Not a Box

Written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis. Portis is an award winning author and illustrator who has been honored by many different organizations.  She studied at UCLA school of fine arts. Check out her website.

Genre: Fiction
Theme: Animals/Imagination
Ages: 3-8

Summary: This is a book about how a simple box can be much more given imagination. There is a simple pattern of repetition to help increase fluency in young readers.







Link to Picture of Not a Box

Pre-Reading Activity:  Bring in a cardboard box and ask students what it is.  Ask them what it can be used for.  Then challenge them to come up with more creative responses.  If students are limited, or very imaginative, tell them that this book may give some ideas as well.

Post-Reading Activity: Have students write about their imaginative idea for what a box may be.  If they feel that all of the options for a box have been used, have them tell to choose another everyday object, like a blanket or a stick.  Students should draw first the regular object, then a transformed version of the object in their imagination.

Reflection:  I love this book.  The texture of the outside is that of a box, it is inviting.  It makes me remember my childhood of playing with blankets and furniture to create forts.  Imagination is a wonderful tool, we should remind our students to continue to foster their imaginations, rather than have them stomped out.