Yesterday I visited with about 100 first graders. They were a lively crew and we had tons of fun.
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| photo credit Pam Lawrence |
Somewhere along in the proceedings, one alert audience member piped up with, "How old are you?" (a favorite question!) "How old do you think I am?" I asked him. Now, usually the answer to this question ranges from 20 to I-don't-know, but this boy tipped his head to one side, considering, and then guessed - I kid you not! - "80?"
So apparently I look nearly twice my actual age :)
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| I think these kids thought 80 was a wild guess too :) photo credit Pam Lawrence |
If any of you have had the pleasure of reading Henry In Love, you will recognize young Chloe as the object of Henry's affection and the recipient of the coveted blueberry muffin :)
Written & Illustrated By: Peter McCarty
Balzer & Bray, May 15, 2012, Fiction
Suitable For: ages 2-8
Themes/Topics: family, imagination, love
Opening: "Chloe loved the end of the day, when her whole family was together. She called it family fun time."
Brief Synopsis: Chloe has 10 older brothers and sisters and 10 younger brothers and sisters. She loves being in the middle. But one night Dad brings home a surprise - a new TV! - and Chloe finds that she is no longer in the middle as everyone gathers around the TV instead. Luckily it doesn't take Chloe long to get everyone back on the right track!
Links To Resources: The Five Best Toys Of All Time (so funny that it's worth it just to read :)) puts "Box" at number 2. Give your kids any of the items on this list and watch their imaginations soar as they come up with innumerable ways to play with these simple things. In this day and age of specialty toys and electronic gadgets, there is nothing better than letting your kids (or students) take a box and turn it into a rocket ship, a castle, or a fort, and themselves into astronauts, princesses, or cowboys!
Why I Like This Book: First of all, is it even possible to look at this art without feeling happy? There is such exuberance in these bunnies, each with his or her own special details! I think it's something about the ears :) But I also love the story. I love that the rest of the family initially succumbs to the lure of the new TV, but Chloe and baby Bridget have no use for it. Instead, they discover the bubble wrap in the box, and pretty soon the other kids are losing interest in the TV and coming over to Pop! Bip! Pap! Next thing you know, they've found an entertaining use for the box, putting on their own TV show. The message that family fun time can be family fun time without a TV is refreshing :) I won't give away the very last page, but it's a hoot and you should get a copy of the book and see it for yourself! :)
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
Before we all head off to read all the other PPBs, I'd like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that the Birthday Contest is just hours away!!! (I'm feeling a mite panicky, actually, because I don't yet have a sample entry prepared. I thought I had an idea, but it didn't pan out. In the midst of this hectic week, I haven't had time to work on a new one, so I'm seriously down to the wire and not hopeful for anything brilliant!)
Anyhoo, even though Saturday is not a usual posting day, please come on over tomorrow to start the Birthday Contest fun. The link list will be up so that as people's entries are ready they can put in their post specific links or, if you want to enter and don't have your own blog, you can copy and paste your entry in the comment section. That post will stay up until midnight Tuesday night (no new post Monday) so everyone can add their links and come back and read everyone else's. It will be a party :) (Just make sure you're linking on Saturday's Birthday Contest post. I don't want anyone to get confused and link on PPBF - we'll miss it!)
If you have any questions because I'm not being clear in my current fog of fatigue, please email or ask in the comments! :)
PPBF bloggers, please add your post-specific links to today's link list so we can all come visit!
Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow, and starting in on reading what I'm sure will be fantastic contest entries! Happy Weekend, Everyone!
