Mathilda and the Orange Balloon

Your imagination can take you anywhere... let you be anything!

de Seve, Randall.
Mathilda and the Orange Balloon.
February 2010.
HarperCollins.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Mathilda the sheep is okay with her small life - the green grass, green barns, gray skies, gray stones and gray sheep that she sees on a daily basis... until that orange balloon floats by. Mathilda quickly realizes all that the orange balloon can see that she doesn't, as it floats on by and she now longs to be an orange balloon - be magnificent and see magnificent things! As the sheep discuss what it means to be an orange balloon, readers will watch how Mathilda uses her imagination to pretend that she, too, is an orange balloon. Her excitement quickly passes on to the other sheep in the pasture, as readers will watch how they begin using their imagination to become magnificent things!

This book is perfect for those who are trying to encourage young children to be creative and to use their imagination! The text is simple, yet quickly makes the point that you can go anywhere and do anything when using your imagination!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Using the worksheet that can be downloaded here, ask your child(ren) to use his/her imagination to take the sheep on an adventure. Perhaps, you might want to prepare a couple of examples - turn one sheep into a ladybug, turn another into a cloud, and yet another into a hippopotomus. Allow your child(ren) to use any/all materials on your art shelf and set no limits on their use of their imagination!
  

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