Windblown

📝 This post, Windblown, was originally published in 2012 and has been updated with new information and resources.

I love this book so much — Windblown by Édouard Manceau is one of those wonderfully simple stories that keeps kids completely fascinated from beginning to end. The book follows seven scraps of paper as they are blown along by the wind. On each page, the scraps transform into a different animal — a chicken, a fish, a bird, a snail, a frog — and each one claims the scraps as their own. At the very end, the wind asks the best question of all: “They’re yours now too. What will you do?”

When I read Windblown to my first graders, they were completely engrossed. That final question opens the door to so much creativity, and the art that came out of it was absolutely wonderful.

Why I Love *Windblown* for the Classroom

*Windblown* is one of those books that invites kids to look closely, think creatively, and respond in their own way. Because the scraps of paper transform into different animals, students have to pay attention to shape, detail, and visual clues. And that final question — *What will you do?* — makes it such a natural springboard for art, writing, and reader response.

Windblown Reader Response, Craft, and Writing Activity

After reading *Windblown*, I asked my students the same question the wind asks in the book: **What will you do?** This reader response activity pairs perfectly with the book and gives students the chance to create, write, and respond in a way that feels both meaningful and fun. If you love this book as much as I do, I think you are going to love this resource too.

💚 Grab the Windblown Reader Response, Craft, and Writing Activity here!

How We Used This Activity

After reading *Windblown*, I copied the page from the book with the paper scraps and had my students cut out the shapes. Then they used one of the templates from the resource to create their own response. I loved that everyone started with the same shapes but came up with something completely different. The finished projects made the cutest display!

This activity gave my students the chance to respond to *Windblown* in a way that felt creative and meaningful. They had to look closely at the shapes, think flexibly about how to use them, and then put their ideas into words. It was a wonderful mix of art, reader response, and writing — and it gave every child a chance to create something completely unique.

If you read *Windblown* with your class, I would love to see what your students create! It is such a fun book to pull out on a blustery day. Drop a comment below or tag me on Instagram if you try it — I could look at these little paper animals all day. 💚