Groundhog Day: science, social studies and literature.

             As an adult reader, Gail Gibbons’ non-fiction picture books never fail to fascinate me. They are always filled with fascinating facts about the scientific nature of the world in which we live. As a child-like reader, her colorful illustrations always seem to capture me and fill my life with a strong welcome sense of nostalgia. Put simply, Gail Gibbons’ illustrations are somehow the pictures of my childhood. Her nonfiction picture book Groundhog Day does not fail to meet what I expect to find inside a book with Gail Gibbons’ name on the cover.  Gibbons begins her story with the history of Groundhog Day. She explains several old customs and beliefs related to that special day in mid-winter on which many look to a small groundhog to predict the future coming of spring. While she doesn’t explicitly explain the origins of the holiday, she does create the sense of the strong oral traditions and beliefs passed down through many generations. Then, she both tells and shows readers the excitement with which a small town called Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania began to celebrate Groundhog Day annually on February 2^nd.  Details of the celebrations are included, but the story makes it clear that Phil, the famous groundhog, doesn’t actually talk.

            Then, Gibbons turns her story away from the history to the scientific views of the life of the famous rodent called the groundhog.  She includes detailed information in the text about the body, habitat, diet, and social life of the groundhog. A two page spread depicts the locations in which groundhogs live around the world and under the ground. While Gibbons’ illustrations are framed with text below, she always lets small illustrations creep in from the corners or edges of the page which makes the book feel lively, much like the holiday it celebrates. For teachers, Groundhog Day captures the very essence of integrating social studies and science through literature. For students, Groundhog Day is an adventure in which their creative minds mesh with reality.  For more information about Gail Gibbons and her books, check out her website.