Six Traits Sunday: Voice in Interrupting Chicken and Chloe and the Lion

It’s time for another Six Traits Sunday with Comprehension Connection! Voice is the topic this week. When I teach this at co-op, I may bring in books by the same author and talk about how the author’s show their voice: Lois Ehlert, Denise Fleming, Jan Brett, Byron Barton, Mo Willems. They all are distinct in their style and therefore their voice. You look at a book and know who wrote it.

Two books do come to mind as unique in exploring voice, especially a voice that adapts throughout the book.

The first is Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein. In this book, a father and child chicken read stories, which the child interrupts. The illustrations show a different voice in the style when the stories start, and the rhythm of the words does too — a more formal tone as a fairy tale begins. It is a fantastic look at voice.

Another off-the-wall example of voice is Chloe and the Lion by Mac Barnett and Adam Rex. Once again, the illustrations tell the story. But in this book, in which the author and illustrator are having conversations on the side, the voices of different characters also come through. I love it! It is funny as well as a good example of voice in picture books.

What books would you use to teach your students voice? Link up at Comprehension Connection or right here: