believes is a shiny red armadillo, and he wants to make
friends. We follow him through his escapades of getting bucked off a
horse, almost getting stepped on at a rodeo only to find himself
enamored with a cowgirls new red boots. Good imagination on Bo's
part extends this story to be interactive.
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Math; count the rings/patterns on the armadillo, 5 armadillos = ? rings
Reading; predictions using the illustrators in margins, share a time you didn't listen to
your mother, what happened
Social Studies: relative position on a map to NC, climate of Texas, terrain,
compare/contrast living conditions, farming/ranching
Science: compare flora and fauna
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Town Mouse Country Mouse
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This fable is retold by Jan Brett with her illustrations. It is a
simple story than has a very valuable lesson. It seems no
matter what we have the grass always seems greener on the
other side. This story is about two very different life styles and
the characters that live in those settings. Neither is happy
with what they have so they trade places with the other mouse
couple. They both think they got the better deal. After
experiencing city life of noise, soot and house cats the country
mice can't wait to go home. In the country the city mice
realize it is no picnic, getting rained on, blackbirds catching
hold of their clothing, and hedgehogs blocking their door. They
all learned things are not always what they appear to be, be
thankful for what you have.
Reading/writing connection; where would you like to live and why? Describe, in
detail using your five senses. Compare/contrast the environments.
Math; talk to someone who lives in the country (teacher, grandparent, etc.) how
far away do they live, measure in miles/kilometers, round trip.
Social Studies; compare/contrast life styles of someone from another state or
country.
On Noah’s Ark
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The art in this book are done in watercolors and gouache. This
is a historical fiction book as it talks about Noah's Ark from
biblical days. It is told from a young child's point of view which
keeps the student's attention. They don't want you to turn the
page until they can find all of the animals that are
intermingled. It shows a young boy helping the animals and
using them as bedding. It gets the main idea of the story
across and the children all want to tell the rest of the story.
Reading; students can choose to compare/contrast with what they have learned
at home or elsewhere.
Another choice could be to add to the lesson by describing details they noticed
about the animals. Predicting what might happen next, how?
Math; how many different kinds of animals were on the ark in the story? How
many pairs? How many legs, tails, eyes, etc. Bring Social Studies in with the
math and how many miles to where the ark started to where they live now?
How far round trip? If you took one week (seven days) how many miles each
day?
Science; what happens to soil that is underwater for a long period of time? What
type of clouds produce rain?
Gingerbread Friends
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This is a easy read about loneliness that any age child could
understand. The Gingerbread Baby was a fore runner to this book so
the stage is set for understanding. It starts out in his nice house that
Matti made for him, but he is lonely when Matti goes out with his
friends, so he goes in search for his own friends. He goes into town,
sees gingerbread cookies in a bakery window and goes in to talk to
them. He finds out none of the cookie figures in the bakery can talk
and move like him. He falls asleep only to be awakened from nibbling
on his pom pom. He runs home to find a great surprise, Matti has
made him a whole house full of friends to play with. There is a
repetitive verse that is a trademark of all gingerbread stories and the
children love to help you repeat it over and over again.
“Brett's signature artwork is intriguingly detailed and delightfully oldfashioned.” – Booklist.
Reading; connections; text to text, text to self, and text to world. The
class/teacher can copy the directions from the borders to make gingerbread
friends. Follow sequence, details, use illustrations to check for comprehension.
Math; make the recipe in class, students must read for detail and measure
accurately, fractions, capacity, as well as temperature.
http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/2008/authors/Brett.html
Activity for Gingerbread Friends
Writing Extension
 You are a friend of Gingerbread Baby, write a
imaginative story of how you spent the afternoon
together.
 Story needs to include a beginning, middle, and end
 Use your five senses to describe the afternoon
 Stay focused/on topic
 Illustrate a cover page after completing the story
Bibliography
 Jan Brett's Web site, htt//www.janbrett.com
(November 24, 2001).*
 “Jan (Churchill)Brett.” Contemporary Authors Online.
Detroit: Gale, 2002
 “Going on a Treasure Hunt.” Publishers Weekly.
247.11 (13 March 2000): p 34
 “Bookbag.” Publishers Weekly. 244.22 (2 June 1997):
p34.
 Lodge, Sally. “On the road with Jan Brett: author gets
ready to roll to promote latest book.: Publishers
Weekly. 250.34 (25 August 2003): p23