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*Picture book for preschoolers through first graders
*Four small puppies as main characters
*Rating: Leslie Patricelli’s book will appeal to all those children who have trouble sleeping at night because of the monsters. Super cute illustrations accompany a fun text!

Short, short summary:

Petra had trouble sleeping at night. She was afraid of the dark, noises, and especially the monster. Her brothers and sister always slept through the night, and her parents told her everything was fine and that she should just go back to sleep. The four puppies decide to make the monster some cookies as a peace offering. One night, they write a note and leave the plate of cookies. When they hear the monster, they all get out of bed to go confront it. But are they in for a surprise. The monster is scared of them, and he does love cookies. The four puppies and the monster have a noisy party until Mom and Dad wake up and don’t see any monster. Everyone goes back to bed–even Petra.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. The other puppies try to help Petra solve her problem. This is a great book to talk with students about problem solving. What is Petra’s problem? What are some ways the puppies try to solve the problem? What does “solution” mean? What is the solution that finally works for Petra?

2. Many children will be able to relate to Petra’s problem as this is a common childhood problem. If students in your class or your own children have ever felt the same way as Petra, let them share their experiences with you, and compare and contrast them to what happened in the book. Making personal connections with the text helps students with their comprehension skills.

3. Have your own “Midnight Monster Party” at home or school. Children can create monsters out of paper plates, stuffed animals, or even construction paper. Each child can bring one monster and a treat to share. You can do some of the same activities the puppies do in the book during their party.

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*Picture book, fiction, for preschoolers through 2nd graders
*Two superhero boys as main characters
*Rating: Boys will L-O-V-E Michael Recycle Meets Litterbug Doug, which teaches the importance of recycling without preaching. Great idea!

Short, short summary:

A clean, little town has a big problem–Litterbug Doug, his rotten trash, and his rat friends. Litterbug Doug doesn’t care about his neighbors or the earth until Michael Recycle shows him the error of his ways. Once Litterbug Doug changes his habits, he becomes the litter police. Told with rhyme and bright illustrations, children will love listening to and looking at Michael Recycle Meets Litterbug Doug. The end of the book provides “green” tips for kids and facts about trash.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. After reading about Michael Recycle, allow students to create their own “green” superhero. Students should write about the superhero and draw a picture. Children should also make up a new name.

2. In so many classrooms and even at home, we talk a lot about recycling around Earth Day–but we shouldn’t wait until April to talk about this important subject. Children can take the green tips from the back of the book and create posters for the classroom. Then whenever a child or adult “catches someone being green,” shout it out. For example, you could shout out, “I just caught Alissa being green. She remembered to turn off our light switch on our way out of the classroom. Thanks, Alissa!”

3. Michael Recycle Meets Litterbug Doug is a great example of a picture book you can use to teach word choice, one of the six plus one traits of writing. Ellie Bethel’s word choice really sets the scene and shows readers just how gross Litterbug Doug is.

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*Picture book for preschoolers through third graders, realistic fiction (based on a true story)
*A nice tugboat driver and the garbage barge as main characters
*Rating: Here Comes the Garbage Barge! is a great book to share with students during any recycling lesson–they’ll laugh but get the point!

Short, short summary:

Jonah Winter has written a picture book based on a true story about the Garbage Barge (1987) that traveled up and down the east coast–trying to find a place to land and dump almost 3200 tons of garbage. Basically, Long Island’s landfills were full and polluting the groundwater. So, some businessmen decided that they should ship the garbage to farmers in the south and pay them to bury it on their land. Burning garbage was expensive, so a city called Islip (near New York City) decided to take the businessmen up on their offer and put their trash on the barge to ship south. In the picture book, with wonderful illustrations by Red Nose Studio, a little tugboat named Break of Dawn driven by Cap’m Duffy St. Pierre, set out to pull the garbage barge from Islip to North Carolina. But when the captain and his smelly barge got to North Carolina, he was turned away–the same thing happened in New Orleans, Mexico, Belize, Florida, Texas, and so on. Finally, with a REALLY smelly barge behind him, Cap’m St. Pierre had to take the garbage back to Long Island. The courts got involved, and finally, the garbage was taken off his hands. But as the author points out, the moral of the story is: “Don’t make so much garbage.” He also tells us that Islip now has a recycling program.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Many teachers and parents will read Here Comes the Garbage Barge! in connection with Earth Day or even at the beginning of the school year to talk about the importance of recycling and being good to the environment. This book can also be used with a science lesson on “green” living. It has a lot of practical applications to today’s science curriculum and could start a great class or home school discussion as well as classroom or home recycling program.

2. This is a great book to discuss problem solving! Poor Cap’m St. Pierre has a huge problem–how to get rid of the garbage. Long Island and Islip have a huge problem, too–too much garbage. Ask students to use their problem solving and brainstorming skills to come up with solutions to the problem BEFORE you read them the end of the story. When looking at students’ solutions, evaluate each one to see if it is a good solution or not through class discussion. Even though this happened in 1987, students today might have a better idea of what SHOULD have happened to all that garbage.

3. You could use this book to help you teach the six plus one traits of writing. It is a great book for organization–the beginning grabs the readers’ attention with all the garbage and then it is organized by the barge’s trip down the river–trying to stop at different states–before the story and the barge circle back to the beginning–to right where they started–garbage in Long Island. The circle format is one form of organization that many authors and essayists use.

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*Picture book, realistic fiction for preschoolers through second graders
*First grade girl as main character
*Rating: Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I don’t) is such a cute picture book and perfect for teachers and parents to share during National Book Week or any time reading needs to be celebrated. (Well, that’s all the time, right?)

Short, short summary:

A first-grade girl tells readers how much Miss Brooks, the enthusiastic librarian, loves books. Miss Brooks dresses up in costumes to share books with her students. As our narrator tells us, ” I think Miss Brooks gets a little too excited. And I bet her costumes itch.” One day, Miss Brooks tells her students that it will soon be Book Week, and they each need to share a book they love with the class and dress up in a costume. The little girl wants to move–her mother informs her there’s a librarian in every town. So, she doesn’t know what book she’ll present until her mother tells her she’s as stubborn as a wart. This gives her a great idea–she loves warts and she’ll read about them! Pick up a copy of Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I don’t) to find out exactly which book the little girl chooses. (Kids will love this!)

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Students young and old can write about a favorite book after reading this one. Let students creatively tell about their favorite book with a journal entry as well as a presentation of some kind–maybe even dressing up in costumes like in the book.

2. Create a class book of poems or holidays or anything that you want. The point is to work on something together as a class. The easy way to make a class book is to have each student create a page, illustrate it, laminate these, and then bind them together with a cover of some sort. Children love to get these class- made books out of the library and read them–even your most reluctant readers.

3. Did students know that Shrek was a book before a movie? Discuss with students other books that have been made into movies. Ask students which they usually like better. For a fun Friday afternoon activity, read a book to students that was made into a movie, watch the movie (or part of it), and then compare and contrast them.

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*Picture book, humorous fantasy (tall tale), for preschoolers through second graders
*A rancher and his wife are the main characters.
*Rating: Meanwhile Back at the Ranch is one of my favorite books to share with children. (It’s by the same author as The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash.

Short, short summary: Rancher Hicks is bored on his ranch. Nothing much ever happens. So, he drives the 84 miles to the town of Sleepy Gulch for some excitement. (It’s not called Sleepy Gulch for nothing!) Meanwhile back at the ranch. . . his wife Elna has quite a day. The president comes to visit, she strikes oil, and her aunt leaves her her entire estate. Meanwhile back in Sleepy Gulch. . .a turtle crosses the road and the slowest game of checkers ever is being played. Meanwhile back at the ranch. . .all the cats have kittens and all the horses have colts. Meanwhile back in Sleepy Gulch–well, you get the picture. When Rancher Hicks returns from his big adventure in Sleepy Gulch, he is in for quite a surprise!

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Meanwhile Back at the Ranch by Trinka Hakes Noble is a great book to share with students when you are teaching the 6 + 1 traits of writing–the trait of organization. The organization of this book is very obvious–each page you are either in Sleepy Gulch or at the ranch. The word MEANWHILE is used as a transition. So, you can talk to students about different ways to organize stories, essays, and reports. You can talk to students about using transition words. This book can lead into many discussions and writing exercises for the trait of organization. (It’s perfect for homeschooling lessons on these subjects, too.)

2. Have students write their own MEANWHILE story. One of the most fun is. . .MEANWHILE BACK IN THE CLASSROOM. Students pretend like they are Rancher Hicks and leave the classroom one day to go somewhere they think will be more exciting. MEANWHILE back in the classroom, students create stories where famous people come to visit or they win prizes or the teacher allows recess all day, and so on.

3. Discuss with students: What makes this book a fantasy or a tall tale? Can all of those events happen to Elna in one day? Talk to students about what makes this book a fantasy. Create a list. Talk about hyperbole and exaggeration and how Trinka Hakes Noble uses these to create humor in her picture book. How do the illustrations add to the story?

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Guest post by Irene Roth!

Finding Lincoln
By: Ann Malaspina
Illustrated by: Colin Bootman
(Paintings by Coretta Scott King Honor artist)
Albert Whitman and Company, 2009.

This book is based on a true story. It is about an African-American boy who wants to get a book out of the main library in Alabama about young Abraham Lincoln.

The setting for this book is the 1950s Alabama where only white people were allowed into the main library. But Louis wasn’t going to put up with that reality. He mustered up as much courage as he could and walked straight into the main library, with people staring. Ultimately, one of the librarians had to escort him out to keep the peace within the library. But before she did, the librarian quietly took him aside and asked him to come back to the library the next day after 5 p.m. Louis did, and she made sure that he got the book he wanted and she even gave him a temporary library card.

At the end of the story, there is an informative note for the reader about how blacks were segregated until the 1960s in Alabama. There is also an informative sidebar that is full of facts about Abraham Lincoln and a reference list for further reading. It is truly a wonderful book that most kids will enjoy reading. The paintings are very vivid and realistic for the time portrayed by the author.

Rating: 5 Stars

Discussion Questions For Educators and Teachers

• 1. Write a short account about Louis’s courage. Would you be that
  courageous in similar circumstances? Why?
• 2. Write a short account about the life of Abraham Lincoln and
  his incredible perspicacity in abolishing slavery.
• 3. Read one or two books on the reading list and talk about what
  you learned about Abraham Lincoln.

Reviewed by Irene S. Roth

For more about Irene Roth, please visit her blogs at: www.adolescentgirlsblog.wordpress.com and www.irenesroth.wordpress.com.

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*Picture book about volcanoes–found in non-fiction section–told in poem form
*Subject matter: A volcano erupting and how it affects life around it
*Rating: Volcano Wakes Up! is a wonderful book to teach kids about volcanoes and the life around them. Love it!

Short, short summary: In Volcano Wakes Up!, Lisa Westburg Peters uses poetry to tell the “story” of a small volcano. She follows the volcano’s activity throughout one day, and also includes the perspective of the ferns growing around the volcano, a lava flow cricket, a small black road on the active volcano, and the sun and moon. This book presents a very creative way to tell about an erupting volcano along with wonderful cut-paper illustrations by Steve Jenkins. Volcano Wakes Up! is a great book for use with science curriculum in the classroom or in a home school program.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Let students research the facts they learn from the poems in the book to find out more facts about volcanoes, ferns, and so on. The author provides more detailed notes in the back of the book that you can share with your students. Students can create presentations of their facts with illustrations styled after Steve Jenkins work.

2. Not only can this book teach your students or children (if you home school) about volcanoes, but it also exposes them to different forms of poetry. What are the poems like in this book? Challenge your students to write a similar poem–maybe instead of a volcano, they can use a mountain as their subject. Instead of a fern–they can use a tree and so on.

3. Study with students what other effects volcanoes have on the land, plant life, animal life, and even human life when they erupt. You can do a lesson on cause and effect with this activity, also.

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Before I talk about this cute book (I love fractured fairy tales), I want to announce the winner of Plank Road Summer. Again, thank you to everyone who left comments and questions for the authors. It seems to me that historical fiction is always a big hit, in spite of what the “big publishers” in New York are telling us. So, the winner is. . .June S. Congratulations to June!

The Three Little Rigs by David Gordon

*Picture book, fantasy for preschoolers through second graders
*Three little rigs as main characters
*Rating: What a cute twist on The Three Little Pigs. Great for your little ones who love trucks and big rigs!

Short, short summary: The Three Little Rigs by David Gordon is a version of The Three Little Pigs. In this story, each rig has to go out and build a garage. The first rig chooses wood, and the big, bad wrecking ball easily destroys it. The second rig builds his garage out of brick, and the big, bad wrecking ball wants to be let in. Of course, the rig answers, “Not by the chrome on my chinny chin chin.” The wrecking ball easily ruins the garage. Then there’s the third and brilliant, hard-working rig. He builds his out of steel. The wrecking ball can’t wreck it, but he is so big and bad–he doesn’t stop there. He enlists some help from a magnet and cutters. What will the rigs do to save this garage and live happily ever after?

So, what do I do with this book?

1. One of the best activities to do with fractured fairy tales is compare and contrast them to the original using art, a writing journal prompt, or a shared writing experience with a Venn diagram, depending on the age and ability level of your students or children. (By the way, David Gordon has other fractured fairy tale books such as Hansel and Diesel and The Ugly Truckling.)

2. This is a great book to discuss problem solving with children. How do the rigs finally solve their problem? With teamwork and cooperation from their friends. Children can talk about a problem they have had (or someone else’s problem) and how people worked together to solve the problem. You can also bring in current events, depending on what is going on in the world or your community when you read this book (and again the age of your children). For example, how do government officials solve a problem like the oil spill in the ocean? It takes a lot of people working together. This is a good book to lead into a character education segment on teamwork and being part of a team.

3. Books like The Three Little Rigs are meant to be read aloud and to have students do echo reading and even role playing. Let students read with you (or after you): “Not by the chrome of my chinny chin chin.” Let students act out the different parts. For an end of the year celebration, you could even do a play based on this book for parents.

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With this Tilbury House blog tour for One of Us, we are celebrating the theme “bravely be you!” The picture book, One of Us written by Peggy Moss and illustrated by Penny Weber is the story of Roberta who is starting a new school and trying to fit in. First, Roberta befriends the straight-up hair girls, and they tell her, “You are one of us!” until she does something different. Then she goes on the monkey bars, and those kids tell her, “You are one of us.” After she goes from group to group to group, she finally finds a group that likes to be different from each other.

**For a special treat, we have an interview with author Mitali Perkins, who has written books such as Bamboo People and Secret Keeper. Anyone who leaves a comment or question on today’s post will be entered to win one free copy of either One of Us by Peggy Moss or a signed copy of Rickshaw Girl by Mitali Perkins. Winners will be chosen randomly from the comments on Monday morning. Now on to the interview. . .

Margo: In the picture book, ONE OF US, which we are celebrating today, this theme stands out in the wonderful text and lively, bright illustrations: “bravely be you.” How do you incorporate this theme into your own life?

Mitali: I love that statement. I want it on a t-shirt, please. It takes courage to be yourself, doesn’t it? For me, it means celebrating both sides of my hyphen as a Bengali-American.

Margo: I would buy a t-shirt like that! How do you incorporate “bravely be you” into your work?

Mitali: I try to model that hyphenated life–with all of its strengths and struggles–for the next generation as I speak and write for young people. I also try to speak prophetically into the mainstream of children’s publishing by staying close to the margins as much as possible. On my blog (mitaliblog.com), I raise issues about life “between cultures,” as I call it, review books, and host authors who might otherwise get overlooked.

Margo: Your blog sounds like a place where anyone can be free to be herself or himself. That’s awesome! Your next book is Bamboo People, which is due out July 1, 2010 from Charlesbridge. Tell us about this book–who should read it, a quick plot summary, and themes in the book.

Mitali: Who should read it? I hope adults and children ages 10 and up will enjoy this coming-of-age story and learn about the situation in modern-day Burma. The book features two main characters, Chiko and Tu Reh. Chiko isn’t a fighter by nature. He’s a book-loving Burmese boy whose father, a doctor, is in prison for resisting the government. Tu Reh, on the other hand, wants to fight for freedom after watching Burmese soldiers destroy his Karenni family’s home and bamboo fields. Timidity becomes courage and anger becomes compassion as both boys are changed by their chance meeting in the jungles along the Thai-Burma border. You may find out more at

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*Picture book for infants to Kindergarteners, contemporary fiction
*Young girl as main character
*Rating: Say Hello! is a book children will return to again and again as they learn to speak “hello” in many different languages. Rachel Isadora is a brilliant illustrator, too!

Short, short summary:

Carmelita, her mom, and her dog are on their way to see Abuelo Rosa. As they walk through the street, they encounter several people who speak, “Hello,” in different languages. There’s Mrs. Rosen who greets them with, “Shalom!” The baker says, “Bonjour,” and the pizza maker says, “Ciao!” Along the way, Carmelia and her mother answer each of them, and so does Manny the dog. He says, “Woof!” each time, but everyone is convinced it’s because he can understand the hello in a different language and is simply answering back.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. The best thing about Say Hello! by Rachel Isadora is that it is meant to be read aloud, and children are meant to practice saying hello in all the different languages. And children love this! After you have read it through a couple times, you can ask children if they know any other ways to say hello. You can make a list of all the ways–from the book and from your children–and display this in the room. At home, when you pass your child in the hallway or enter a room, you can say hello in one of the ways you learned in the book.

2. This book is also great to start a discussion about businesses/buildings in a community, which is often a primary social studies objective. What are the places that Carmelita passes or visits on her walk to see Abuela Rosa? Are these same type of businesses in your community? What do you do at each of these businesses? Why are they important to the community?

3. Another discussion to have with children is about the similarities and differences between people. Depending on where you teach or where you live, your children may be in a neighborhood like Carmelita, where people come from various backgrounds, or you may be in a place where people mostly come from the same place. No matter what, you can have the discussion with children about how people may speak differently or look differently, but we are all people with feelings, friends, families, and even special talents. Again, one of the early social studies objectives is learning “ALL ABOUT ME.” This book can be a starting point for students to explore their families, share unique things about families with the class, or even create a family tree.

Don’t forget to enter the book giveaway contest for Seeds of Change, a picture book about Waangari Maathai. See the post from Thursday, May 20 (yesterday) to enter the contest and learn about this amazing book!

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photo by Randy Son of Robert www.flickr.com

*Contemporary picture book for preschoolers through 2nd graders
*The LOUDS (a very fun family) as main characters
*Rating: The Louds Move In! is a funny picture book full of cute illustrations.

Short, short summary:

The Louds Move In! by Carolyn Crimi starts when guess what? The Loud family moves into a very quiet neighborhood on Earmuffle Street. The Louds walk loud–”stomp, stompity, stomp”–and eat loud–”chomp, chompity, chomp”–and even play loud–”thump, thumpity, thump.” All the quiet neighbors just can’t take the loudness anymore, and so they call and then write the Louds a note. However, it doesn’t seem to make a difference. One night, the quiet neighbors go over to the Louds’ house to talk to them about their loudness, and there is nothing but quiet. They figure the family must have FINALLY gotten the message. However, the neighbors start to hate the quiet, and they have to figure out a way to get the Louds back to being loud again.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. One of the 6 + 1 traits of writing is word choice. This is a great picture book to use with children to discuss word choice. From the sound effects to the characters’ names to the action verbs, Carolyn Crimi has used specific word choices that makes her picture book sparkle. Ask children to tell you some of their favorite words in the story. Point out how she is making the characters shout or bellow or yell, and how these words match her story. Make a list of specific words she uses that children like, and hang these words in the room for them to use in their own writing.

2. Before children discover that the Louds really didn’t change but went on vacation, ask them to predict what they think will happen at the end of the story? Why are the Louds so quiet? Did they listen to the letter? Did they want to change to make their neighbors happy? Ask students to use clues from the illustrations and text to make a realistic prediction.

3. Children can do a fun art and writing project with this book. Take a piece of drawing paper and divide it in half–on one half students draw themselves doing a loud activity they like. On the other half, they draw a quiet activity. Discuss how most people are both quiet and loud, depending on the situation. Then ask students to write a sentence or paragraph (whichever is age-appropriate) explaining their illustrations.

Are you part of the Louds?

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Before I talk about today’s wonderful Un-Forgettable Friday post, I want to take a minute to let you know who won the book giveaway contest this week. Drum roll please. . .Lara Ivey won Book by Book! Thank you to everyone for leaving comments and questions for Cindy Hudson, the author. If you missed the awesome discussion about creating and maintaining a book club for you and your child, then go to Monday’s post.

Today’s book is The Milkman by Carol Foskett Cordsen. I love this book for two reasons–Douglas B. Jones’s illustrations are just, well, lovely and perfect for the tone and subject matter of this book. Second, I just love a picture book that tells a little story while also sharing some history with young children. This is the way many people used to get their milk, and children today will be amazed. The photo I chose to go with this post put up by FoxTongue on www.flickr.com is also really interesting. This Flickr user states that this is a photo of a milkman delivering milk in London after a German bombing raid during World War II. Now on to the book. . .

*Picture book for preschoolers through second graders, historical fiction
*Milkman as main character
*Rating: The Milkman is a wonderful book full of rhyme, colorful illustrations, and a cute storyline!

Short, short summary: Through rhyme, Carol Foskett Cordsen tells the story of a milkman’s morning and all the different people he delivers to. With his milk cat, he delivers double milk for the Morgan twins and extra for the red house full of Kansas kin. He thinks about the Bensons leaving in June and the new folks moving in. Then he sees a sign: “Lost my dog. Love, Caroline.” So, “Mr. Plimpton looks around. Sees a shadow. Hears a sound.” And the readers will discover that Caroline’s dog is in almost every illustration near the milkman, but he is just not seeing him yet. Eventually, Mr. Plimpton does see him, and he returns the dog, finishes delivering milk and eggs, and returns home to his family–just in time for BREAKFAST! (Wow! all that before breakfast.)

So, what do I do with this book?

1. As I already mentioned, one of the best activities to do with this book is compare and contrast the way the people get their milk in the book to the way people get their milk today. There are still some companies that deliver milk, but most people get their milk from the store. Also, children can look at the illustrations and tell that this book takes place in the past. What are some of the clues? What are some of the similarities and differences they notice between the setting of the book and their own lives? (While students are studying the pictures for clues to the past, they can also look for Caroline’s dog.)

2. Young children will love to read the repeatable text with teachers–especially “Lost my dog. Love, Caroline.” Once you have read this book to students, ask them what lines they heard repeated throughout. Then read the book again and ask students to join in the reading. You can write the lines on chart paper and point to them when they come up in the text to help students remember them, and so they can “read” the text along with you.

3. You could also use this book to start a discussion with your children or students about careers and jobs they would like to do when they grow up. Being a milkman isn’t a job most people have any more, but ask your students what they would like to be. Create

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*Picture book for preschoolers through first graders
*Young llama as the main character
*Rating: llama llama mad at mama is a great addition to the llama series; and boy, oh boy, will it hit home for kids and parents!

Short, short summary: Some children, okay probably most children, hate to go shopping with their parents when they are young. Llama feels the same way. Llama and mama are at Shop-O-Rama, and Llama is not so crazy about the stinky ladies and the yucky music. He gets himself so worked up when Mama doesn’t notice he is mad that he has a tantrum. (Sound familiar, anyone?) Mama soon realizes that she needs to make shopping fun for both of them, and so with patience and understanding (she is a model mama), Llama and Mama finish shopping with no more tantrums and even have ice cream at the end. Here are some lines from the book:

Yucky music, great big feet.

Ladies smelling way too sweet.

Look at knees and stand in line.

Llama Llama starts to whine

.

If you are a fan of llama, llama red pajama, then you will love this book!

So, what do I do with this book?

1. If you go to Amazon and read the parent reviews, you will get a kick out of how many of them used this book to discuss shopping trips in their own families. Many parents also said they would not have reacted as patiently as Mama Llama; and if Little Llama was their son, he would have been in time-out instead of having ice cream. But the great thing–whether you agree with Mama Llama’s parenting or not–is that this book can start a discussion between moms, dads, and kids about how to act in the store, about parent patience, about making shopping fun, and on and on. You can talk to kids about behavior, using the llama as a model, instead of having to be preachy!

2. If you are reading llama, llama, mad at mama by Anna Dewdney to a class or even at home, children can make personal connections by drawing a picture and writing a sentence or two about their own shopping experience and if they ever feel like the little llama.

3. In a class of students, you can ask them how many like to shop with their parents and how many don’t. You can record their answers on a t-chart or even make a mini-bar graph with post-it notes. (Write yes and no at the bottom of a chalkboard. Give each student a post-it-note. Children write their name on the note and then stick it above the answer they choose. Each child puts their post-it-note above the last one to make a bar.) Once you have made either a t-chart or a bar graph, you can ask students questions about it for a mini-math lesson.

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This Un-Forgettable Friday post is a little different than normal because the Facebook Guide for Parents is on pre-sale today, and I think this is a valuable tool that you can use if you are a parent or even a teacher and have kids or students on Facebook. I first heard about this book from Twittermoms (which is an awesome Ning network), and I jumped on the chance to get involved with promoting it and talking about it on my blog. I have heard story after story from my friends, who have or teach tweens/teens, about all the problems they see with their kids on Facebook as well as all the terrible stories we hear on the news–including cyber- bullying through Facebook.

So, what is this guide? Here’s a description from the company:

“Finally – Facebook Guide for Parents, a guidebook with visual instructions on privacy, safety, friending, cyber-bullying, and much more. No fuss. No muss. Just simple and to the point step-by-step instructions with screen shots and video tutorials. Own your copy now at a pre-launch price. Teach your kids to be savvy and safe Facebook users! Facebook Guide for Parents is a perfect step-by-step that will show you how to start a conversation with your kids about online safety and privacy.”

They sent out 50 copies to reviewers, and this book has received some great reviews. To read more about the guide and the reviews, check out the website. Here’s an example of a review: “Incredible! The presentation in both the book and videos, is clear, concise and informative. I recommend these tools for any parent starting out on Facebook!”

~ Tamara Monosoff, Founder & CEO of Mom Inventors, Inc. www.MomInvented.com

I also received this information about the book: Parents will be surprised to learn in Facebook Guide for Parents:

*Easily overlooked privacy setting traps
*Tips on what to do to about cyber-bullying
*Dos and don’ts of interacting with your child on Facebook
*Find out how strangers see your child’s page
*Learn how joining groups and fanning pages can affect your child’s privacy

If you have any questions, leave them here, and I will try my hardest to find the answers for you. If you are interested in purchasing the Facebook Guide for Parents, go here.

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photo by gamene www.flickr.com

*Picture book (based on fairy tales) for preschoolers to first graders
*Big Bad Little Good Wolf as main character
*Rating: Good Little Wolf has few words, but the illustrations tell us all about this little wolf! Very cute.

Short, short summary:

The Big Bad Wolf is here to tell you, the reader, that he is actually a Good Little Wolf. He explains that he keeps his friends cozy in the winter, that he is very helpful and provides a place (in his mouth) for his friends to stay dry when it rains, and that he only likes to dress up like Little Red Riding Hood to help tell bedtime stories to his friends. In the spirit of The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, Good Little Wolf by Kristina Andres lets us know the wolf’s true character.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. If you are reading this book to a classroom of children, then do a K-W-L chart with them about the Big Bad Wolf or wolves in fairy tales. What do they know about the Big Bad Wolf? What do they wonder? After reading Good Little Wolf, what do they learn about this storybook character? If you are at home reading this book, discuss what your child believes about the Big Bad Wolf before reading the book together.

2. In this book, the illustrations tell the WHOLE story. Children can learn from reading the Good Little Wolf that in picture books, the illustrations are as important as the text. The text and illustrations work together to tell a story. They can also learn that if they are having trouble reading a page, the illustrations might give them a clue as to what the text says. Sometimes, we assume that children already know that they need to carefully look at illustrations and the importance of the pictures, but this is often not true unless we draw their attention to it.

3. On a T-chart, ask students to put their opinion of the wolf–do they think he is a Good Little Wolf or a Big Bad Wolf? To make this an interactive activity, give students a post-it note, ask them to write their name on it, and then put it on the chart under their opinion. When all children have voted, discuss the chart and why students believe what they do about the wolf. If you are reading this book at home, you can discuss with your child after reading this book (and maybe The True Story of the Three Little Pigs too) about what she thinks about the wolf. Ask your child to defend her opinion with specific events from the books.

Okay, so I have to ask–what do you think about the Big Bad Wolf? Is he just misunderstood?

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photo by shoshanah www.flickr.com

*Picture book for preschoolers through second graders
*Princess Bess as main character
Rating: Little girls who love princesses will love Princess Bess Gets Dressed, especially little girls who love princesses and underwear! (Now, I’ve peaked your interest, right?)

Short, short summary:

Princess Bess has a busy schedule. She has to dine on muffins with the queen, go to dance class, attend a joust, play chess, and much more. For each task or event, she has to change into a different outfit, of course, but she’s got a secret. She really likes to wear one thing best–and she doesn’t tell the reader what it is until the very end of the story. Well, and I’m not going to tell you either!

So, what do I do with this book?

1. This is a great book to practice prediction skills. In the beginning, Princess Bess tells readers that she has a secret about what she likes to wear best. But then she never gets to tell us because she is so busy. So ask students or family members to predict what her favorite outfit is. Write down predictions. Read the end of the book and see who is right.

2. Princess Bess Gets Dressed has a lot of fun rhymes. Ask children which pair of rhyming words is their favorite and then create your own sentences with these words. For example, one pair of rhyming words in the book is chess and dress. You could make up a sentence like: When I wear my blue dress, I like to play chess. Students will have fun making up new sentences with Margery Cuyler’s words as a starting point.

3. Ask students what their favorite clothes are to wear. Do they have a favorite shirt? Pajamas? Shoes? Send a note home to parents and ask them to bring in a photo of their children dressed in a favorite outfit. Children can paste or tape this photo to construction paper, write a sentence or two about their clothes, and decorate the paper for a unique wall display. If children forget photos, have a camera available, so you can take a picture of the student. You can easily do this activity at home with your children, too, if you home school.

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Nickel Shakespeare Girls by Clinton Steeds on www.flickr.com. According to Clinton, these girls can perform any scene from a Shakespeare play that someone in the audience calls out.

*Middle-grade, tween contemporary mystery novel
*6th-grade girl as main character
*Rating: Shakespeare’s Secret is a remarkable book with a wonderful mystery that children and adults will love!

Short, short summary:

An excerpt from School Library Journal review: Hero has always hated her Shakespearean-based name, for, as her new sixth-grade classmates are quick to tell her, it’s better suited to a dog than to a girl. Resigned to their constant teasing, she concentrates instead on her new-found friendship with her kindly, if somewhat eccentric, elderly next-door neighbor. Mrs. Roth tells Hero about the missing “Murphy Diamond,” a precious jewel that supposedly disappeared from the house where Hero now lives. Mrs. Roth has the necklace that once held the diamond, an heirloom that possibly once belonged to Anne Boleyn, and she is convinced that it is still hidden in the vicinity. She and Hero set out to find what the police could not, and, with help from Danny, a popular yet self-assured eighth grader who befriends them both, you’ll have to discover if they succeed–(This last part is from Margo–I’m not going to tell you what happens.) Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Some understanding of who William Shakespeare/Anne Boleyn were and what Shakespeare did for English literature/drama is probably necessary for children/tweens to truly understand and enjoy this novel. Before reading, show students a Shakespeare play that you can rent on DVD from the library or even better (and if possible) would be a field trip to a live performance. You can also assign students different short biographical topics such as Shakespeare’s childhood, first play, and so on or assign various plays to research. Students can share their findings with the class.

2. As Hero and Danny are discovering clues and information about the Murphy Diamond, your students can also try to figure out its location. Where do they think it could be? Ask students to write down clues and make predictions in their reading response journals right along with Hero and Danny.

3. Hero is teased because of her name. Many children who are reading this novel are also teased for one reason or another, so they may be able to relate well with Hero and her feelings–even when Danny, a popular kid, befriends her. Besides asking students to write about and discuss the mystery, historical facts, and plot, give them some writing prompts that allow them to make personal connections with the characters during this often difficult time of adolescence.

This would make a great book club choice or a home school study, too!

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photo by foxypar4 www.flickr.com

*Picture book for preschoolers through second graders
*Bea the sheep as the main character
*Rating: Be unique is the message in Bea Rocks the Flock, and this book’s illustration and cute sheep make it unique, too.

Short, short summary:

Bea is having a hard time in the flock. She just doesn’t do the same things as all the other sheep. One day, she gets fed up and decides to leave and go to New York City. In the city, she gets several ideas of how to spend her life, but none of them seem to work out so well. She enters a dog show and dyes herself pink. She wins the most unique sheep, and this gives her a great idea. Bea goes back to the flock and convinces them that being unique is not so bad after all. Bea Rocks the Flock by Victoria Jamieson will leave each child in your classroom or your home happy to be unique!

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Bea Rocks the Flock is all about being unique and following your own interests. Ask students to name one thing that makes them unique such as: they are a yellow belt in karate or they take ballet lessons or they have a rock collection. After each student has shared one thing that makes him unique and you have written it on a piece of chart paper, then children should draw an illustration of themselves doing the activity and copy down the sentence from the chart paper.

2. In the middle of the book, Bea is trying to figure out what she should do in New York City to pass her time. After the library scene, ask students to give their ideas on what she could do each day. You can even create a class book with these ideas called, Bea Rocks New York City. Students can illustrate the ideas for Bea in the city, and teachers can type the ideas and glue them to each page. Laminate the pages, connect them together with string or plastic binding, and you have a new class book for students to read based on Bea Rocks the Flock.

3. You can actually use this book with older elementary students to talk about one of the 6+1 traits of writing–word choice. Victoria Jamieson uses several specific nouns and verbs to make her story shine. For example, at the end of the book Flossie doesn’t just say she wants to grow flowers, she says she wants to start an organic daisy farm. Choosing the words “organic daisy farm” brings a different picture into readers’ minds than if the author chose to just write “flower garden.” Find several examples of specific word choice throughout the story and discuss them with your students.

And don’t forget the new Rule of Sheepdom. . . .BEEEEEEEEEEE yourself!

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photo by midweekpost www.flickr.com

*Young adult, urban contemporary fantasy
*Teenage girl as main character
*Rating: City of Ashes, the sequel to City Of Bones, is a page-turner. You won’t want to stop until you read every last word of the Clary-Simon-Jace saga.

Short, short summary:

It’s hard to summarize this plot without giving anything away. But I’ll try my best. Since this is book two, if you, your teen, or your students haven’t read book one of The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, I highly recommend you do. Otherwise, you’ll be, well, just really confused. At the end of book one, we find out that Jace and Clary are brother and sister, and their father is Valentine. At the beginning of book two, both are trying to deal with this–Jace and Clary hate Valentine since he is the most evil and disturbed Shadowhunter in the world. In spite of being brother and sister, they still find themselves attracted to each other. Simon, Clary’s best friend, is doing his best to try to make Clary attracted to him instead of Jace, even calling her “his girlfriend” and engaging in some make-out sessions. Alec is still dealing with being comfortable in his sexuality, and we even get a glimpse into Isabelle’s dating life when the characters have to visit the Seelie Court (help me with the spelling, folks–I listened to this book on audio, and it turns out there are several ways to spell it?). Basically, someone is killing downworlders and making it look like the vampires are running crazy in the city, but Jace and the other Shadowhunters don’t believe the vampires are doing it. (Hmmm? Who could it be?) The Lightwoods are not so sure about Jace because of whom his father is–can they trust him anymore? The Inquisitor, a very powerful lady in the Clave, also seems to have it out for Jace. I won’t go on, but as you can see, this book is a good mix between the personal lives of the characters and an action-filled fantasy story.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Teens will probably read City of Ashes as part of their independent reading, home school curriculum, or in a book club. So, these activities will focus on those types of readings. First, teens (or adult readers) can find out more about the series and the author (I love her website–very straightforward, direct, and talking to teens) on the author’s website and the series website. Let teens explore these two resources.

2. Exploring and discussing the characters in City of Ashes is a must as character-development is one of Clare’s strengths. Ask teens which character in the novel is their favorite and/or which character they relate to the best. What do they think about Clary and Jace or Clary and Simon? Do they think Jace and Clary are really brother and sister? What are the special “powers” that Valentine has given his children? What about the Inquisitor? What is her motivation? What is the significance of the Inquisitor’s last action? These are all questions that can be discussed or written about in reading response journals. (Some of these answers will not be revealed until book 3, but teens can predict!)

3. The setting of City of Ashes is “an alternative present-day Manhattan.” What makes this an “alternative” setting? Discuss with students if the world that Clare has built is believable and realistic in the context of the book? How does Clare do this? Is the setting like another character in City of Ashes? <

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When I’m at the library choosing books for this blog, I have to admit I am a sucker for illustrations like Susan Gal’s. First, there’s a cute dog on the cover (and you all know I love dogs), and I like the girl’s cute nose and big eyes. It’s just cute. . .but this book is more than that, so here we go!

*Picture book for infants to Kindergarteners, contemporary fiction
*Little girl and her dog as main characters
*Rating: With less than 25 words and wonderful illustrations, Susan Gal tells a cute story of a girl’s night and all the lights that brighten it up in Night Lights.

Short, short summary:

A little girl rides her bike with her mom and lights up the night with “headlights.” Their cute and very smart dog greets them at the door lit with a “porch light,” and they are ready for a birthday cook out with “firelight,” “firefly light,” and “candlelight.” When a storm makes them rush inside, the girl and her dog get ready for bed, even catching some suspicious creatures enjoying the leftover marshmallows outside in the “spotlight.” All is well when they go to bed, and the room is lit with a “night-light” and “moonlight.”

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Give children enough time to study the illustrations because these pictures are what actually tell the story in Night Lights. Ask them to notice what the pictures are telling them. Ask them, “What is this story about?” “How do you know–through the words or pictures or both?” You can also ask them a simple question like, “What do you notice in these illustrations?” Young children will love this book because it has few words per page and wonderful illustrations, and those things hold their attention–in a group setting or before bedtime. If they listen to Night Lights by Susan Gal enough, they will be able to “read” it with you.

2. The publisher on the jacket copy suggests this book can be used with children who have a fear of nighttime or the dark to show them how many lights actually exist at night. This is a good idea (unless your child or your students are afraid of the “lightning!” page). You can ask children to tell you what lights they notice at night. They can also draw a nighttime scene with lights in it from the book such as a moon, lamp, fireflies, and so on.

3. As a shared writing activity, students could each suggest a type of light in their house or outside (found in the day or night), and you could write sentences on a chart like: Martha found a lamp. Bob found sunlight. Joshua found a flashlight. Then cut these sentences apart, and give them to the appropriate student. (At home, you can do this activity with your child, too, but you would allow them to choose which sentence they want to copy and illustrate.) Students copy the sentence the best they can at the bottom of their paper (or you can glue it on for them), and then they illustrate the picture.

If you are a preschool teacher or have a toddler or preschooler at home, Night Lights is one of those perfect books, in my opinion!

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photo by kimbospacenut www.flickr.com

I decided to write about this book today in honor of the approaching holiday–Valentine’s Day. This book is about love in one of the most selfless and special ways we can give love–to animals who have been in puppy mills. **A portion of the sales profits from A Home for Dakota go to shelters and animal rescue groups.

*Picture book for preschoolers through second graders, contemporary fiction
*Puppy mill pup as main character
*Rating: A Home for Dakota will pull at your heartstrings and make you want to hug your pets and your children!

Short, short summary: A Home for Dakota is told from the point of view of puppy number 241, who starts his life in a puppy mill and is rescued. After being held in a shelter, a human named Emma takes him home to help him get adjusted to living with humans. Emma is patient, kind, loving, and knows how to take care of a sick dog who has lost most of his fur from infection. She names him Dakota, and he learns to trust her. When he is on the mend, Emma brings a family in to see Dakota, and he learns to live with a new owner. The book being told from the puppy’s point of view makes it that much more powerful, and in my opinion, endearing to children.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. The last page of the book has special information for parents and teachers to teach your students or children more about how to treat dogs. This information may also help you to answer some questions that come up while reading A Home for Dakota. For example, many children might not understand why Dakota has lost his hair and the illustrations show that he has bumps on his skin. As a service learning project to go with A Home for Dakota, students could bring in their pennies to donate to a local animal shelter; or you could find the animal shelter needs list online or by calling, and students could each donate one item off of the list.

2. This is the perfect book to teach animal safety, especially when finding stray dogs or cats. Children often approach stray animals and scare them, and then the animal attacks. You can also discuss with students the proper way to care for and treat an animal that is in their home. After these discussions, allow students to create posters, sharing information they learned. You can hang these in the hallway at your school or in your kitchen (if you home school) to remind others of these important lessons.

3. Children may want to know why “Sweetie” is drawn without any hair. The text never says that Sweetie has cancer, and so children who are not familiar with this may not understand. Take some time to discuss with children why Sweetie may react the way she does to Dakota at first, why she has no hair, and how Dakota and Sweetie become friends. Give children plenty of time to ask questions and share stories of family members or friends with cancer.

Don’t forget–there’s still time to win your very own copy of Hate List by Jennifer Brown. This is a young adult book, fiction, about a school shooting and how students deal with the aftermath. Make a comment on the post about the book by Feb. 14 at 8:00 p.m. CST.

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Florida Swamp photo by Peter Long www.flickr.com

*Middle-grade to tween (there’s some language in here–FYI ) contemporary fiction novel
*Middle-grade students Nick and Marta as main characters
*Rating: A good eco-mystery for kids with a quirky cast of characters, similar to Hoot and Flush by Carl Hiaasen.

Short, short summary:

Scat has a main plot and a pretty important sub-plot that is timely and will appeal to many kids. First the main plot: Bunny Starch, a feared biology teacher, goes missing after a field trip to Black Vine Swamp. Many people are pointing their finger at Duane Scrod, also known as Smoke. But Nick and Marta, two kids in Mrs. Starch’s class, aren’t sure what’s going on in Black Vine Swamp because there seems to be a lot. Nick took some video the day of the field trip, and he and Marta aren’t sure what they see moving among the vegetation–is it the rare, endangered Florida Panther, a man, or even Smoke? Nick and Marta’s curiosity gets the better of them, and they get mixed up in the Black Vine Swamp events after a visit to Mrs. Starch’s house to try to find out what is actually going on. The sub-plot of Scat by Carl Hiaasen is about Nick and his father. Nick’s father is in the National Guard and had to serve in the War in Iraq. He is injured, and Nick has to deal with his father’s injuries and the fear that comes with having a parent in the war.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. One of the most obvious activities to do with this book and the other Carl Hiaasen books in this series is to talk about the “green” issues that the author brings up. Scat is a great book to go along with a science unit on habitats or to read around Earth Day. Without giving away too much of the plot on this post, you can discuss with students endangered species such as the Florida panther, saving swamp land and why it’s important to food chains/webs, and animals and plants in Florida/warm climate habitats. Children and students can write down facts they learn about these topics while reading Scat, or they can use the Internet or other resources to learn more.

2. Nick’s father in the war may be an issue that some of the children in your class or your family are also dealing with at this point in their lives. If not a parent in the war, then they may know someone else in the war or who has been injured or killed. Before reading this book with these children, you may want to discuss the issues that will be surfacing to make sure children are okay with reading about this topic. Books like Scat by Carl Hiaasen can open up discussions about topics that are bothering children, but some children may still not want to openly discuss upsetting issues in class. You can always give students the option of writing in their reading response journals instead or providing two or three writing or discussion prompts with one being a “safe” topic.

3. Carl Hiaasen tells this story from several different viewpoints. There are many important characters in this book that he develops. As children meet a new character in the text, ask them to write the character’s name in their reading response journals and then some details about him. This will help students keep track of the characters and use their names during discussions and writing assignments. At the end of the novel, ask students to pick their favorite and least favorite characters from this list

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photo by digitalART2 www.flickr.com

Before I write about this super cute book, Felicity Floo Visits the Zoo, I want to announce the winners of Clara Gillow Clark’s Hattie books from the contest I held on Tuesday and Wednesday. And the winners are. . .

*1st place: Tami R.
*2nd place: Shelby S.
*3rd place: Bailey

Thank you to everyone who left such thoughtful comments. If you didn’t win, you can purchase the Hattie books right from Tuesday and Wednesday’s posts! They are a great way to teach children about this time in United States history. Now on to Felicity. . .

*Picture book for preschoolers through first graders, contemporary, fantasy (sort-of:)
*Young girl as the main character
*Rating: Felicity Floo Visits the Zoo has great rhyme and a good message about why we really need to wash our hands–even at the zoo.

Short, short summary: Do you know why we call that cold-sniffling-body-aching-high-temperature-illness the flu? Well, if you don’t, then you need to read this book and meet Felicity Floo. One day, Felicity decides to go to the zoo. Right before, she sees all the animals, including a blue-footed booby and rare jabiru, she wipes her nose without a tissue! Her hand becomes sticky with a green, gloppy goo, which she gets all over the animals when she pets them and hugs them. Then she leaves the zoo, and the animals are all sick with flu symptoms. E. S. Redmond does a wonderful job with her humorous rhyming text and cute illustrations. This is her first book.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. This is an excellent book to talk with your child or your students about why it is so important that they wash their hands after they sneeze or why they should use a tissue. Felicity Floo Visits the Zoo gets this point across without preaching. You can also talk about flu symptoms and how to take care of yourself during flu season–using hand sanitizer, staying home when you are sick, getting plenty of rest, and so on.

2. Make a list of all the animals that E. S. Redmond mentions and illustrates. Divide the animals up among your students (or if you home school allow your child to pick one or two animals). Depending on the age of your students, you can have them draw a picture of the animal and write a sentence if they are young. If they are in elementary school, they can do a mini-report, such as find five facts about the animal and make a poster to hang on the classroom wall.

3. As children are listening to you read the book, ask them to give you a thumbs-up anytime they hear a pair of rhyming words. After you read the book twice, see if they can tell you some of the rhyming pairs. Put these pairs on chart paper. Then students can brainstorm other words that rhyme with these, and you can discuss what makes words rhyme.

Come back to this blog on Tuesday, January 26 and Wednesday, January 27 as I am having another book contest giveaway. This time, it is a young adult fantasy called Watersmeet!

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photo by Southern Foodways Alliance www.flickr.com

*Picture book for preschoolers through second graders
*Strega Nona as the main character
*Rating: Another clever Strega Nona book by Tomie dePaola, perfect for plant lesson plans

Short, short summary: Strega Nona, Big Anthony, and Bambolona are planting seeds with Strega Nona’s direction in the latest installment by Tomie dePaola. This book is perfect for plant lesson plans because Strega Nona starts at the beginning of the planting process–working with the soil and watches her plants grow until harvest time.

While Big Anthony and Bambolona are preparing to plant the seeds, Bambolona scolds Big Anthony and says that he can’t do anything right or perfect like she and Strega Nona. Big Anthony decides to show them by planting his own secret garden. Wait until you see all the crops in that garden and how Big Anthony solves his problem! Tomie dePaola has another hit, and you have a fun resource for plant lesson plans during science class.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Tomie dePaola puts some Italian vocabulary in this book when Strega Nona, Big Anthony, and Bambolona are talking to each other and the names of the crops in the garden. So besides plant lesson plans, you can also teach your students or your children a little Italian. Words like la luna, mio caro, and libro di giardino are included in the text. For older students, you can discuss how some of the English words are very similar to the Italian words. Students love to learn about and show off another language.

2. Tomie dePaola uses full-page illustrations to tell some of this story instead of including text on every page. During a plant lesson plan, ask students to draw a picture of a plant cycle in Tomie dePaola’s style and without using any words.

3. After Strega Nona has harvested the vegetables, Tomie dePaola writes about how she incorporated the fresh foods into her meals. Another book about using fresh foods from gardens is Bring Me Some Apples and I’ll Make You a Pie by Robin Gourley. This book focuses on the childhood of the famous chef, Edna Lewis, and the way her childhood on her grandma’s farm affected her entire life and her cooking style. You can compare and contrast these two books with a Venn diagram or discuss with students eating fresh fruits and vegetables during a nutrition unit.

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photo by Thomas Ott www.flickr.com

*Picture book, Kindergartners to third graders, contemporary, Christmas
*Three children (two boys and one younger girl) as main characters
*Rating: Santa Calls is a great adventure Christmas story for children.

Short, short summary: Art Atchinson Aimesworth receives a call from Santa to go to Toyland in the North Pole. He takes with him Esther (his sister after she begs and cries) and Spaulding (his buddy). They have a fabulous adventure in the North Pole, and they meet Santa and Mrs. Claus as well as the Dark Queen and her elves (and they defeat her, of course). However, they can’t figure out why Santa called them to come to the North Pole. He’s just so secretive; and every time Art asks, Santa doesn’t answer the question. In the end, Esther and the reader figure it out!

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Try to decide before you and your child read the last page why Santa called. It may be hard, but read carefully and look for clues.

2. Use the map of the North Pole in the front of the book and make up a story (as a class or as individual students) about the North Pole and an adventure other kids could have there.

3. Write a descriptive paragraph about what Toyland looks like. Use the illustrations of Toyland from the book.

Have a Merry Christmas!

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