When It Starts To Snow

FOR THE WINTER WEEKEND share this title with your child. 

When It Starts To Snow is appropriate for preschool age children.

Summary:
When It Starts To Snow is the perfect book to cuddle up with during this cold winter weekend! Phillis Gershator and Martin Matje take the reader along as the snow starts to fall and ask "What if it starts to snow. What do you do? Where do you go?" Animals from mouse to bear, and frog to deer, answer that question by huddling up in their winter homes and getting cozy as the snow begins to blanket the ground. All except one, a child of course!

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Take A Picture Walk:
When It Starts To Snow is a wonderful book to practice taking a picture walk. Before you read, have your reader flip through the pages and tell you what they see on each page. As you go through together, ask questions like: What animals do you see, where are they, what do they seem to be doing? By engaging with the story before reading the words, your reader will have a more involved experience in the entire book sharing routine.

Do this with your child:
After you read When It Starts To Snow talk with your reader about the different ways the animals get ready for the snow and winter. Talk to them about which is their favorite and then recreate that animals winter habitat in during pretend play. Maybe they'd like to pretend to curl up in a log like raccoon, or hibernate in a cave like bear. Building their winter hide-away could be a fun and cozy group activity to share with the whole family!

If you're interested in sharing When It Starts To Snow with your child you can find it published by Square Fish, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers, here. 

Stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this winter themed title with your child! 

There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow is appropriate for children of all ages.

Summary:
There was a Cold Lady who Swallowed Some Snow is a wintry edition to the twists on the familiar There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. Lucille Colandro provides rhyming, goofy text with Jared Lee's silly illustrations to bring this wacky book to life. After swallowing snow, a pipe, a hat, and more you are in for a surprise ending!

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Sequencing:
After you read There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow you and your reader will have the perfect opportunity to practice sequencing, putting events in the order which they happened. The repetition and rhythm in the story should help prompt your child's memory when putting the events in order. If they need a reminder, let them look back into the book and see if they can find the step based on the pictures.

Do this with your child:
After you read There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow you will see that all of the things that the cold lady have swallowed have helped her create a snowman. Use the things she has swallowed in the book to make a snowman of your own. Don't live in the snow? Try using play dough or shaving cream to make your snowman! By having to recall and use items the cold lady used, your child will be deepening heir involvement with the story.

If you're interested in sharing There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow with your child you can find it from Scholastic Books here. You can like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter for more inspiration.

Have you heard about The Great Book Challenge?

Click here to donate!

The Snowy Day

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

The Snowy Day is appropriate for children age 2-8.

Summary:
In The Snowy Day, written and illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats, join in the wintery adventures of Peter as he enjoys a snow day. Peter wakes up to his neighborhood covered in snow, he suits up and heads off for a day of forging tracks, building snowmen and making snow angels. He even made the perfect snowball and kept it in his pocket. You and your child will enjoy curling up under a blanket as you explore the beautiful pictures and simple story of The Snowy Day.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Take a Picture Walk:
Before you read The Snowy Day flip through the pages with your child, paying attention to the pictures on each page. As you flip through, without using any of the text, ask your child to tell you the story based on the pictures. 

Do this with your child:
Peter does all types of things as he's playing in the snow. If it's snowing where you live have your child try some of the things that Peter did; make different tracks, build a snowman, perfect their snowball. If it isn't snowing or you live in a more moderate climate, you can still do some of the movements with your child. They might enjoy making tracks in the mud and finding a stick to add to their tracks. You can show them how to make a snow angel on the carpet or hardwood floor. 

If you're interested in sharing The Snowy Day with your child you can find it from Puffin Books here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

To learn more about Ezra Jack Keats, click here.

Poppleton in Winter

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

Poppleton in Winter is a beginning chapter book appropriate for school age children.

Summary:
In Poppleton in Winter, written by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Mark Teague, join Poppleton the pig in three winter stories. In the first story, Poppleton loves his house covered in icicles, but discover what happens when Patrick the finch accidentally knocks them all down. Then in the second, Poppleton decides to sculpt a bust of his friend and neighbor Cherry Sue. And in the third, find out why all of Poppleton's friends are too busy cooking to join him on a sleigh ride.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Inference:
As you read Poppleton in Winter ask your child to guess what they think will happen on the next page using the clues in the story. They will be making inferences based on what you have read and what the pictures tell them. 

Do this with your child:
There are 3 separate stories in Poppleton in Winter. Ask your child which was their favorite and why they chose that specific story. Then have them draw a picture to add a new winter adventure for Poppleton and his friends to take!

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

To learn more about author Cynthia Rylant, visit her website.