* Hattie and the Fox (1986)

      Hattie and the Fox (1986), by Mem Fox, is a timeless parable. Hattie is a big black hen that notices oncoming danger, "Goodness gracious me! I can see a nose in the bushes!" Her barnyard companions react with exclamations but no actions. This story is nicely constructed for a very young reader—the rising action develops slowly.  Hattie and the reader gradually see more of the emerging danger. This drama is soothed by the other barnyard animals' complacency. The kindergartener will quickly learn to "read" their responses. Illustrator Patricia Mullins' deep colors dampen the growing fear. She's places Hattie's friends in a variety of different poses when all she's got is the same repetitive text to work with.

      I'm a little confused about the ending, but it doesn't detract from the story.  I think the animals are saved too easily from the danger, but maybe this end is comforting. I wonder if  we're observing post-traumatic stress on the final page. This book is one of my favorites. The paperback I own was published in 1990 as a Trumpet Club Special Edition.

      Teach Your Children Well has Big Book Activities - Hattie and the Fox. trembyteaches has Hattie and the Fox - Cloze. There's a Book for That has Story Board- Hattie and the Fox.

Rainbow Rhino (1987)

      Rainbow Rhino (1987), by Peter Sis, is a variation of "there's no place like home." A rhinoceros lives alone in the middle of a deep valley, and I wonder why. In this vast setting, there's one rhinoceros and only three birds.  One day they take a long walk to unfamiliar places and choose to separate from one another. The rhinoceros finds itself alone and in danger. As it runs home, it finds the birds in equally perilous situations. Together, they all run back to the deep valley, and that's where they stay. 

     I don't understand this narrative. That these close friends would leave one another made no sense to me. But, since they did, I wanted them to find happiness in personal growth and adventure.  Instead, they learn that it's best to stay home. On the back cover, we read that the birds are  ". . . lured away from home by the exotic temptations they see on their travels, only to discover their need for each other and the true meaning of friendship." Except the story makes no reference to the value of friendship. It won the New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book Award and praise from the School Library Journal, so there's more to this tale than meets my eye. 

     David's Simple Teaching has Jungle Animals Clipart. PineappleandCheese has I Spy On a Safari Book. Preschoolenglish Net has Animals -  High Quality A3 Flashcards.

 

Mice Squeak, We Speak (1999)

       Mice Squeak, We Speak (Scholastic printing, 1999) has only Tommy di Paola's name on the cover. On the title page, we see that this is a poem by Arnold L Shapiro.  The text is only a few words; the book highlights Tommy de Paola's child-friendly art. Each page is a colorful portrait of an animal. "Lions roar." is illustrated with a lion's head with the words "roar roar roar" floating out of its mouth. Each animal page has minimal context. A mouse sits on top of a round of cheese; a sheep stands in a stylized field of greens. A dove perches on a roof, but one needs background knowledge to infer this. Three children appear on several pages to illustrate human speech.

     This paperback is beautiful work of art. I do wonder how often a child would want to read so little text. I think it may be easy to flip quickly through this book because there's not a lot to talk about on each page. I think this would make a perfect board book.

     Tea Time Monkeys has Who's On the Farm? Clever Fox Lesson Box has Animals Sounds - Power Point Game DEMO. Brainy Kiddos has Guess the Animal sound Interactive PPT Game. 

     

     

 

*Cook-a-Doodle-Doo (1999)

      Cook-a-Doodle-Doo (1999)  by Janet Stevens is one of my favorite books. When a great-great-grandrooster of the Little Red Hen finds her cookbook, The Joy of Cooking Alone, he's delighted to find a recipe for strawberry shortcake.  The dog, cat, and goose will not help him cook it. But the turtle, iguana, and pot-bellied pig well help! Each plays a specific role in the story, and  Suzanne Stevens Crummel's illustrations are delightful. The turtle wears a small saucepan as a hat; the iguana wears an oven mitt on its head, and the potbelly pig dons a kerchief. As they read the recipe, we discover words have multiple meanings. The recipe calls for flour, so the iguana goes outside and picks a petunia. This same confusion happens with "measure",  "tablespoon",  "stick" and more.

      A real bonus is that several pages have a margin with step-by-step directions for making strawberry shortcake.  For example, we read, "You will find many different kinds of flour at the store..." Stevens's characters create a scrumptious dessert--the ending it is dramatic yet pleasing. I joyously recommend this book.

     Mrs Ks TPT has Thick and Thin Questions. Adrienne Ambrose has Cookadoodle Do: Cause and Effect. The Smiling Speechie has Cooking with Kids: Strawberry Shortcake. 

*Goldilocks and the Three Hares (1998)

      Goldilocks and the Three Hares by Heidi Petach. (Scholastic printing,1998) is a playful take on a classic. This is a book about the three hares, and the characters break the 4th wall as they joke about Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  On the title page, Goldie Locks poses with the family and says,  "I can't hold this pose much longer." The baby hare says, "When will the title page be over?" So, a silly tone is established right at the beginning.  A family of mice live beneath the hares' home and we laugh along with them, too. Petach pulls off the humor exceptionally well, in my opinion. The story is  entertaining, the illustrations pleasing. Text that tells the story is complemented by speech bubbles for all the characters.

      This book is a comical way to teach multiple meanings of words, essential to understanding humor.

     The Handout Factory has Multiple Meaning Words Poster and Booklet. Miss Speak has DINAMIC DUO! LdyDitto has Homonym Homophone Word Jokes. 

     

The City ABC Book (2001)

      The City ABC Book (2001) by Zoran Milich is a wordless alphabet book. The pictures are black and white photographs of places in a city. They're altered to highlight, in red, a shape that resembles an English letter. For example, lowercase B is a portion of a vertical post and tire on a playground; C is written on the cover of a drain in a sidewalk; F is part of a utility pole. Sometimes a picture illustrates a capital letter and sometimes a small letter. 

     The author dedicates this book "For my mother, who has taught me to see. For my daughter, who I hope I can teach to see." To me, the black and white nature of the photographs directs our eyes to damage such as a broken sidewalk, worn stairs, aging brick, and cracks in a fence. I find the palette dark and unsettling. Unless you feel comfortable in an aging city landscape, you may find these visuals unpleasant. I love the concept but not the execution. There is a 2005 revision of this book by the same author that looks to have color photographs which might be more enjoyable.

     Songs and Stories for the Classroom Teacher has Town Mouse and Country Mouse. My lesson for The Adventures of Taxi Dog is about the city. Miss Sandy Lewis has a city map.

You? (2009)

  You? feels like a universal metaphor: finding the right match takes a lot of looking. Vladimir Radunsky’s main characters are a young girl and a dog, both in search of companionship. The girl sits on a park bench willing to adopt every dog who passes by. At the same time, a scruffy little stray says “Woof, woof, bow wow, arf, arf, bow wow!” This translates from dogese into “Here I am, alone in the park. No owner. No leash. No collar.” We wallow in adjectives as the girl and the pup describe the dogs and owners who pass by. Mr. Whitepants has a white dog with a black spot. A boy rides you on a huge do—“You are huge! Are you really a dog?” A grandma owns an old dog. The text illustrates the adage that owners resemble their canines.

      The visual journey and story is leisurely. The girl and her future dog approach one another gradually from opposite sides of a fence. We anticipate their meeting with peaceful excitement. And how joyful the mutual recognition! “Woof? You?”

Lisa Ng has Wanted The Perfect Pet Worksheet.   Laura Bizjak has The World of Pets. Miss Kindergarten Fix has Pets Math Game: Roll and Write Graphing.

*Feelings (1985)

      Heather Collins’s settings are of small, plain, cluttered spaces. The main character shares a bedroom with a sibling and, on the first page, wakes up on the bottom of a bunk bed. A desk fits snugly to one side of it and simple boxes store books and toys under and beside it. Handmade, unframed pictures decorate the walls. There’s little counter space in the kitchen. In one scene, the mother sits at a sewing machine—I can’t recall any other picture book with a sewing room. I once owned a woven basket like the one tipped on its side beside a tower of building blocks.

    The theme of Feelings, by Joanne Brisson Murphy, is timeless. There’s always room on the bookshelf for another book about emotions. Murphy writes in rhyme about childhood dramas and the rhyme works for me. “Sometimes when I daydream by myself in my room, I feel quiet like a mouse, or a whisper, or the moon.” Written in the first person, neither the text nor pictures label gender. A sports jersey, plush animals, a doll house, cars and trucks, and baby doll make appearances. The father gifts a baseball mitt, but this doesn’t require a father-to-son interpretation.

     Feelings is copyrighted 1985; however, this edition, from August 1994 is its 5th. Financial assistance toward publication came from the Canada Council and the Ontario Arts Council. It was printed in Canada “using recycled paper and environmentally friendly processes.”

     Ridiculous Rachel has Feelings: expressing emotions and having healthy friendships. Miss Beck has an Emotions Themed Game Board.   Dr. Gerry and Prof Y has Social Emotional Learning and Self- Awareness: My cup of Feelings.

The Mixed-Up Chameleon (1975)

     The Mixed-Up Chameleon  (1975) surprised me mid-story--the cover art doesn’t foreshadow the ending. And, Eric Carle has found a novel twist on a familiar theme. In the first few pages, we meet a chameleon and learn that its color changes. Then, when it sees a zoo, we see Carle’s fantastic animals. The physical structure of each page changes as the chameleon imagines life as a different creature! This innovative idea was worth owning the book. Furthermore, the chameleon's hilarious transformation is ingenious. As expected, in the end, the chameleon returns to itself.

     Notice the hyphen in the title! "When a phrasal verb is made into a noun, it is hyphenated. Phrasal verbs themselves are never hyphenated." * And "When two or more words are used together to modify another word, a hyphen is often needed to show that these modifying words are acting as a single unit. . . almost always hyphenated when they precede the noun . . ." * So, is mixed-up a phrasal verb acting as a modifier in this title? 

     Stephanie D'Anna Tennisluvr4lyf in First Grade has The Mixed-Up Chameleon Writing Activity. Justine Greenlee has The Mixed Up Chameleon Comprehension Questions.  Miss Fitz's ESL Store has Mixed Up Chameleon Tracing and Colors Exercise. 

* Help Your Kids with Language Arts. New York: DK Publishing, 2013. 106. 

* Ibid. 107.

Emma's Rug (1996)

      Emma’s Rug is unsettling. I cringe at the social recognition Emma receives for her artwork. Well-meaning authority figures praise children for their talent and effort, but I think this can become toxic. Perhaps a little recognition goes along way, and how much better it may be for a youngster to nurture personal satisfaction instead of have to cope with external expectations. In this story, Emma’s room “became filled with awards. Her parents were very proud.” Even the mayor meets with her at a reception at the Museum of Art. 

     Emma's environment is so focused on product that it's blind to process. When her process is disrupted, she crashes. Fortunately, Emma discovers her talent is inherently available. She owns it. Say’s illustration of this revelation walks the line between imagination and hallucination. I’m not familiar with artists’ processes, but this spooked me.

     I love Allen Say’s illustrations. I love the large size of this book. It is made be read to a small group of children seated in a circle. 

     Kayla Hardimon has Emma's Rug, Literacy Centers Activity. Jennifer Barretto has Little Artist Lesson Lawrence Tree Art Project.  CodeSpeak Labs has The Little Artist Inside Your Computer.

It's My Birthday (1993)

      It's My Birthday (1993) by Helen Oxenbury contrasts with The Little Red Hen. No animals help The Little Red Hen to bake her bread. In It's My Birthday, the main character, a little child, has willing help.

The text in Oxenbury's story is repetitive and cumulative. It begins with "I'm going to make a cake." Each additional ingredient is added on to the text: "I'm going to make a cake. I've got the eggs but I need some flour." As each animal friend acquires ingredients for the cake, they're added to the illustration. It's fun to see where the ingredients come from, for example, when a dog purchases sugar. "We'll all help you make the cake," say the assistants. There's a moment of mild suspense as the child appears to walk off with the cake. Along with millions of other people, I'm fond of Helen Oxenbury illustrations. Her board books were the first ones I read to my own child. This is also a Candlewick Press publication, and I'm usually pleased with their books.

Diane Teaches has How Many Shapes to Bake a Cake? Mrs Jenny Doyle has Kindergarten: Read, Write Draw Rhyming 5 (I like to bake some yummy cake.) Miss Chanel has a Learning Pack using Baking Activities

The Bonsai Bear (1999)

      The Bonsai Bear, by Bernard Libster, takes place in a remote Japanese Village. Kyomi and her husband Issa are the main characters; they are artists with contrasting styles. Kyomi's art is expressive and free. For example, she "made paper birds that looked ready to fly from her hand." Issa's art is controlling; he sculpts bonsai trees. "Issa could make trees stay whatever size and shape he chose."

When they receive a bear cub, Kiyomi looks forward to the day when it will roam free in the forest. On the other hand, Issa tries to stunt its growth and alter its appearance, so that it will never leave. The God of Bears intervenes to resolve this conflict. The God of Bears enters the cub's dreams to prepare to live in the forest. The God of Bears enters Issa's dreams to teach him empathy.

It's significant that Issa apologizes and requests forgiveness as he unbinds the bear and allows it to grow. Only one line in the story, it feels significant. "One day in Autumn it was done." The fully grown bear leaves Kyomi and Issa's home. I startled to realize that this story is a metaphor. My sadness when the grown bear leaves home is a testament to its effectiveness.

I feel I should like this story more than I do. The illustrations by Aries Cheung are nice but not my favorite. Maybe I don't like the God of Bears as the answer to the problem. Goodreads gave it only 2 stars. I'll keep this book because it's signed by the author, and it's a meaningful metaphor. It's just not one of my favorites.

Jordan Village (2010)

      Jordan Village was written by Robin G Maillett and illustrated by LeeAnn Graham. This book took several years to publish. To get it done, Maillett had a muse and support. This information comes from an email dated October 30, 2010: The book is dedicated to the author's cousin, Cullen Dwyer of Massachusetts, who is a traumatic brain injury survivor. Cullen was injured in 1994 at age 11. The author tried from 1996 to 2002 find a publisher for the story and eventually decided to self-publish. She created Copper Moon Press, which I don't now see now online related to this book.

Jordan Village has a pear tree named Brie that grows horizontally. "Brie was often made fun of by The Tall Oaks and Towering Maples and Weeping Willows. . ." A squirrel lives in this tree, a squirrel with one deformed arm. When a hurricane blows in, Brie escapes wind damage because it is low to the ground. An owl is blown from its perch, lands on the ground, presumably suffering head trauma. The squirrel saves the owl with the help of a friendly neighbor, Rosie. The village of Jordan never makes fun of the tree or the squirrel again.

The email states that a portion of the profits from sales of the book benefit the Brain Injury Association of America. The back cover states, "Cullen was instrumental in getting the Massachusetts helmet law changed." There are photographs of Cullen at the beginning of the book and a statement in his own words on the back cover. He says, "It troubles me to see kids riding bikes, skateboards, inline skates, without helmets. I can only imagine that they don't want to spend months in a hospital and a lifetime with long-term consequences–I don't understand why they don't protect themselves."

This is one of those rare works of art that I will keep for a lifetime.

     WonderMedia has "Always Wear a Helmet" Bicycle Safety Video. girl Scout Higher Awards Projects has Heads Up! Helmet and Bike Safety .

So Few of Me (2006)

      So Few of Me (2006) by Peter H Reynolds, like other contemporary children's picture books, has few words; however, I like the story. I imagine this book is a reaction to modern-day children's busy lifestyles. Maybe this book is an example of how pictures replace text. The story is succinct. It has one lesson. I don't see layers of information or inferencing. What I enjoy about children's picture books written in prior decades is thoughtfully contemplating complex text, searching for the multiple references, the metaphors, the subplots. I don't get that satisfaction with this story. The message is easily accessible--done.

So Few of Me begins in the conventional way: we meet the main character, Leo, and the usual conditions in which he lives. Then, one day, there's a knock on the door and life changes. Tension slowly rises to a climax. Leo realizes that doing more and more is an endless proposition. Perhaps there is an inference here because Leo wonders, "What if I did less--but did my BEST?" This implies that doing too much means doing nothing well. This concept is not hertofore apparent in the illustrations or in the text.

The Climbing Grapevine has Hopes and Dreams Resource. Teachers Creating Curiosity has Dream Spring Break Writing Activity. KGB Designs has Starting the Year Strong with Hopes and Dreams.

*time to SLEEP (2011)

   Steve Jenkins and Robin Page combine brightly colored and softly rendered illustrations with chunks of nonfiction that entertain and educate in time to SLEEP (2011). The small size of the book (8" x 8") could feel comfy in little hands. The sleeping giraffe on the cover looks awkward yet content, creating a paradox of tension and peace. Since every child must sleep, the topic is relevant, especially for children who read before bedtime. This book was more informative than I expected. Each creature has one or two sentences of factual text. There are three pages of additional material at the back of the book--sort of like a mini encyclopedia. As contrast, there's brief commentary in bold fond for each creature that keeps the book from becoming boring. For example, the comment accompanying a row of birds, bee-eaters lined up to sleep, is "Scoot over, please." Yes, this is yet another book about sleep, but Jenkins and Page have turned it into a pleasant prelude to the legion of nonfiction children will be required to read in school.

SLEducation has The Importance of Sleep - Maze Craze Game! Alyssa Grubbs has Where do pets sleep? arprekteach has Are You Sleeping Little Bear.

When Dinosaurs Die (1996)

      When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death  (1996) begins with a table of contents, unusual for a picture book. (Most contemporary picture books don't have page numbers.) I view this as a way to set a  solemn tone and to signal that this is not a narrative with a plot. However, the chapter headings do have a logical progression. The first topic is "What Does Alive Mean?" I like this beginning because many of us may not think much about this foundational concept; we take alive-ness for granted. After "Why Does Someone Die?" comes "What Does Dead Mean?" The following topics deal with feelings, friends, family, customs, and beliefs. I especially like the final topic: ways to remember the person who has passed away. 

     This book has a glossary that even includes "will: written directions for what is to become of someone's personal property after death." While death is emotionally devastating, Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown slip in its practical/legal ramifications by including this definition. Most of the illustrations are settings in which Brown's familiar dinosaur families have conversations. Each setting has a line of text in addition to speech bubbles for all the characters. Some scenes are heartbreaking, as when a youngster prays "Please, God, let Daddy be alive again. I want him back." I like this book's direct yet sensitive discussion of death, a difficult topic we could all use a little help with.

     Mary Gustafson has My Friend Died: a worksheet to help process death and grief. Jennifer Dunn has My Memory Book. The Reading Social Worker has Grief and Loss Resource Letter Writing Activity.

How To Babysit A Grandma (2014)

      Jean Reagan  has the answer to how a grandmother and little grandchild might spend an overnight visit. How To Babysit A Grandma (2014) could transform a young one's anxiety into playful anticipation. This story sets a joyous tone at the outset: "When you babysit a grandma, if you're lucky . . . it's a sleepover at her house." A night away from parents must be fun if you're "lucky" to visit grandma. Also, as your parents leave, you say, "Don't be sad. I'll be home soon." The child self-regulates by consoling the parents. This book is written from the child's point of view, so, although in blonde pigtails and a dress, no pronouns reference the child. The grandma is referred to as "her." 

 Lee Wildish  shows the pair at the park, signing karaoke, playing store, turning dinner time into fun time, reading books, and more. I like the photographs on the inside covers (like Diary of a Worm); they cue readers into the skill of prediction and review. Readers can look forward to these scenes as the story unfolds and recall them afterward. 

     Webby's Second Grade has How to Babysit a Grandma and Grandpa Sample Pages. forsuchtime has Happy Grandmother's Day (fun questions about grandma!). Amy Porth has All about mom or grandma.

    

Paddy's Payday (1989)

     Paddy is an Irish Terrier and half of an acrobatic show. Paddy's owner is Trilby O'Farrell. They live a trailer. On Paddy's Payday, Trilby gives Paddy a small sack of money. Paddy trots off to the nearby village and does some shopping. I love Alexander Day's illustrations. Her dog, Carl, does a walk-on in this book.☺At the end of the day, Paddy donates leftover money to charity. Paddy returns home with flowers for Trilby. The text is minimal in this book, making it primarily a wordless picture book. Beautiful wordless picture books encourage children to narrate, and so have a designated spot in my bookshelves.

Teach Motivate Create has Bow Meow Wow. Speech and Teach Supplies has a Wordless Picture Book Planning Sheet. Swiss Cheese Teaching has a Sleepy Cat Wordless Book.

*Owl Moon (1987)

     Jane Yolen uses the power of comparison to teach background knowledge in OWL MOON. Both Jane Yolen and John Schoenherr went owling as children. Their intimacy with this extraordinary experience creates a picture book that is an adventure for the senses, a book about sights, sounds, touch, and emotions. A reader without this background will welcome Jane Yolen's frequent use of metaphor, simile, and analogy to convey the experience. The vocabulary is not difficult and the text is arranged in phrases vertically on the page; these two features benefit struggling readers. Yet, the beautiful language engages older readers also. This story is one of the best examples of writing craft I've ever encountered in a deceptively "simple" children's picture book.

     Jennifer Sneed has an Owl Moon Puzzle. The Wise Teacher has a Reading ComprehensionPlus Synonyms and Phonics lesson. 

     My Picture Book Talk lesson is here. My Study English lesson for this book is here.

Tenzin's Deer: A Tibetan Tale (2003)

      Tenzin's Deer, written by Barbara Soros and illustrated by Danuta Mayer, is a tribute to the people of old Tibet. The beautiful illustrations, which "capture the majestic beauty of old Tibet," are suitable for the middle grade student. This story contrasts exploitation of the earth with care for its inhabitants.  A young boy named Tenzin, "born with the knowledge of many generations in his memory," happens upon a musk deer with an arrow in its chest. Tenzin takes care of the deer and, as it heals, they develop a loving friendship. Yet, the musk deer is a wild animal. Tenzin discovers a love strong enough to let it go.

     Macey Cohen has A Day in the Life of a Buddhist Monk. Miss Noel's Educational Resources has Reading Comprehension: Intro to Buddhism.

        My Picture Book Talk is here. There's also a Study English lesson for it here.

The Lady in the Box

      The Lady in the Box (1997) is a story about a tragedy that is getting worse. Ann McGovern got the idea for this book when she saw a homeless person in a box in New York City. It's a very cold, snowy winter when Lizzie and their sibling offer food and clothing to an elderly woman. She's sleeping in a box in front of a deli. Their mother talks with the homeless woman and we read a sad story. The children's compassion and kindness remind us that to be human is to care. Marni Backer's elegant paintings provide a softness consistent with this message. 

     Becky Finnegan has Experiencing Homelessness. Miss Irvine's Class has Mud Kitchen Recipes. Welcome to Words has Making Vegetable Soup Green Screen Activity.

   

I Need My Monster (2009)

      I Need My Monster (2009) was a little too frightening for me. Amanda Noll's text may appeal to the child who likes scary monsters. When Ethan's resident monster takes a week off to go fishing, Ethan searches for a substitute. He could not fall to sleep without a monster under the bed. "I knew my monster needed to be well-clawed and menacing," says Ethan. And Howard McWilliam walks the tightrope of creating creatures that are both creepy and silly. The impressive claws of one monster fill a page, but on the next page we see that they belong to Cynthia. Cynthia has a long tail adorned with a pink bow. Note that Ethan responds with, "I definitely need a boy monster. Boy monsters are for boys and girl monsters are for girls. Everybody knows that."  Gabe does return and I definitely found him more menacing than all the others who interviewed for the position. 

     Dandelions and Dragonflies has an I Need My Monster Packet. New Teacher New Ideas has an I Need My Monster activity. Love Miss Lohse has an I Need My Monster activity as well.

     

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything (1986)

      This book by Linda Williams (1986) may translate well into children's theater. The text has lots of repetition, and the props are items of clothing. The plot is minimal; it's simply the story of a walk through the woods. Megan Lloyd's illustrations have a friendly feel. Contrary to the title, the little old lady does become afraid, but she recovers. So, it's a clever story to role model the normal feeling of fear followed by self-regulation. The repetition may help readers build resilience--but, adults may want to take that that this  repeition does not frighten others. This is a seasonal story, maybe read at Halloween. I think many children may appreciate the chance to confront fear and find courage. 

     Angela Doty has a Sequencing lesson for this story. Mrs Frog has a writing activity. Becky Tinen has an Emergent Reader and Puppets lesson.

    

Monet (1993)

      Monet (1993) is one book in the Getting To Know The World's Greatest Artists series by Mike Venzia. This nonfiction gem has many paintings by Monet, and also Venzia's brightly colored and slightly cartoonish illustrations that will appeal to children. The text is not complex. the print is a large font. I love that picture books like this also teach adults.  If the other books in this series are as informative and entertaining as this one, I highly recommend searching them out. 

     Creative Clementine has a Monet Math color by Code Addition Sheet. Creative On a Dime has a Claude Monet Mini Biography and Art Discussion. Pink and Green Mama MaryLea has a Claude Monet Art History and Art Lesson. 

   

Scranimals (2006)

      Scranimals (2006) by Jack Prelutsky will affirm those little creative minds who love to imagine the unusual. The cover art tells you what to expect in this book of poems. "We're sailing to Scranimal Island, It doesn't appear on most maps. The PARROTTERS float on the tide there, The STORMY PETRELEPHANT flaps." On Scranimal Island you'll find the beautiful rhinorose, sweet porcupinapple, sleek bananaconda and more. Reading teachers may love this book because it lures students into learning about the syllable structure of words. Words are broken into pieces and rearranged to create the inhabitants of this island. Prelutsky even includes a pronunciation guide, as in "PAA-rot-urz." Peter Sis' muted colors create an other-worldly landscape that borders on creepy--but not really--it's just strange.

     The Swamped Teacher has The Six Syllable Types Freebie!. Amber Marker has a Syllable Sort! A Cut and Paste Activity. Learning-Laughing-Leading has Anchor Charts for Six Syllable Types. 

    

Today I Feel Silly (1998)

      Today I Feel Silly and Other Moods That Make My Day (1998) reminds me that life is an emotional adventure. Adults may recognize the mood swings experienced by the little girl in this story. Written by Jamie Lee Curtis, this book does not have a plot, rather, each two-page spread is a separate setting full of feeling. For example, while this unnamed child sits in a box amongst toys scattered on the floor, we read "Today I am lonely. I feel so small. My Auntie's away. I wish that she'd call." Laura Cornell's illustrations have an edgy sensitivity. Heightened emotional awareness is evident in the pictures and the text. On the final pages is the question, "How do you feel today . . .?" with a face on which you can change the expression. 

     Juliana Grace Class Space has Today I Feel Silly Literacy Companion. Kearn's Kinder has Today I Feel -  Sharing Tool. Kinder North has a Daily Feelings Check-in. 

  

Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse (1969)

      Most of Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse (1969) is anecdote about envy. Alexander leads a lonely and dangerous life. The human residents of Alexander's home "scream for help or chase him with a broom." In contrast, it looks like the life of a wind-up mouse is safe and loving, so Alexander sets about trying to become one. The ending is heartfelt; how sad that the wind-up mouse, Willy, will be thrown away. Alexander's change of heart is conveniently admirable and self-serving. I wonder what children would say about three critical details: Willy has no agency; Alexander spends days and days away from his friend; and toys are being thrown away. These are fertile topics of conversation.  Leo Lionni's  illustrates this inspiring story in his unique and magnificent style. 

     Alisa Ridgell has a Comprehension Club worksheet for this story. Kayla Smith has an Author Study. Jessica Lusano has a Leo Lionni Creative Ideas Resource.

This is the Bear (1986)

      When I searched Goodreads for This is the Bear (1986) what should I find but four This is the Bear stories! Sarah Hayes's rhyme flows easily. Her characters have personality, and she even includes a clue midway through the story to help youngsters predict -- or at least comprehend -- the conclusion. "This is the bear all cold and cross who did not think he was really lost." Some sentences are constructed across pages, and this prompts the reader to pause. In my opinion, this pausing may support children's decoding of syntax. Helen Craig's pictures perfectly complement the text to portray each character's emotional journey. She adds dialogue boxes to layer on complexity. 

     The Classroom Hub has Teddy Bear Color by Code Coloring page. Homewithmommy has a Rainbow Bear Toddler Folder. Mysty Lohmeyer has Teddy Bear Interview Sheet.