*Picture book for preschoolers through 1st graders
*Two young rodents as main characters
*Rating: The strength in The Vole Brothers by Roslyn Schwartz lies in the illustrations and humor. I just wish the Vole brothers would have solved their own hunger problem, instead of luckily falling into a garden. However, you can use this book to work on problem solving skills with young children.
Short, short summary:
The Vole brothers are hungry. (And yes, they are voles–NOT moles.) They think about eating a cat, but then they decide just to follow him instead because he seems to be on the trail of a food scent. The brothers manage to get a piece of pizza away from the cat; but before they get to eat it, the pizza is taken away. The voles see a donut and decide to go after that next, but the cat is still lurking. How do the Vole brothers get out of this mess and find something to eat?So, what do I do with this book?
1. Like I mentioned in my rating, this is a super cute book, but the voles just luck into solving their problem. So with young readers, first describe what the problem is. Then, make a list of possible solutions. Finally, ask students to choose one and write about it or illustrate it or both.
2. What are voles? Students may not be familiar with this animal. Share some facts with your students or children if you homeschool. Click here for some facts about voles: http://www.pestcontrolrx.com/david_somlcom/vole/
3. What do students think about the sound words? Do they add to the story? Can students use this technique in their own writing?
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