Another of My Favorite Books

Posted on September 18, 2005

The Lonely Scarecrow by Tim Preston and illustrated by Maggie Kneen is a beautifully written and illustrated book. It is about a scarecrow who is understandably lonely since he was made to scare the animals from the field. The story takes the scarecrow through the seasons and we see him transform into a "friendly" snowman! As a snowman the animals are no longer afraid and he starts to gain a sense of belonging. But what happens as the snow begins to melt?

It is a great book to lead into a discussion about belonging and trust. Are the animals smart in staying away from a scary stranger? Should they have approached the "friendly" snowman that they did not know? For younger children especially, we want to make the point that safety is always the first concern and is much more important than trying to make someone else feel a sense of belonging.