Smaller and Smaller

 So, I've been thinking about this blog ever since writing the last one.  It is way past time to share information about two of my favorite re-tellings of a Yiddish folktale.  Especially in these times of hardship and economic challenge, the message in the story is pertinent.  The repetition and simplicity of the story makes it a great tale to share with preschoolers, though. 

The story is about a coat that, as it gets worn, a grandfather who is also a tailor remakes into many smaller garment pieces for his grandson.  In the end, once the boy loses the button that the coat eventually became, all that is left is a wonderful story.

Something from Nothing by Phoebe Gilman-- My favorite part of these illustrations is the mouse family.  As the humans lose fabric scraps in their home, the mice under the house gather them and use them to decorate their tiny abode.

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Tabak-- This book (which won the Caldecott Award for children's illustration) has very fun, bright pictures.  My favorite part of this one is the collection of Yiddish and Hebrew newspaper clippings worked into the background.  For the kids, though, the way that the garment changes because of cuts in the pages is probably the most endearing way that the pictures convey the story.

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.

Interrupt This Blog

It is not every book (or even the majority of them) that leads me to rant and rave.  If there is such a thing as literary love at first sight, it may describe my reaction to this wonderful picture book:  Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein.

In this story, Papa Chicken tries very hard to read a bedtime story to his little girl chicken.  However, she knows all the stories by heart and jumps into each telling just in time to prevent disaster or discomfort for the characters.  The warm interaction between father and daughter and genuine presentation of goal vs.obstacle make this book a natural for read-alouds.  I found it almost impossible NOT to do the voices.  (I am biased.  I always do character voices.  Still, this text begged for it).

I used this book in Summer Reading presentations for kindergarten through second grades, and it held the attention of the each class.  Then, I read it at home with my almost-four-year-old daughter.  She was involved for the entire telling, too.

I hope you interrupted your reading of this blog to procure and read this book.  If not, what are you waiting for?

Horn Book Hits The Nail on the Head

Sometimes, someone else encapsulates your thoughts and feelings so succinctly and accurately that you don't feel the need to reiterate.  That is the case for me after reading this fantastic article from Horn Book Magazine:
Why We're Still in Love with Picture Books (Even Though They're Supposed to Be Dead) by Allyn Johnston and Marla Frazee.

Please read and enjoy.

Color Your Child's World

Here are some of my favorite books to introduce and reinforce the concept of "color."  Learning colors is a great way for kids to build their vocabulary because they can not only name colors but also tend to name corresponding objects.  (For example: Grass is green).  Building the literacy skill of vocabulary is empowering because being able to describe one's world and one's desires eases the frustration that comes with wanting something and not knowing how to express it.

My Crayons Talk by Patricia Hubbard/ Illustrated by G, Brian Karas-- A lively girl uses her crayons and her imagination to tie colors to objects she draws.

A Piece of Chalk by Jennifer A. Ericsson/ Illustrated by Michele Shapiro-- This cute book is a wonderful spring choice as a girl draws what she sees in her yard and details the chalk colors she uses as she does. It also has a sweet ending that promotes a positive outlook when the unexpected occurs.

Butterfly, Butterfly by Petr Horacek-- This nature tale's illustrations and final pop-out surprise stick in my mind as making it a memorable addition to any color curriculum.

Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh-- This extremely simple introduction to primary and secondary colors is one of my favorites.  While the way the playful mice avoid the cat is witty, the demonstration of how pigments mix to form others is why I really like this selection.

Warthogs Paint by Pamela Duncan Edwards & Berry Cole-- To me, this is the slightly more advanced version of Mouse Paint.  The color mixing is very similar.  The messy mischief of the warthogs, though, will probably trigger some laughs from the preschool-set.

Duckie's Rainbow by Frances Barry-- If you read the last entry and thought, "Wow, my kid is not there yet," then this one may be your best bet.  It is a great introduction to colors for kids who don't know theirs yet. This book is a very simple illustration of colors and items that typically are those colors. The fun part is how the reader builds a rainbow with each page that he or she turns.

Infusing Scooby Doo with Literacy Lessons

My daughter loves Scooby Doo.  When I worked in Las Vegas, we had a "TV the Best Way" session in our cadre of early literacy storytimes.  Luckily, there are books based on the Scooby Doo characters.  Unfortunately, they are not great children's literature.  What's a mom to do?  Keep it interactive!  These are my ways of using these books:

1. Ask questions.  Often, these include, "How do you think _____ feels?"  and "What do you think will happen next?"  The skills I'm working on here are empathy and prediction (which are narrative skills, from an early literacy perspective-- see point #2)..
2. Vary voices.  For people who don't want to do full-on acting, a minor change in pitch or cadence can help distinguish characters.  Skill: narrative skills (building the child's ability to tell stories)
3. Once we've done a story over and over and over again, I will pause at select places.  Then, my daughter fills in the words.  Skill: vocabulary  (building the child's ability to know many words and names for things).
4. Point to the words.  As I go along in the narration, my finger goes with me.  It is simple and somewhat subversive, but my girl is learning that words in English go from left to right and that they tell the story.  Skill: print awareness.

I hope this post helps you if your children suddenly focus on nothing but Elmo, Spongebob, Barbie, Disney characters, Dora, etc.