Most of the time I go to the library like I go to the grocery store. I have a very detailed and specific list of things to get. Often this limits my level of frustration and guarantees I will have the right books to read when I get home. However, a change of habit took place as I was searching the shelves of my local library. I was frustrated that the dewey decimal system had failed me and I came across this intriguing book, “Stuck” by Oliver Jeffers.
I’m not sure if it was the title or the cover illustration that pulled me in but I was definitely putting this book in my bag whether or not it was on my library list. Opening the book I immediately knew it was a perfect read. The inside page opens to hand-sketched drawings of various items including birds, chairs, kites, ladders, and even whales.
After reading this book, these sketches made much more sense but there is a sense of whimsy that is introduced on these simple pages. It makes you want to know more about “Stuck”.
The story begins with a boy named Floyd (don’t you just love and hate that name?) who got his precious kite stuck in a tree. He tried many many things to get his kite unstuck but nothing worked. Floyd then decides the only option is to begin tossing various items into the tree, hoping this would release his kite. Shoes went into the tree, a cat, and somehow a ladder was even thrown into the mix. Still, no kite. The story continues as Floyd throws anything he can find to try and get his toy. The list of ridiculous items grows as the tree soon fills up with kitchen sinks, front doors, the milk man and even a large whale. Everything he throws in the tree just gets STUCK!
I couldn’t believe how much I personally enjoyed this book and even found myself giggling out loud at the illustrations. Olive Jeffers not only tells a predictable story using a simple problem but elevates it with his careful illustrations and color selections. The text of this story also really caught my attention as it looks like it is a handwritten book made just for the reader. As a teacher, I can see how young readers can get ideas about making their own books using their handwriting and personal illustrations. Jeffers carefully uses all-caps and large font to emphasize certain words and feelings throughout the book.
I also noticed that Jeffers used color in a particular way to express emotions for Floyd. The background of each page typically was a blank white canvas but select pages featured bold colored pages of blues and reds. The image below is when Floyd is feeling absolutely frustrated and resorts to getting a ladder, only to throw that into the tree as well.
There are many ways I could see this book being used in a writing classroom. For younger writers, there is such a strong connection between the illustrations and the text telling the story. Students could be able to play around with color to help emphasize emotions or times of day in their own stories. The plot of this story is quite simple and involves a relatively ordinary problem; a toy is stuck in a tree. However, Oliver Jeffers takes this simple problem and explodes it by having Floyd throw ridiculous things in the tree in hopes to retrieve his kite. Young writers could easily do the same as a way to practice developing plot and making a problem worse and worse.
This is a great read aloud book for students of a range of ages. I could definitely see using this book with my 5th graders to help them see examples of how books can be published, the importance of illustrations to convey meaning, and practicing plot development. Has anyone else read this book and used it with their students? What were your reactions?
I teach...I read...I write 