Bigger, Bigger, Bigger...

Tonight, I read my daughter a book called Sally and the Purple Socks by Lisze Bechtold.  In it, a duck has cozy purple socks that magically grow, and grow, and grow.  As they do, Sally has to find new uses for the "socks" that no longer fit.  Sometimes their largess is a problem, but her creative responses tend to make the best of situations that initially frustrate her. 

This reminded me of a book that my mom read to me when I was little.  It was one of her favorites.  (Yes, kids can tell).  The story was Bembelman's Bakery by Melinda Green.  It is the tale of a baker's family who must deal with the growing mountain of dough that results from the children's attempt at making bread.  A little too much yeast leads to a wonderful tale.

When reading with my daughter tonight, the patterns of the socks' growth progressing as we turned the page allowed me to use the book to prompt predictions.  "What do you think will happen?  How will Sally use the socks next?"  Often, my daughter says, "I don't know.  Let's find out!"  Maybe soon she will progress to letting her imagination paint the blanks.  Meanwhile, I am glad to see that already holds enthusiasm for reading and the knowledge that secrets unfold as we turn the pages.

Illustrations Inspire Improv

My daughter has started a new game.  She often asks what the characters in different pictures are saying.  This allows me to improvise dialog based on the text of a story.  The Great Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman/ Illustrated by Ros Asquith has fantastic illustrations for this exercise.  It has detailed cartoon-style drawings that speak to the multitude of various homes, families, and cultures in which children find themselves.  I like the non-judgmental approach to different backgrounds.  I keep encouraging my daughter to speak on behalf of the characters, too.  So far, she leaves me to do the voices.  Hopefully, though, she will soon add her narrative skills to the mix.