The Old Woman
- Publisher
- Groundwood Books Ltd
- Initial publish date
- Sep 2020
- Category
- Friendship, Country Life, General, Emotions & Feelings
- Recommended Age
- 4 to 8
- Recommended Grade
- k to 3
- Recommended Reading age
- 4 to 8
-
Hardback
- ISBN
- 9781773062112
- Publish Date
- Sep 2020
- List Price
- $18.95
-
eBook
- ISBN
- 9781773062129
- Publish Date
- Sep 2020
- List Price
- $16.95
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
The Old Woman is a beautiful portrait of an old woman who lives contentedly with her dog, from award-winning author Joanne Schwartz and illustrator Nahid Kazemi.
An old woman shares her home with a scruffy old dog, her best friend and constant companion.
One fall day, they go for a walk and the woman throws sticks for the dog. She loves hearing the autumn leaves under her feet and the wind in the trees. She looks up at a crow in the sky and imagines what it might feel like to fly. As the wind comes up and the light begins to fade, she remembers playing outside as a child, never wanting to go in. Suddenly she notices a stunning harvest moon against the darkening sky. The next morning, as she sits outside to watch the sun rise, she looks forward to spending a new day with her friend.
Gentle illustrations accompany this portrayal of an elderly person who lives peaceably with her dog, appreciating what each moment brings.
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2
>Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4
Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.7
Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting)
About the authors
Joanne Schwartz was born in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Her first picture book, Our Corner Grocery Store, illustrated by Laura Beingessner, was nominated for the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award. Her other books include City Alphabet and City Numbers, with photos by Matt Beam, and two Inuit folktales with Cape Dorset elder Qaunaq Mikkigak — The Legend of the Fog, illustrated by Danny Christopher, and Grandmother Ptarmigan, illustrated by Qin Leng. Joanne has been a children’s librarian for more than twenty-five years. She lives in Toronto.
Joanne Schwartz's profile page
NAHID KAZEMIis an artist, illustrator and graphic designer with a master’s degree in painting from Tehran’s University of Art. She has published more than sixty children’s books and has received awards for her illustrations in Iran as well as nominations for the Governor General’s Award and the 2020 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Her recent publications include I’m Glad That You’re Happy, which she wrote and illustrated, and Over the Rooftops, Under the Moon by JonArno Lawson. She has also taught art and has exhibited her work in Iran, France, Italy, the UK, Lebanon and Serbia. Nahid lives in Montreal.
Awards
- Commended, Quill & Quire Books of the Year — Books for Young People
- Commended, Globe 100 Favourite Books
Editorial Reviews
Kazemi’s exquisite chalk-and-pastel illustrations are the perfect medium for this gentle story.
Globe and Mail
What a joy it is to read.
Sal’s Fiction Addiction Blog
