This process will support students' critical thinking skills and will allow them to actively and skillfully engage in interpretation, analysis, evaluation and sythesis of information in a text. Close reading will focus not only on the vocabulary and ideas in the text, but may also include discussion surrounding text structures, text features and illustrations.Įffective readers use appropriate strategies to construct meaning through a close reading. Due to the scaffolded nature of close reading, a grade-level appropriate, complex text is needed in order to promote deep thinking and stretch students as readers. K-1 teachers will model the purpose and goals of each reading through interactive read alouds. The same text is read for specific purposes three times. It is important for K-1 teachers to use the gradual release of responsibility model when utilizing this structure. Hailed as 'a master of the simple fable' by the Chicago Tribune, he died in 1999 at the age of 89.Close reading is an instructional tool that activitely engages students in reading and responding to complex text. His picture books are distinguished by their enduring moral themes, graphic simplicity and brilliant use of collage, and include four Caldecott Honor Books: Inch by Inch, Frederick, Swimmy, and Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. He was the recipient of the 1984 American Institute of Graphic Arts Gold Medal and was honored posthumously in 2007 with the Society of Illustrators' Lifetime Achievement Award. Children's LiteratureĪbout the Author Leo Lionni, an internationally known designer, illustrator, and graphic artist, was born in Holland and lived in Italy until he came to the United States in 1939. Publishers Weekly As captivating now as it was when first published in 1975. Lionni's signature watercolors span the rainbow in this story of a chameleon who, while searching for his identity, finds a friend with whom he can share his changeable nature. No matter where he goes with his new friend, they will always be alike. When another chameleon suggests they travel together, he learns that companionship is more important than having a color of his own.

But in the autumn, the leaf changes from green to yellow to red. He is purple like the heather, yellow like a lemon, even black and orange striped like a tiger! Then one day a chameleon has an idea to remain one color forever by staying on the greenest leaf he can find. Only the chameleon has no color of his own. Full color.īook Synopsis The classic story about searching for somewhere to belong, from four-time Caldecott honor winner Leo Lionni. Vivid illustrations and spare prose make this gentle story a perfect read-aloud. About the Book For the first time in paperback, here's the charming story of a chameleon who, in search of his own color, finds something even more special.

A color of his own by leo lionni