Friday, March 25, 2016

Chicken Big

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this fun title with your child! 

Chicken Big is appropriate for children of all ages.
Chicken Big

Summary:
On a teeny little farm, in an itty-bitty coop, a very small hen laid a big, giant egg. You and your child will delight in Keith Grave's Chicken Big, a big twist on the classic story of Chicken Little. The rest of the chickens in the coop aren't quite sure what to make of this larger than life creature who just hatched in their coop but they are certain he is not a chicken.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Take a Picture Walk:
Before you read Chicken Big, flip through the pages with your child, looking at only the pictures. Ask them what they see on the pages and if they have any predictions about what might be happening in the pictures. Then when you read the story, make note if they had any correct predictions.

Do this with your child:
Chicken Big is a twist on the classic Chicken Little. Click here for a video of the original story. After watching, compare the two stories with your child. What about them is the same, what is different? 

If you're interested in sharing Chicken Big with your child you can find it from Chronicle Books here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

For more from author Keith Graves visit his website.

Friday, March 18, 2016

Kite Flying

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this fun title with your child! 

Kite Flying is appropriate for children of all ages.

Summary:
It is a windy day, perfect for flying a kite. Join this family as they cut, paint, glue and create their own kite in Kite Flying by Grace Lin.The bright pictures and simple text will delight readers of all ages.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Making Connections:
After you read Kite Flying, talk with your child about how they can relate to the story. Have you ever flown a kite as a family? Have you watched kites being flown? If so, do you remember where or when or even what the kites looked like? Have you read any other stories that have kites in them? Your child will be using their own experiences to further engage with the story, creating a stronger understanding of the text.

Do this with your child:
The family in Kite Flying works together to create and fly their own kite. Each member of the family has a different job to do in order to make the kite as perfect as possible. You can do something similar with your own family, be it making your own kite, or a different fun project like baking cookies, or making a box car or building a fort. Let each person have a part in the process and then enjoy the end result together!

If you're interested in sharing Kite Flying with your child you can find it from Dragonfly Books here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

For more from author Grace Lin visit her blog.

Friday, March 11, 2016

Planting a Rainbow

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this fun title with your child! 

Planting a Rainbow is appropriate for children of all ages.

Summary:
Planting a Rainbow is a beautiful book that will show children the engaging process of growing a garden and recognizing the colors of the rainbow. They will delight in the bright and bold pictures and simple text as they journey through the seasons picking flower bulbs, buying seeds and seedlings and planning the garden. Then they will see the bulbs sprout and the seeds germinate, and in the end create a beautiful rainbow of flowers. They learn about different flowers by their colors and how water, soil, and sun are necessary for plants to grow.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Sequencing:
After you read Planting a Rainbow talk with your child about the order of the garden's growing. You start with buying a seed or bulb, but what happens next? Let your child look through the pages to prompt their responses. Putting the events in order will help deeper your child's engagement with the story and further their understanding of the plant life cycle. 

Do this with your child:
Planting a Rainbow provides an excellent opportunity to explore color with your child. After you read the story, go outside to see if you can find your own rainbow of colors in nature. You can also gather items from around your home: a red book, an orange orange, a yellow glove, etc. to create a rainbow of your own.


If you're interested in sharing Planting a Rainbow with your child you can find it from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Friday, March 4, 2016

A Garden for a Groundhog

March is upon us...which means, Spring will be here to greet us soon! Gear up for some sunny days, warmer weather, and new growth with our Spring themed title recommendations this month. 

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this fun title with your child! 

A Garden for a Groundhog is appropriate for children age 3-8.

Summary:
A Garden for a Groundhog is a delightful story written and illustrated by Lorna Balian. Mr. and Mrs. O'Leary live on their small farm with their cat, goat, two chickens and a lamb. A groundhog lives there too. And, of course, the groundhog loves vegetables as much as the O'Learys. The O'Learys and their animals spend the winter as their supposed to; knitting, cooking, repairing garden tools, and coming up with a plan to make sure the groundhog doesn't eat all of their vegetables in the coming spring. The groundhog spends his winter hibernating after being nice and full from eating the O'Leary's vegetables. When spring arrives the O'Learys put their plan to keep the groundhog out of their garden in motion.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Retelling:
As you read A Garden for a Groundhog ask your child questions about what is happening. This will help to engage their interest in the story, and further their connection with the book. Once you have read through the book, ask your child to take a turn retelling the story to you. They will flip through the pages and use the pictures to give clues to what they are able to recall from the story. It is okay if they stray from the original story line!

Do this with your child:
The O'Learys do their best to stay busy as they wait for the arrival of spring. Talk with you children about what happens in springtime, the snow is melting, flowers are blooming, bees and butterflies are frolicking in the sunshine. Then go outside with your child to see if they can see any signs of springtime. Record your observations and if your child is interested, draw a picture of springtime.

If you're interested in sharing A Garden for a Groundhog with your child you can find it from Star Bright Books here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.