An absolutely wonderful friend sent me a link to this photo “I Love Book” on Facebook.
Never in my wildest imagination would I have thought I would be the illustrator of a ‘banned’ book. But I am illustrating my 37th children’s picture book, and they have sold an overall world-wide total combined 3+ million copies…. so I can’t even begin to comprehend where the books have gone off to….
Apparently A Case Of Sense ended up being banned in Duval County, Florida. Along with 175 other children’s titles. Read all about it here.
A Case of Sense, written by Songju Ma Daemicke is a children’s book about ‘senses’, yup that’s what I said - smelling and hearing. And how is learning about your senses controversial? You got me, you’d have to ask the administrators down in Duval County, Florida, that question. The great state of Kansas loved the book! It is on the 2017 Kansas NEA Reading Circle Catalogue Selection. I’m proud of that. My friends, such as the one who sent me that quote from Isaac Asimov, tell me I should be proud the book was banned - that it makes it a ‘book of honor’, a ‘book worth reading’. What it does is make me sad, sad that there are students in Duval County, Florida, who don’t have access to the book.
A Case of Sense is available from Arbordale Publishing in English, Spanish, and Chinese. Here is the book’s description from it’s webpage:
While Ming plays outside one summer day, the smell of delicious food fills the air. It is coming from greedy Fu Wang’s house. "What is he up to?" wonders Ming. To his alarm, Fu Wang demands that all the neighbors pay him for the pleasant smells. When the neighbors refuse, the case goes to court. How will the judge rule in this unusual case and will justice be served? Can Fu Wang make money from the neighbors’ sense of smell? A wise judge makes use of another sense to close the case with clever and convincing logic.
This fictional story includes a 4-page For Creative Minds section in the back of the book and a 23-page cross-curricular Teaching Activity Guide online. A Case of Sense is vetted by experts and designed to encourage parental engagement. Its extensive back matter helps teachers with time-saving lesson ideas, provides extensions for science, math, and social studies units, and uses inquiry-based learning to help build critical thinking skills in young readers. The Spanish translation supports ELL and dual-language programs. The interactive ebook reads aloud in both English and Spanish with word highlighting and audio speed control to promote oral language skills, fluency, pronunciation, text engagement, and reading comprehension. Tap animals and other things that make noise to hear their sounds.
Written by Songju Ma Daemicke, Illustrated by Shennen Bersani
32 pg, 8.5x10, Ages 4-8, Grades K-3, Lexile: AD 550L, AR: 3.3, F&P: M
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First of all you really should check out Arbordale’s ebook collection! They are interactive and they do make sounds! I personally love them!
Second, I’m serious about ‘sounds’ and ‘smells’, spoiler alert - two pages from the book:
I hope you take a moment to visit the book’s homepage where you can purchase it directly from Arbordale Publishing. On the top right corner of that page you will find fantastic free Teaching Activities for your classroom or homeschool use, including coloring pages.
Third, please check out author Songju Ma Daemicke’s website. Songju is an amazing multi award-winning author of numerous books. Plus, she is such a lovely, lovely person! I am honored and proud to have illustrated A Case of Sense!