Mailing Ballads, Valentines, and May

We might not "row" it but we're definitely enjoying and singing The Ballad of Valentine by Alison Jackson/ Tricia Tusa.  If you are familiar with The Ballad of Clementine (another song my mother sang to me), you're going to love this book.

We found it yesterday at BAM! and the girls fell in love with it.  BAM! has the hardcover for $5.97 and softcover for $2.97 (for those of you who have a BAM! near you).

Here's a brief summary:

"While Valentine goes about her day, doing chores around her mountain cabin (and getting ingredients to bake a special pie), her secret admirer is hard at work trying to find a way to ask her an important question.  He tries many ways to contact her, including Morse code and smoke signals, but he can never complete his message.  Will he ever be able to reach his beloved Valentine?"  (from back cover)

"A story told in the rhythm of the folk song "My Darling, Clementine." A bashful gentleman sends love messages to his sweetheart, but his proclamations of love never arrive...A homing pigeon flies to Madagascar instead of to Valentine's door with a letter; smoke signals are lost in a cyclone; and a mail car derails, "leaving letters strewn behind." At the end of the book, even though she never receives his messages, Valentine travels from her home across a canyon to deliver her luscious-looking treat to him.... Tusa's quirky watercolor illustrations portray a simpler time, when folks communicated by Morse code, an airplane was a modest machine, and a homemade apple pie signified true love and devotion. Without ever being treacly or melodramatic, this fun book is ideal for Valentine's Day programs."
Shawn Brommer, South Central Library System, Madison, WI

Any true-bred FIARer cannot fail to see all the rowing opportunities in this book:

• Write a letter
• Write a poem
• Make a Valentine
• Address an envelope and visit the post office to mail it
• Forms of communication: homing pigeons, smoke signals, Morse Code, Railroad, postal mail, Pony Express, skywriting)
• Madagascar (the country, not the movie)
• Cyclones
• Blizzards (timely subject for some northerns)
• Shopping for ingredients to make an apple pie for someone special (re-read a FIAR favorite How to Make An Apple Pie and See the World)
• Locate Denver, CO and Arizona on a map
• Research history of Valentine's Day

My girls and I are combining this book easily with our "rowing" of Mailing May by Michael O. Tunnell which, delightfully, happens on February 12th of our literary timeline.

Comments

[Mary M]

Haven't read that one - looks cute - just requested it. Thanks.

[mrs darling]

Valentines Day alwasy comes at the right time to relieve the grayness of the winter. For that I love it. Thanks for these ideas!

[Theresa ♥]

We haven't read this book yet, but I did pick it up at the library this week for our display this week. Thank you for all of your wonderful suggestions.