Artsy-Fartsy

Oceanak, K. (2009). //Artsy-fartsy: An Aldo Zelnick comic novel//. Fort Collins, CO: Bailiwick Press.

2010 Colorado Book Award Winner 2010 Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association Award Winner
 * Awards:**


 * Summary:** Aldo is ten, lives in Fort Collins,CO, and on summer vacation. His grandmother gave him a sketchbook to write and draw about his vacation. A very fun story about a young boy and the adventures to be had when not in school. There is also a great glossary in the back of the book for all the different 'A' words that are used!


 * Grade Level:** 3-6
 * Reading Level:** 3.8

This would be a great book to read aloud when learning about Colorado. While it does not focus on the state and Fort Collins itself, it would be a great piece to supplement, particularly if the school is located in or near Fort Collins. Also, being part of a new series that is written where every book is the next letter of the alphabet, this puts a unique spin on the alphabet book philosophy. When teaching 6+1 traits for writing, the books in the Aldo Zelnick series provide great examples of word choice and the glossaries in the books are essential to the word choice being understood.
 * Curriculum Connection:**

Ellen Welty (Children's Literature) -- Aldo’s grandma (Goosy) has given him a sketch book to use during the summer vacation. Goosy is sure that Aldo likes to draw. He is not very happy about the gift since the only other kids he knows who like to draw are girls! He is even less happy when he finds out that his parents have signed him up for summer baseball. He has other plans for the summer--plans that involve watching television and playing video games. When he leaves his sketchbook in a secret ‘fort’ that he and his friend Jack find, someone else draws pictures in it--pictures that are the kind that girls draw! Just because Aldo thinks his sketchbook is kind of dumb doesn’t mean that he thinks some girl should be writing in it! He and Jack try to figure out who it is. In the meantime, there’s this girl on his baseball team who hits better and runs faster than Aldo does. Could things get any worse? What Aldo finds out about himself and others with his sketchbook over the summer is entertaining and appealing. The graphic novel format works well for this story and middle school readers will enjoy reading another story about Aldo.
 * Children's Literature Comprehensive Database Review 2009: (from Mackin)**