Module 3: A Ball for Daisy

Book Cover Image

Summary

A Ball for Daisy is a wordless book for younger readers. It is about a dog named Daisy who loves her red ball. The story begins with Daisy playing with her red ball. She loves it so much she snuggles up to it when she sleeps. Daisy also likes to take her red ball to the park, until it goes over a fence and another dog begins to play with it. To Daisy great misfortune the ball is popped by the other dog. She goes home without her favorite red ball. Next time Daisy goes to the park, the other dog's owner has brought daisy a new ball, only this time it is a bright blue color. 

APA Reference

Raschka, C. (2011). A ball for daisy. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books. 

My Impressions

 The story of A Ball for Daisy is the latest Caldecott Winner (2012). The author does a superb job of showing the emotions and play of the little dog, Daisy only through pictures. You can feel the puppy's emotions through her facial expressions and mannerisms. Chris Raschka makes it look as if watercolor paints were used to make this book a winner! The watercolor look gives it a young and childlike feel, but has the sophistication of a true artist. This will be a favorite of all young readers who have a love for dogs. 

Professional Review

This story about loss (and joy) is accomplished without a single word, which is perfect—it puts you directly in the head space of its canine protagonist. The title tells us her name is Daisy, but she is a pretty anonymous little thing, drawn by Raschka as just a few indistinct yet somehow expressive squiggly lines. What’s clear is that she loves playing with her ball, both indoors and out, until the fateful moment that another dog bites too hard on the ball and deflates it. In a heartaching series of nearly identical paintings, Daisy slumps into a sofa as depression overtakes her. Dogs, of course, don’t know that there are more balls in the world, which makes her glee at the end of the book all the sweeter. Raschka uses fairly sophisticated comic-book arrangements—long, narrow, horizontal panels, and so forth—but masks them with soft watercolor edges instead of sharp corners. The result feels like something of pure emotion. Pretty close approximation of what it’s like to be a dog, probably.

— Daniel Kraus

Kraus, D.(2011). Booklist.

Library Uses

Though, this would be difficult to read aloud to students in a library, it would be a great opportunity for students to write the story in words for the author.