Windblown

by Édouard Manceau (Illustrator), Sarah Quinn (Translator)

Where did all these pieces of paper come from? Who do they belong to?

The chicken is sure that they belong to him, but so is the fish, and so is the bird, and the snail and the frog… Using the same small scraps of paper over and over again to create a new animal on each page, Édouard Manceau has created a timeless cumulative tale that will delight and enchant children as they try to figure out just who the pieces of paper do belong to…

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Art, Storytime, Animals, Fantasy, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[La Coccinelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

That was unimpressive.

Windblown is a cumulative tale in which animals try to take credit for pieces of paper that were found lying around. I'm sorry, but I just don't get it. The book lost me when the fish claimed it cut out the pieces. (Fish can use scissors?!)

Sure, there are activity sheets that can be downloaded so kids can cut out and play with the shapes, but... so what? The shapes aren't particularly interesting. After a few minutes of playing with these bland shapes, kids will probably lose interest.

I guess this might be okay if you're specifically looking for cumulative tales, but otherwise, there's not much of value here.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaah it makes me happy to start reading books for preschool story time again :) This one is exciting to me, 'cause it'll prompt lots of good interaction and discussion. It'll be fun to have the kids guess what animals and shapes the scraps of paper can turn in to! It also might make a FABULOUS felt story -- just cut out the shapes from the book and even let the kids try putting them together in different ways. Fantastic for a big group, great for a small one, A++.

[Hillary]

Great book for multiple extension activities:

1. Read the book with a flannel board
2. Use flannel board and tell the story without even using the book
3. Read the book and then have shapes available for the child to tell the story with you
4. Read the story and have the shapes available for an art extension activity after (create your own picture using the shapes)

Some of the activities skew older, but the flannel board could be used with 3+

[Seema Rao · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple shapes are mixed and remixed to turn into stylized animals in this young learners look at creativity.

[Ruth Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple text takes readers through the steps of how the pieces of paper came to be and came to be windblown.
Perfect for a storytime that includes a craft. ;)

[Tyler Piers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wind blew to the left, wind blew to the right, wind blew to down below. But do you know where the wind did not go? North Las Vegas hasn’t had a decent gusting in sometime. That’s why the air is always stale and smells like someone forgot to take out the trash for 4 days. God Bless!

[Jolynne Dougherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cumulative story about where the shapes come from. Honestly, the story isn't very compelling. But the pictures and concept are marvelous. I have used this book many times for preschool storytime and seen many creative projects that come from the simple shapes used in this book. I will be making a flannel board set for this book.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scraps of paper blow across the page, first one then several appear. But what are they and whose are they? First the chicken insists they are his since he found them. Then the fish says that he cut them from the paper. Then the bird, the snail and the frog explain that they are theirs as well. Each animal fits them to their body to demonstrate why they belong to them. Then the wind itself speaks about blowing the pieces around and offers them to the reader, “What will you do?”

Superbly simple and entirely engaging, readers will be playing along with the book before they even open the pages. Manceau has cleverly selected shapes that fit together in many different ways. He demonstrates this over and over again, then turns it all over to the reader to continue.
This is also a book that would make a great art project for little ones.

Share the book, then give each child the pieces shown in the story to make their own picture. An ideal way to end a creative story time. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

[La Lectora · Rating 4 out of 5]

¡Gracias, señor viento! nos ayuda a estimular la imaginación de los pequeños desde el inicio, jugando con pedazos de papel en forma de figuras geométricas de colores básicos.

Página a página se van develando más figuras, que se van desarrollando en otras cosas que nos enseñan que no hay límite para lo que se puede crear: ¿un pollo? ¿un caracol?

Por el tema sencillo lo considero muy adecuado para primeras lecturas a pequeños de 1 a 3 años, para que se puedan acostumbrar a los libros sin abrumarse con tramas que aún no son capaces de seguir. Si conseguimos papelitos de colores y hacemos figuras geométricas, podemos acompañar este libro perfectamente, para ayudar a los niños a crear sus propias combinaciones y les aseguro que lo amarán.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an entertaining book that shows just a few of the myriad ways that different colored shapes can be combined to make different pictures and characters. The narrative is very short and simple and the illustrations focus on the different creations. I like that the book encourages children to create their own pictures, although it would be novel to include cardboard cutouts of those shapes in a pocket at the end of the book. Overall, it would be a good book to read with preschool-age children.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is like a cross between Duck! Rabbit! and Quick! Turn the Page! because it breaks that fourth wall and talks directly to the reader when explaining what's on the page. When describing what the pieces of paper are, they can be made into many different animals, which is why it reminds me of Duck! Rabbit!

[Aleece · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a simple yet very cute and creative book. It takes different scraps of paper and turns them into different animals. This book shows how a little creativity can go a long way and how if you use your imagination anything is possible.

[Jennifer Hess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book!
"A book that at first glance might seem minimalist to the point of vacuity bears closer scrutiny when one appreciates the function the paper shapes can have in allowing a child to identify them in different orientations and even to practice counting." ~Kirkus

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple and cute.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is begging to be used in a storytime!! I can't wait:)

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few shapes are blown about to form different animals that tell a story about pieces of paper on the breeze.

In the form of "The House that Jack Built", it's a story that builds upon itself, but also uses the same shapes and a few extra lines to make all the pictures. For teachers, having pieces of paper pre-cut out in the shapes could be a fun activity for kids to try making some other animals or pictures from the shapes.

No content issues.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shapes blow in the wind and each animal claims it was them that created them, but in the end it is the wind that blows the shapes away again, to you! What can you make with them?

This is a good book for a unit on shapes.

This is a good book for a unit on creating art with cut out shapes.

This is also a good book for a unit on air and wind.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The wind blows multiple shapes onto the white page. Each animal uses the shape to create their appearance and claim that the shapes belong to them. Tired of their arguing, the wind blows the shapes into the air and lets the reader choose how to make the picture.

Would make for a fun activity after reading the story.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this seemingly simple book about different shapes put together to make different animals, each that wants to take credit for their existence. It shows the many possibilities of just seven simple shapes. It's a great jumping off point for a fun lesson for preschoolers on shapes and tangrams.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this book more than the kids did. I sued it with both toddlers and preschoolers and think it work better one on one or with an cutouts to real life demonstrate. Features shapes being moved by the wind to form different animals who each lay claim to the shapes ownership.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute story just on a very superficial level. Like Otoshi's seemingly simple books, this one seems to have some deeper messages--how the lives of others affect our own (sometimes completely unbeknownst to us) and how the pieces of life that we choose to bring together shape our own lives.

[Maeve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tiny pieces of paper are blown about by the wind, and various creatures claim them as their own in a cumulative tale.

An interesting idea. Could be a good choice for storytime, or inspiration for extension activities about creativity.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cute book has inspired me to go look for papers to cut into these shapes and others and leave in the book so child can create their own creature --would have been a nice touch for the publisher to do so, hrumph! link to download shapes is provided.

[Laura Salas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the different creatures using the bits of windblown paper and the fun cumulative structure, but I didn't quite get any connection between each animal and its step in the process...Great ending inviting kids to create.

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a terrific book to use when doing craft projects with kids. Cut out a few paper shapes and see what kinds of animals (or objects) the kids can make with those shapes! This book will provide plenty of inspiration as the same shapes can be used make a bird, a frog, a chicken, a snail etc…

[Lauren CharacterKidLit · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and inciting read for young budding artists and visual designers. Shows how easy it can be to make art. The quote at the end of the book is from Aristotle and it reads, “riches consist more in use than possession.” We read this book while learning about the character strength of Creativity.

[Mayar Bahry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ce livre parle d’une dispute entre les animaux pour des bouts des papiers mais c’était le vent qui a fini cette dispute en disant que c’est lui qui a trouvé ces bouts de papiers .
En vérité, c’est un livre qui montre le cycle de fabrication des papiers.

[Dewey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book might be fun to read with preschoolers in a shapes or colors themed storytime...you could even have the craft involve using the shapes from the book to make a picture.

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute concept and I appreciate how the author encourages young readers to use their imaginations, but the story itself dragged and didn't hold my interest.

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book shows how shapes can be rearranged and transformed into an animal. This is a good book to be introduced in Art lessons to get students to be creative and think out of the box.