Down by the Cool of the Pool

Down by the Cool of the Pool 

by Tony Mitton , Guy Parker-Rees (Illustrator) 

Scholastic, 2002

Summary: A frog, duck, pig, and friends dance themselves silly until they crash and splash into the cool pool. 

Lesson:   Based on its name, I was expecting a rhyming book,  but it was more than that.  It is filled with action verbs and onomatopoeias.  With K-2,  we made a dance of the action verbs and livened up the story.  With older kids, I would have talked more about onomatopoeia.

Level: K-2nd

Truckery Rhymes

Truckery Rhymes

by Jon Scieszka

David Gordon (Illustrator) , David Shannon (Illustrator) , Loren Long (Illustrator)

Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 2009

Summary:  Mother Goose meets Mater the Tow-Truck!  All of your favorite nursery rhymes have been taken down to the Trucktown body shop and given a major overhaul.  Be sure to wear your tool belt and hard hat while reading.  The illustrations by Gordon, Shannon, and Long add to the hilarity of this book. 

Lesson:  Previously, the Kindergartners had completed a unit on nursery rhymes.  It was wonderful to watch the students make the connections between that unit and this book, watching the light turn on above their heads with each one.  It was a great post-assessment tool.  Many of the teachers bought this book from the book fair after I showed them this. 

Level:  PreK-2nd

Hello Ocean

Hello Ocean
by Pam Munoz Ryan , Mark Astrella (Illustrator)
Charlesbridge Publishing, 2001

Summary: As a girl visits an ocean beach, she experiences it with all five of her senses. 

Lesson:  A teacher was looking for a book using imagery (sensory language) to show as a model for his writing unit on adding details.  I suggested this book.  Would also be a good book to pair with a lesson about oceans and beaches, especially for children who have never visited the ocean. 

 

Level:  K-3rd

OFF THE SHELF--The Night Before Kindergarten

The Night Before Kindergarten (Reading Railroad Books Series) 

by Natasha Wing , Julie Durrel (Illustrator) 

 Penguin, 2001

I bought this book when my son was about to enter kindergarten.  Since then, I have suggested it to every parent I know has a kid about to start school.  The poem shows kids getting their clothes and backpacks ready for the first day of school.  The first morning, they find the classroom to be fun and engaging while the parents wait anxiously in the hall.  A great way to help kids move smoothly into their first day of school, by calming their fears. 

Level:  K-1

Skin Like Milk, Hair of Silk

Skin Like Milk, Hair of Silk: What Are Similes and Metaphors? 

by Brian P. Cleary , Brian Gable (Illustrator) 

Lerner Publishing, 2009

Summary:  A rhyming book that uses humor to show the difference between similes and metaphors.  Full of examples, the pictures help the reader to imagine comparison made by the figurative language. 

Lesson:  The 5th graders were doing a creative writing assignment in class.  After using this book to understand the writing technique, I grouped students with poetry books and asked them to find more examples. 

Level:  2nd-6th

Twosomes

Twosomes: Love Poems from the Animal Kingdom 

by Marilyn Singer , Lee Wildish (Illustrator) 

 Random House Children, 2010

Summary:  Each page is a couplet devoted to an animal.  Cute pictures go with each poem.

Lesson:  The first graders were doing research projects on animals.  I showed them this book, which they immediately identified as a rhyming book.  I had them write a couplet about their animal, which they put in their research folder.

Level:  2nd-4th

If I Ran the Circus

If I Ran the Circus

by Dr. Seuss

Random House Childrens, 1956

Summary:  A young boy elaborates on the wonders and exotic animals he would have in his circus.  A rhyming book.

Lesson:  On Dr. Seuss's birthday, the school held a character parade, so many of the children were dressed up and in a carnival spirit.  I read this during their storytime, and gave each a Dr. Seuss reading sticker.

Level: 1st-4th

Look at the Size of That Long-Legged Ploot!

Look at the Size of That Long-Legged Ploot! 
by Scott E. Sutton
Action Publishing, 2010

Summary:  When a Beebee accidentally breaks something and blames someone else, Jeeter and his friends set out to find the culprit.  A rhyming picture book that is also a chapter book.  Part of the Family of Rhee series. 

Lesson:  I only read the first 3 chapters to the students and then asked them to predict how the story would unfold.  Students had to provide prove from the text for their predictions.  Once it was established the Beebee had lied and blamed someone else, we discussed the consequences and morality of his actions. Then Scott E Sutton visited the campus.  He talked about drawing.  The he talked about narrative story building.  Afterwards, the kindergartners wrote their own stories and hosted their author visit, when the parents came to see them. 

Level: 1st-3rd

Pirate Pete's Talk Like a Pirate

Pirate Pete's Talk Like a Pirate

by Kim Kennedy , Doug Kennedy (Illustrator) 

Harry N. Abrams, 2007

Summary:  Pirate Pete is trying to outfit his pirate ship with a scalawag pirate crew.  Although each has their own unique talents with rope and cannon, if they can't talk like a pirate, then it's "Walk the plank!" for them. 

Lesson:  As a reward, the students were given a "Pirate Day" at school, when they could dress and talk like a pirate.  I read this book to enrich the experience for them, and had all the library's pirate books pulled out on display so they could check them out. 

Level: PreK- 3rd

Llama Llama Red Pajama

Llama, Llama Red Pajama
by Anna Dewdney

Penguin, 2005

Summary:  Llama llama can't go to sleep because he misses his mama.  A rhyming, picture book. 

Lesson:  I read this at the beginning of the year to the younger grades.  We talked about how mama was still there, even if we couldn't see her, trying to make the transition from home to school easier. 

Level:  PreK - 1st