Groundhog Gets a Say

Groundhog Gets a Say, as told to Pamela Curtis Swallow and illustrated by Denise Brunkus, is a hilarious story told from the point of view of a Groundhog (who also tells us other names for his kind).  If you and your children like facts told in humorous ways, this will be a great book for you!  There’s so much to learn about groundhogs, which is the whole point of the book.  Children who like to read about animals and their characteristics will enjoy this book.  It’s a fun book to read---especially around Groundhog Day!

Question Collection:

*What new facts did you learn about groundhogs?

*Do you think the book was more interesting told from the groundhog’s point of view?  Why or why not?

*What was the funniest part of the book to you?

Too Many Kangaroo Things to Do

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9........

It's a Month of Math!

Too Many Kangaroo Things to Do, by Stuart Murphy and illustrated by Kevin O’Malley, is an engaging book for young children.  Children can learn some counting skills as they enjoy this story.  We especially like the Things to Do for Adults and Kids in the back of the story. 

Kangaroo tries to engage his friends in play because it’s his birthday, but the animals are all busy.  As he visits each group, he finds one emu doing 10 things, 2 platypus friends doing 20 things, 3 koalas doing 30 things, and 4 dingoes doing 40 things.  Of course, the book’s conclusion reveals why the animals were busy.  We won’t spoil the ending, but young children will have fun discovering the reason!  

Question Collection:

*Which animal was your favorite?

*How do you think the kangaroo felt during the story?  At the end?

*What would you do for Kangaroo’s birthday?

Measuring Penny

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9........

It's a Month of Math!

Measuring Penny, by Loreen Leedy, is an interesting way for children to discover measurement through Penny the dog’s owner, Lisa.  Lisa decides to use Penny, her Boston terrier, for her measurement homework.  What follows is a great way to introduce children to standard and nonstandard measurements in fun ways!

Lisa measures Penny with a ruler, dog biscuits (to compare to her other breeds),  a seesaw, scales, thermometer, stopwatch, etc.  The illustrations are very engaging as the reader can see how the measurement tools are used.  Finally, Lisa measures Penny’s cost and then her value.  We won’t spoil the surprise ending….but you might guess what Lisa decides Penny could also be named!

Question Collection:

*What was your favorite unit of measurement?

*Are there any other ways you can think of to measure Penny?

*Can you think of objects you could use as measurement homework?

Polar Bear

Polar Bear (A Day in the Life:  Polar Animals), A Heinemann Library book, written by Katie Marsico, is another great nonfiction text for young readers.  A table of contents, glossary, and index help children understand this text even more.

The many photographs included in this book enhance the text.  Inset maps and labels also clarify the reading.  We enjoyed learning more specific facts from this book.

Question Collection:

*What did you learn about polar bears?

*Which photographs helped you understand polar bears better?

*Is there anything more you would like to learn about polar bears?

National Geographic Little Kids Ocean Counting

As children are being asked to read more nonfiction texts, it’s important to find books that capture their attention with interesting facts.  National Geographic Little Kids Ocean Counting, by Janet Lawler with photographs by Brian Skerry, is a great book for young children who are learning to count and who like ocean animals.  Primary readers will also enjoy the eye-catching photographs that accompany the text.

The reader counts to ten with examples of various ocean animals (hammerhead sharks, sea otters, pink sea star, etc.).  Each two page spread also includes a Did You Know? Box with an interesting fact about the animal.  At the conclusion of the book an Animal Facts section (home, size, food, predators, babies) are given about each animal.  A map and glossary are also included to extend learning.

This would be a great book to enjoy before and after a trip to an aquarium.  It would be fun for children to write their own counting book based on this book.  We hope you enjoy learning more about ocean animals!

Question Collection:

*Which ocean animal is your favorite?

*Can you name 5 facts you learned by reading this nonfiction text?

*What fact surprised you?

Ballerina Swan

Ballerina Swan, by Allegra Kent and Emily Arnold McCully, begins with a swan, Sophie, who loves watching a ballet class from her pond.  She then wants to learn how to dance, but is discouraged by Madame Myrtle.  Sophie doesn’t give up on her dream and returns to the studio one day when Miss Willow is teaching.  With Miss Willow’s encouragement, Sophie learns to dance even though some moves are hard for her.  The authors use terms from ballet (a glossary is given at the beginning of the book) and explain how Sophie has to adapt to learn the moves.  The story has happy ending with Sophie performing in a performance.

Although this book is centered about ballet, we think it gives some important lessons about following your dreams.  It lends itself to discussing how some people discourage you while others encourage you.  It also demonstrates the importance of practicing and persevering.  We hope you and your family enjoy discovering Sophie, the ballet swan!

Question Collection:

*What is your favorite part of the book?

*Have you ever been discouraged by someone?  Have you ever 

            been encouraged by someone?

*What encourages you to do your best?

*Why do you think Sophie never gives up?

Here Comes Trouble!

If your child likes reading humorous books, Here Comes Trouble!, written by Corinne Demas and illustrated by Noah Z. Jones, is a great read!  A dog, named Toby, very clearly doesn’t like cats.  The author uses great descriptions of the kinds of cats Toby doesn’t like.  Trouble starts when his owner, Emma, agrees to keep the neighbor’s cat, Pandora, when they go on vacation.  Toby tries to get Pandora to notice him by doing various mischievous things.  Of course, Pandora doesn’t notice, but she starts doing things and nobody notices.  Toby is not happy about all of the things Pandora does until he discovers Pandora can’t get down from the tree she has climbed.  Then Toby does everything to get Emma’s attention so that Pandora can be rescued.  Pandora is rescued, and it is quickly apparent to the reader that Pandora and Toby become friends. 

This book would be a great mentor text for children in writing discussions.  The author uses alliteration to describe the kinds of cats Toby doesn’t like.  The simple narrative is a great study for character development.   One quickly gets a sense of the personalities of Toby and Pandora.  There are many ways in which children could build upon this book to develop their own stories about Toby and Pandora (or other animal characters).

We hope you enjoy the humor of this book as much as we do!  It’s a book that will make you laugh out loud!

Question Collection:

*Do Toby and Pandora remind you of any dogs or cats you know?

*Why do you think Toby helped Pandora?

*What do you think Toby and Pandora will do next?

The Wild Little Horse

A fictional book about a horse that we like to read is The Wild Little Horse, by Rita Gray and illustrated by Ashley Wolff.  The reader follows the journey of a young horse as he listens to the wind, which encourages him to run.  The story is told in rhyme and uses much onomatopoeia to add to the feeling of running with the horse.  The softly illustrated pages add to the beauty of the story.  The Wild Little Horse is a book that can be enjoyed over and over.  We hope you like this beautiful story!

Question Collection:

*Which words did the author use to make you hear the sounds?

*Can you name all of the other animals in the story?

*How do you think the wild little horse felt as he was running?

American Dream Horses

American Dream Horses is a great reference book to add to your nonfiction library.  Any child who likes to learn more about horses will find this book interesting and helpful.  We love looking at the different kinds of horses (21 are listed) to find more information.  Younger children may enjoy a picture walk through this book.  Older children can find many facts and details to add to their knowledge of horses.

Each kind of horse is shown in photographs that accompany a passage (usually a page long) telling the history of the horse.  Additional information is given on descriptions, uses and gaits.  Captions depicted in circles give the height and colors.  We love having guide books such as this to help us learn more about subjects and to accompany fictional stories.  We think you’ll find this book interesting!

Question Collection:

*Which horse is your favorite?

*Which kinds of horses have you seen?

*Can you make a timeline of these horses?

*How did the categories help you learn more? 

Horses

Does your child love horses?  We’re starting a week of looking at books about horses, one of our current interests!  Horses, by Monica Kulling, is a shape book that introduces children to the world of horses.  The birth of a baby horse, a foal, starts the reader on a journey to learn more about horses and the world in which they live. The illustrations by Betina Ogden are beautiful pictures that invite the reader to study and examine each detail of a horse’s life.  We enjoyed learning about the grooming and care of horses.  Vocabulary is introduced throughout the story in a way that encourages readers to use the text to determine meaning.  If your child is interested in horses, this is a great book to introduce them to various kinds of horses and the vocabulary used in talking about horses.  Enjoy!

Question Collection:

*Which picture is your favorite?

*What new words did you learn from this book?

*What is involved in taking care of a horse?

Mossy

Mossy, by Jan Brett, is a story about an Eastern box turtle and its removal from its environment.  Mossy follows Brett’s signature illustrations with beautifully drawn pictures and details.  Mossy is removed from its environment to a museum because of the interest of the curator (Dr. Carolina) in the garden growing on Mossy’s shell.  Mossy’s sadness moves Dr. Carolina’s niece, Tory, to find a way for children to see the garden while returning Mossy to its natural environment.  Readers can quickly infer the effects of removing an animal from its natural habitat. 

We especially liked all of the details given about nature.  This is a great book for children who are interested in nature and like to study pictures.  Each page can be reviewed many times to find details overlooked the first time.  Jan Brett continues to be one of our favorite authors!

Question Collection:

*Which illustration do you like best?
*How do you think Mossy feels at the beginning, middle, and end of the story?

*Which illustration wants you to learn more about nature?

Peter Rabbit Lift-the-Flap Words, Colors and Numbers

Peter Rabbit Lift the Flap Words, Colors and Numbers, based on the original edition by Beatrix Potter, is an oversized board book that introduces young children to the story of Peter Rabbit.   A short part of Peter Rabbit’s story is told on the pages with an accompanying task (find the colors, etc.).   Its interactive features make the discovery of words, colors, and numbers fun as the flaps are opened to reveal the items listed in picture format.  We especially like that when the flap is opened, the word is also revealed, exposing children to written symbols for the colors and illustrations.  This is a fun book to add to your library!

Question Collection:

*What’s your favorite picture?

*Can you find Peter in each picture?

Wake Up, It's Spring!

Wake Up, It’s Spring!, by Lisa Campbell Ernst, is a beautiful book that has a succession of characters who tell each other that it’s Spring.  It’s fun to follow the progression of each character as they tell the next one about Spring.  The author uses very vivid verbs making this story a great mentor text for writing.  Retelling this story is fun because each scene builds to the next.  Making a chart/timeline would help children develop the story for retelling.  Most of all, it’s just a fun way to introduce Spring!

Question Collection:

*Can you retell the story?

*What descriptive words does the author use?

*What’s your favorite scene in the book?

Puppies and Piggies

Puppies and Piggies, by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Ivan Bates, is a beautiful rhyming book that tells about various animals and what they like to do. Puppy, Kitty, Bunny, Piggy, Chicky, Mousey, Goosey, Poney, and finally, Baby all have pages in the story.  The illustrations add depth and enjoyment to the story as it is read.  This book is a great bedtime story and can also be read by young readers.  We hope you have fun reading it!

Question Collection:

*Can you name the animals in the story?

*What rhyming words did you hear?

*What things from the story do you like to do?

Big Bad Bunny

Big Bad Bunny, written by Franny Billingsley, with art by G. Brian Karas, starts off with a fearsome Bunny and a calm Mama Mouse. One page depicts the scary Bunny with fierce text and then the next page is very much a contrast with the serene Mama Mouse.  The story progresses as Big Bad Bunny realizes she is lost (the one thing she’s scared of) with the reader discovering that Mama Mouse is looking for her lost child…..yes, her child mouse pretending she is Big Bad Bunny!  It ends up being a humorous book with this surprise ending.  It’s a great conversation starter about making assumptions, the fun of pretend play, and the reassurance that a mother will look out for her child.  We hope you enjoy meeting Big Bad Bunny!

Question Collection:

*How would you describe Big Bad Bunny?  Mama Mouse?

*Are you surprised Big Bad Bunny is afraid of anything?

*Do you like to pretend you’re something else?  What?

Aunt Eater Loves a Mystery

Aunt Eater Loves a Mystery, by Doug Cushman, is a fun I Can Read Book, 2.  For fans of Aunt Eater, this is a great way to begin reading chapter books.  The book is divided into four easy to read chapters.  Each chapter introduces a new mystery that children will have fun solving.  If your child is a beginning reader, this book can provide  good practice with using context and graphic clues to develop reading comprehension.  Aunt Eater Loves a Mystery is a great stepping stone for young readers to make the transition from picture books to chapter books.  Have fun solving Aunt Eater’s mysteries!

Question Collection:

*What did you think the shadow was?

*How could Aunt Eater prevent a bag mix-up next time?

*Why do you think Aunt Eater loves mysteries?

One to Ten...and back again

One to Ten…..and back again is a fun, interactive book that helps children visualize numbers in a creative way.  The board book has cut out handles on each page to help children turn the page as the story is read.  Black and white looped moving ribbons are imprinted with various insects to represent each number.  As the brightly illustrated pages are turned, the ribbons reveal the insects.  After one to ten is counted through the pages, directions are given to turn the book around and upside down, revealing a reverse countdown back to one.  This book’s colors and fun in turning the pages just invites children to count and have fun.  The descriptive adjectives and verbs also add to the reading quality and visualization.  As your child learns to write, this book is a great one to pull out and use as a mentor text.  One to Ten…and back again would make a great gift for children learning to count (and write)!  Have fun!

Question Collection:

*Which insect do you like best?

*Do you like this book counting up or counting down better?  Why?

*What’s your favorite word in this book?

Custard Surprise

We love humorous books, as you well know! We’ve found another one in Custard Surprise, by Bernard Lodge and illustrated by Tim Bowers. Dinah and Rufus, two chickens, open Dinah’s diner in this fun I Can Read! Book.  Rufus tries, to no avail, to get the customers interested in his dessert, custard surprise.  The animal customers always request something not on the menu, so Rufus makes various concoctions to surprise them.  However, the custard surprise turns out to be a real surprise as Dinah outsmarts a fox!  

Question Collection:

*Were you surprised by the custard surprise?

*What did you think was the funniest recipe that Rufus made?

*What animal do you think visited Dinah’s Diner next?

My Lucky Day

As a family, we love reading humorous books!  My Lucky Day, by Keiko Kasza, is a book that’s fun to read plus its humorous ending is just delightful!  A fox feels very lucky when a piglet knocks on his door.  Of course he grabs the piglet and begins making plans to eat him.  His lucky day turns into a lot of work, but he keeps his eye on the anticipation of eating the pig.  The pig’s clever resourcefulness causes a surprising ending to the day.  We won’t tell you the ending, but you’ll enjoy finding out whose lucky day it is!  Have fun!

Question Collection:

*What was the funniest part of the story to you?

*Why do you think the fox listened to the pig?

*How did the pig trick the fox?

*What do you think the pig will do next?

National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Animals

We are trying to add more nonfiction books in our reading time and in our home library.  National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Animals has been a great choice!  There are over 120 pages full of information about animals from the grasslands, ocean, desert, forest, and polar regions. 

Each section (divided by the regions) includes large photographs accompanied with a definition of the area.  Several pages follow focusing on specific animals.  The superb photographs really pull in the reader’s attention.  A picture walk might be the best way to view this book initially.  There’s just so much that can be gained from studying the pictures!

Along with the oversized text, fact “cards” give information about the kind of animal, home, size, food, sounds, and babies.  Circles of text give more interesting facts about each animal.  We really like the questions that accompany the reading.   One example is:  How old were you when you learned to walk?  These questions really help readers make a connection to the animal’s life.

Two pages at the end of the book give parent tips to extend the reading experience.  Many are simple activities to help enrich a child’s learning.  An animal map is also found at the end of the book.  Continents are color-coded with a key to indicate which animals are found there.  Finally, a glossy provides a way to enrich your child’s vocabulary.

This animal book is one of the best we have found!  It’s a book that can be picked up to view, read, study, and research.  Children and adults will find a great example of nonfiction reading!  Enjoy!

Question Collection:

*What surprised you most about animals in this book?

*Which animals would you like to see?

*Which photos do you like best?

*What words in the glossary helped you understand the book better?