Comments on The Picnic Basket: The Big Bell and The Little Bell • Picture book wi...

I did not have high hopes for this book when I jud...

2009-03-20T13:53:36.184-04:00

I did not have high hopes for this book when I judged it by it's cover and even as I was reading it, but when I got to the end of the book, one of the very last pages it talks about how the ones with the loudest voices are not always as important as they think and it changed my opinion completely. What a great hidden moral. I brought it to school to share with all of the teachers in my building. Kindergarten teacher loved it as did the 3rd grade teacher. I have not listened to the CD of music that the book was based on, but the kindergarten teacher said it was wonderful.

Stephanie Vyn
5th Grade
grand rapids, MI

I teach a class of students with significant cogni...

2009-02-20T21:31:52.861-05:00

I teach a class of students with significant cognitive impairment. They listened to the story, but were unable to get the message. I let our elementary librarian use the book. She said the students enjoyed the book, but students younger than second grade really didn't get the point. The pictures are good and the story holds the interest of the children. I give it 4 points.
Sheila
Tanner, AL

I teach a class of students with significant cogni...

2009-02-20T21:30:43.785-05:00

I received my review copy of The Big Bell and the ...

2009-02-20T13:27:54.227-05:00

I received my review copy of The Big Bell and the Little Bell and it is recommended by me to my dsitrict's music department. I also plan to share with primary teachers. I especially, enjoyed the CD that allows the auditory learner to enjoy. Nice touch authentically.

I rate this a 4. It will be shared and enjoyed.

Caren Pence
Instructional Teacher Coach
Warren County School District
Warren, PA

I read the book The Big and Little Bell. I though...

2009-02-19T22:17:36.879-05:00

I read the book The Big and Little Bell. I thought the cats in the story were cute. I did think the idea of the story was a good one. I think it is important for children to understand that the little guy can win. But I thought the book was so so. It didn't have too much depth to it. I think it could have led to a more interestenig story. I give the book a 2 out of 5 because of the basic text and so so illustrations.
Nicole Mass
First Grade Teacher
Ringwood Primary Center
Ringwood IL

When I received this book, I thought the illustrat...

2009-02-19T13:18:28.583-05:00

When I received this book, I thought the illustrations were beautiful and the text trite. I did, however, appreciate the beauty of the music that went with it. Then I read it to my first and second grade classes (including Spanish/English bilingual)for storytime and played the music, and they loved it. They loved the idea of cats dressed as people, they loved the intricacy of the detailed illustrations, they loved the song, and they related to the theme of the little bell being bullied by the big bell, but being appreciated for his own special qualities in the end. We had just been studying about folk tales and fairy tales, and we discussed whether or not this book qualified as a fairy tale. Many asked if they could check it out immediately. Several others were humming the melody of the song as they went to check out books from the library shelves. So, I give this book a 4, based on the response it got from my first and second graders.

Sandra Hartman
Wedgeworth Elementary School Library
Waxahachie, Texas

The Big Bell and the Little Bell was a disappointm...

2009-02-18T20:05:51.482-05:00

The Big Bell and the Little Bell was a disappointment. I couldn't see a reason for the cats being the main characters, and though the moral of the story is important, the actual song is so short. There is no beginning, middle, end. It feels very abrupt. The illustrations are too busy and like I said, the cats are odd. I wouldn't read this one to any of my students, even Kindergarten, as they would be bored. I give it a 2 out of 5, just because the moral is important.

Title I Teacher

The Big Bell and the Little Bell by Alastair Graha...

2009-02-18T16:18:49.177-05:00

The Big Bell and the Little Bell by Alastair Graham is a story written about a song. The book is a beautifully illustrated hard cover addition with the musical cd included. I was very excited when it arrived, but am sorry to say that the story itself does not live up to the beauty of the book. The story was short and lack lustre. It lacked any plot or excitement. In many ways the story does not even make sense with no clear beginning, middle and end. I read it to my grade 1 class and when I was finished they just looked at me wondering if it was over. The audio cd went over better and they enjoyed listening to the song.I would not order this book for my school or classroom. I give it a 1 out of 5.

The Big Bell and the Little Bell by Martin Kalmano...

2009-02-17T18:33:38.035-05:00

The Big Bell and the Little Bell by Martin Kalmanoff is a sweet story for any child feeling left out because he/she is too small. I especially enjoyed the CD with it's rich orchestra arrangement. I would recommend this book for children 3-6 years old. I will use this book and CD in my Kindergarten classroom. I rate the set 4 out of 5.

The Big Bell and The Little Bell is ideal for kind...

2009-02-15T15:28:25.272-05:00

The Big Bell and The Little Bell is ideal for kindergarten but can also be used for character education with the elementary grades. The cd is an excellent touch; it definitely makes the book! I give this a 4 out of a 5.
B. Davison
Media Specialist

The Big Bell and the Little Bell by Martin Kalmano...

2009-02-14T15:22:24.049-05:00

The Big Bell and the Little Bell

by Martin Kalmanoff - illustrated by Alastair Graham

The illustrations are beautiful. The story incorporates many descriptive words and provides readers with a moral, "Those who make the biggest noise aren't always as important as they think!" The CD is a great added bonus too. I think there are several ways this book can be used in the classroom. I give this book a 4 out of 5.

Joanna Pourciau
Hopkins Elementary
New Iberia, LA

This book is a picnic basket feast on many levels ...

2009-02-12T21:09:36.400-05:00

This book is a picnic basket feast on many levels ( a definite 5) I will begin with the illustrations Alistair Graham’s detailed drawing accentuate the story beautifully. My students noticed how the cloths and the spears on page 11 cringed with the clammer of the big bell. The detailed skyline and the eloquent framing during the “bedtime story” scene is magnificent.
My 7th and 8th graders write reading responses each class. Books with a moral or advice always prompt in-depth writing. This book is a keeper. We had no problem being inspired by this story. The rhythm and rhyme of the book made it an easy read aloud. I had never heard this song before, so the story was new to me. The CD was a great addition. The chorus and Julius LaRosa sounded beautiful.
Thanks for this addition to my “books to read aloud for responses” collection.

The Big Bell and the Little Bell, written by Marti...

2009-02-12T16:20:40.048-05:00

The Big Bell and the Little Bell, written by Martin Kalmanoff and illustrated by Alastair Graham.

This was a cute story about the difference between two bells. One is a big bell that makes a large gong sound. The second bell is little and only makes a small bing sound. The overall idea of the story is that you don't have to be big and great to make an impact on others.

I used this story in a variety of ways. First, I had students compare and contrast the difference between the two bells using a venn diagram.

Secondly, I had students go on an antonym hunt throughout the story.

Lastly, I used this story to teach character education and self esteem. The story was able to emphasize that while we are all different, we all are special and can contribute something in our own way.

This story was a quick read and there wasn't too much to it. The musical CD is an added bonus.
I would give this book a 3 out of a 5 rating.

The Big Bell and the Little Bell by Martin Kalmano...

2009-02-11T00:54:09.733-05:00

The Big Bell and the Little Bell by Martin Kalmanoff

Beautiful imagery and bright adjectives describe the picturesque town of this little story. This cozy setting held so much promise for me in the beginning. However, the book changes format and leads to a Mama Cat and her kitten reading a story about a big bell that goes “BONG” and the little bell which goes “BING”...the big bell thinking its mighty sound is greater. It ends a bit abruptly with a king who gets a headache from the sound of the big bell and prefers the small “bing” of the little bell. While the idea for the story is wonderful, it’s just not developed enough for my taste. However, as a teacher, this book would work very well as a supplement to teaching children about imagery, personification, onomatopoeia, and character. The delightful illustrations were reminiscent of an old Aristocats movie, but in the age of Pixar, they fell short of my expectations. I would rate this book a 2. I would not rave about it, but it will hold a place on my classroom shelf for just the right occasion.

5th Grade Teacher
Hercules, CA

The Big Bell and the Little Bell attempts to make ...

2009-02-10T14:56:52.814-05:00

The Big Bell and the Little Bell attempts to make a story of a song that was popular in the 50's. The song itself is simple and something to enjoy, in two different versions, with the included CD. Unfortunately, the song isn't enough to make a story, so the author created a brief introduction: Mama cat taking Kitten to bed to read a story which just happens to be the song (and the book!). But there isn't really enough to make a story -- no build up, no climax. On the other hand, I really enjoyed to illustrations, they called out for a second look.

I give this book a 2.5--a brief story to close out the day, teach a moral lesson, or to listen to the CD, but not one to read very often.

The book "The Big Bell and The Little Bell" came t...

2009-02-10T13:04:02.603-05:00

The book "The Big Bell and The Little Bell" came to our Second Grade class today. The moral presented by the story is that just because someone is loud and demands attention does not mean that they necessarily deserve the most respect or that they are more important. We enjoyed the moral presented by the story and greatly enjoyed the audio recording that accompanied the book. The class enjoyed the illustrations of the cats, but I found most of the pages cluttered including the book cover page. I also found the transitions in the story choppy and the language lacking the poetic nature of the song sung by Julius La Rosa. I love the idea of integrating music and literature, but in this case the music completely outshined the book. I rate "The Big Bell and The Little Bell" a 2 out of 5.

Jen Sherman
Second Grade Teacher
Vitalistic Therapeutic Charter School of the Lehigh Valley
Bethlehem, PA

The little morality lesson about how loudest and b...

2009-02-09T16:22:57.386-05:00

The little morality lesson about how loudest and biggest are not always best is presented here with colorful illustrations and a catchy tune. But I worry that this may have limited appeal. The king and his court are depicted as cats in the book's pictures. However, the kitten's bedtime story which brackets the telling of the tale doesn't seem to really mesh with the rest of the story. I think preschoolers and kindergartners will enjoy the song, but not sure there is enough substance in the text to keep them engaged. Too bad, for this is a fine effort and the song is charming. Picnic Basket Rating: 3 out of 5

My Kindergarten students enjoyed listening to me r...

2009-02-09T14:51:51.164-05:00

My Kindergarten students enjoyed listening to me read the story and the CD. Truly, I don’t think they understood the language at the beginning of the story. It was a little difficult for them to comprehend. After reading the story we had a class discussion about feelings. The book lends itself to that. Overall, I would give this story a 4. I wouldn’t use the book for comprehension, but for building awareness of feelings. Perfect to use for class meetings.
Loren Kessler
Kindergarten
Roosevelt Elementary

The Big Bell and the Little Bell I am a first grad...

2009-02-08T22:43:57.575-05:00

The Big Bell and the Little Bell

I am a first grade teacher and am reviewing the book from my early readers' perspective. Most of my children were not interested. The reason for the King choosing the
little bell versus the big bell didn't seem compelling to them. Two asked why the king chose the little bell - the headache and marriage seemed to elude my tiny readers. The vocabulary was appropriate for early readers. The illustrations were beautiful. (Although why the characters are cats was elusive to me. The children did not comment.)
I'm not sure the children understood on their own the idea that the loudest doesn't mean the most important. We discussed it but as children they already understand that the loudest is the one not following directions. I wonder if they thought the moral of the story was too obvious. CD was fine. The children preferred the first version of the song; they played that one the most; but overall enjoyed reading the
book on their own the most. Perhaps being unfamiliar with the poem/story had a negative effect. Is this poem/story popular in Europe? Overall rating of 2 for illustrations.

The Big Bell and the Little Bell, written by Marti...

2009-02-06T23:31:16.949-05:00

The Big Bell and the Little Bell, written by Martin Kalmanoff and illustrated by Alastair Graham was more impressive with the musical CD than without. The illustrations are complex in that there is something new to notice with each read. I was not impressed with the story line. I could not see using this in a classroom setting.
Rating: 2

The Big Bell and the Little Bell is a good picture...

2009-02-05T10:05:27.346-05:00

The Big Bell and the Little Bell is a good picture book. The basic storyline is the re-telling of a bedtime story. The bedtime story itself is presented within the accompanying CD. The moral of the bedtime story itself is great and it would be a great bedtime story for parent to read to their kids (smaller ones) or teachers to read to their students (K-1). The illustrations by Graham are charming. I think kids are going to have fun finding the bells on the 2 panel pages (I still can't find the bell on the king's wedding pages). The only off thing about the book is the simplicity of the story that sandwiched the bedtime story. I think it would've been better flow to have just about the bedtime story, without the intro or ending.
Picnic-ability rating: 3

~Mila
Library Assistant

This one just didn't fly. My kids enjoyed romping ...

2009-02-04T06:52:39.888-05:00

This one just didn't fly. My kids enjoyed romping to the second song on the CD, my kids loved looking at the cats wedding and the little cat reading the same book as they were was very appealing. They felt sorry for the big bell as the little bell looked so smug - any parent should pick up the common story of the youngest kid outshining the eldest... or the smallest bell out-tinging the big bell. Whatever moral the story kept trying to tell us, they didn't demonstrate it by example! And repeating something over and over again doesn't make it true.

For myself the story was weak, dull and I really don't need to read it again (and hopefully won't be asked to). The illustrations far outshone the story, yet they didn't really fit the story... I felt the illustrations were of cats so they quickly fitted the story and said that the mama's child was called "kitten". Otherwise the story had nothing to do with cats. There was a king and a couple of characters but cats? There wasn't a king cat!

Since it has to have a ranking I would give it a one, but I would definitely forget the basket behind for that picnic.

I had never heard of the story until I received my...

2009-02-03T20:27:37.558-05:00

I had never heard of the story until I received my preview copy. It has a good lesson for little kids. My two boys at home loved the story and CD. The pictures are great. The Julius La Rosa version is the better of the two songs on the CD. My class is struggling with pointing out faults right now so I can use this to let them see that everyone has something to contribute. I am not really sure how the cat kingdom makes the story better. I give it 3 stars out of 5.

I will have to admit that I have never heard the s...

2009-02-02T21:32:35.394-05:00

I will have to admit that I have never heard the song that inspired this book. However, I did enjoy this story. I love books that have the book in the story. I also love the fact that this story shows a mama cat reading this same book to her kitten as a bedtime story. Reading to kids is so important, and this book reinforces that. Mama Kitten is having to reread a favorite book; what parent hasn't done that? This book has a great message too and it is repeated in the story, so I feel like children will get the underlying moral: "Those who make the biggest noise aren't always as important as they think." What a great message for children! If I was using this in the classroom, I might ask the students to write a reader's response to this book focusing on what that sentence means to them. Alistair Graham has given new life to this musical storybook with his illustrations. The cats just seem to jump off the page at you. They are so cute! Even the bells have faces; the big bell looking authoritarian and the little bell looking scared to death. Which one will the king choose to play at his wedding? You might be surprised when you read it! I recommend this one to teachers and parents. I am giving it a rating of 4 - recommend without reservation.

I was disappointed in this book. Clever packaging ...

2009-02-02T20:29:47.395-05:00

I was disappointed in this book. Clever packaging and lovely illustrations really did not salvage the weak story. It lacked creativity. The children with whom I read it kept asking why they couldn't find the bells in all the pictures.
I'd rate it at 2.

Tracy O'Brien
Achieva Educational Services
St. John's, NL, Canada