Pictures with one-word captions illustrate such action words as sleep, bathe, write, stagger, paddle, litter, and many more.

Jack Kent (1920–1985) had two distinct and successful careers: newspaper cartoonist and author of children’s books. For each of these he drew upon different aspects of his personality and life experiences. From 1950 to 1965 he wrote and drew King Aroo, a nationally syndicated comic strip beloved by fans for its combination of absurdity, fantasy, wordplay, and wit. The strip’s DNA was comprised of things Kent loved—fairytales, nursery rhymes, vaudeville, Krazy Kat, foreign languages, and puns. In 1968, he published his first children’s book, Just Only John, and began a career in kids’ books that would result in over sixty published works, among them such classics as The Fat Cat and There’s No Such Thing as a Dragon. Kent’s stories for children were funny but often arose from the dark parts of his life—an itinerant childhood, an unfinished education, two harrowing tours of duty in World War II, and a persistent lack of confidence—and tackled such themes as rejection, isolation, self-doubt, and the desire for transformation. Jack Kent: The Wit, Whimsy, and Wisdom of a Comic Storyteller illuminates how Kent’s life experiences informed his art and his storytelling in both King Aroo and his children’s books. Paul V. Allen draws from archival research, brand-new interviews, and in-depth examinations of Kent’s work. Also included are many King Aroo comic strips that have never been reprinted in book form.

Educators working with young children are experiencing a significant increase in the number of English Language Learners (ELL) enrolled in their classrooms. All of the activities provided in this book are effective for all children, whether they are learning a first, second, or even a third language. All the photo cards, games, and activities are meant to provide exciting, entertaining, and purposeful experiences that will increase vocabulary and the awareness of concepts that are required for effective communication. --P. [4] of cover.

Help children build the vocabulary needed to become a successful English speaker! This guide contains dozens of strategies for teaching new words through storytelling, songs, pictures books, and more. Includes over 1,000 reproducible picture and word cards with a guide for selecting the appropriate words and tips for supporting young English learners.