Introduce your young readers to onomatopoeia with this Step into Reading, STEP 2 picture book, James Goes Buzz, Buzz. In English, onomatopoeia means the imitation of a sound. The many sounds in this story include Chirp! Chirp!, Buzz! Buzz!, Hmmmph!, BUMP! and more. Alliteration also appears as in, "He saw boxes and bundles and bags. And there was the beehive!" Several phrasal verbs in this story will help readers consider multiple meanings. This Thomas and Friends picture book has times to talk about James' facial expressions. James looks happy when talking with Trevor, frightened when a beehive breaks, angry when bees swarm around him, and hurt when he is stung. Trevor warns James to be careful with bees, but James must learn this lesson on his own. This is true for children and adults – we may brush off advice we must later learn with experience. High potential learners could enjoy researching the vital role bees play in our environment.
The Hermit and the Well by Thich Nhat Hanh (2003) is intended to be a simple story with a profound message. It’s written in the first per...
