Start your engines! This book journeys through each letter of the alphabet, highlighting familiar trucks like apple trucks, box trucks, and cargo trucks, while also introducing some less familiar trucks such as x-ray trucks, yard trucks, and zipper trucks. Vehicle lovers will have a blast identifying the letters, saying the letter sounds, and tickling their tongues with fun vocabulary like the "knuckle-boom truck." Families visiting the library should check this book out before they "hit the road."
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A Baker's Dozen: The Best Children's Books for Family Literacy
Alphabet Trucks
Tips for Using with Children
This book introduces many different kinds of trucks; some may be familiar and some may not. It might be helpful to have other nonfiction reference books close by that can help provide additional information about specific trucks in which children have a special interest. Alphabet Trucks also sets the stage for some interactive letter play. Using masking tape and a marker, children can assign letters to photos or drawings of different vehicles, or perhaps to toy vehicles so that they can create a letter parade of their own. It may also be fun to incorporate letter cutouts or magnets into block play, where children can label buildings, "dump" letters from a dump truck, and more.
Tips for Using with Families
Adults may want to preview the different kinds of trucks in this book before reading with children to prepare for some of the questions their children might ask. Some of the trucks are unique and could be new to both adults and children – which is a nice way to expand vocabulary and learning. Children may have a favorite truck that they want to look for or go back to while reading. This provides a nice opportunity for adults to ask children about the names of their favorite trucks. What letters do those trucks begin with? Sometimes we have different names for the same kind of truck, like "digger" and "excavator." When this happens, adults can point to the different beginning letters in each word and talk about the sounds each letter makes.
Bear and Bee
Our friend bear is welcoming the change in seasons as he awakens from his winter hibernation, grabs his flip-flops, and heads out to look for a springtime snack. He spots a beehive and decides that honey would be a most satisfying snack…except for the risk of running into a bee, which he has yet to encounter. He shares his fear of these terrible, monster-like insects with none other than the bee himself! Readers will chuckle as they follow the conversation that gently reminds Bear not to be so quick to judge a book by its cover.
Tips for Using with Children
Things are not always what they seem. Children love to use their senses to explore and discover the world around them. There are many different ways in which adults can help them do this. For example, adults can collect several objects from nature (a pine cone, stick, leaf, etc.) and place them one at a time into a “mystery” box or bag. Adults can ask children to reach inside the box or bag without looking and describe what they feel. Can they guess what the object might be? Another fun idea might be to brainstorm with children all that they know about bees (or any other insect, animal, or topic of interest.) After creating the list, research the topic together and compare those findings to the brainstorming list. If these activities stir up an appetite, one could wrap up with a honey tasting session – and include different foods that contain honey as an ingredient.
Tips for Using with Families
Often children (and some adults) have a fear of bees; this book opens up a conversation that can focus on the positive, helpful characteristics of bees. Adults may even want to do some research prior to reading so that they have some interesting bee facts ready to share. In this story, Bear has never seen a bee, and does not recognize that he is actually talking to one. Adults can set the stage for this story by talking with children before reading. Adults can ask children to share what they know about bees. What do they look like? Where can we find them? What do they do all day? Adults may be surprised what children already know about bees, and also what they assume. Once families have read the story together, it might be interesting to talk about what might happen the next time Bear sees Bee. Will he still be afraid?
Come Back, Moon
Fox notices one night that the moon is gone! Who stole the moon? This simple but engaging book shares the tale of Bear’s thievery of the moon, and his animal friends’ gentle plan to retrieve and return the moon to its proper place in the night sky. Newbery Medalist David Kherdian and two-time Caldecott Honor Medalist Nonny Hogrogian have created a quiet and timeless tale that is fable-like in its simplicity. With soft watercolor drawings and minimal text, Come Back, Moon is a perfect story for younger readers to enjoy.
Tips for Using with Children
This simple story is a perfect one for children to memorize and dramatize—try doing it with stick puppets or even in live action with animal masks. One child can play the role of Bear and hide the moon. The other children can be the friends who find the moon and restore it. Take turns as time allows. Children will enjoy making the masks or the puppets.
Tips for Using with Families
Families can support children's informal learning by discussing and introducing new vocabulary words while reading aloud. This story prompts using the words "nocturnal", "diurnal", and "full moon". Families can talk to children about why bear, but not the other animals, was bothered by the brightness of the full moon. All except bear are nocturnal animals who enjoy hunting and gathering by moonlight. Nocturnal animals are especially interesting, as we rarely see them. Invite families to read short passages about the animals. They will find some interesting facts; for example, when crows gather they share information about where to find food and possible mates!
Daisy Gets Lost
With only a few words, Raschka tells the story of Daisy, a dog who, while playing with her blue ball, gets distracted, chases a squirrel, and winds up getting lost. Separated, Daisy and her owner, a little girl, are worried and frightened until they call out to each other and this joyfully reunites them. Children will love describing the action of the story using the bright, soulful illustrations to guide the way. Children will also enjoy hearing A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka.
Tips for Using with Children
Since this book only has a few words, have children take turns describing the action and the feelings expressed in the illustrations. Ask probing questions to support more detailed language expressions. Children will want to tell their own stories of when they, a pet, or a family member was lost and how they felt. After reading the book, show them the picture of Daisy in the woods and the little girl looking for each other. Tell them this is like a map and ask them how the two might find each other. Provide construction paper and other materials such as pieces of yarn, tissue paper, small colored cut-out shapes, glue, and crayons. Suggest that they draw a map of people and/or pets trying to find each other.
Tips for Using with Families
Explain to families that a wordless picture book allows a child the opportunity to practice language and comprehension. They must interpret the story by looking closely at the pictures—the scenery, the action, and the expressions of feelings in the characters. Taking turns on every other page allows the children to hear and understand the adult's interpretation and also have a chance to do their own thinking. Family members can ask children questions – such as "Why do you think she feels that way?" or "Why does she look happy?" – to help them further express their thoughts. Share with families how to repeat and expand upon the child's use of language. For example, the child says, "Doggie scared," and the adult says, "Yes, the little doggie looks scared."
Flight 1-2-3
When taking a flight, what do you see? This counting concept book takes young readers on a tour of an airport and the in-flight signs that can be found around the world. There are named items to count on each page (1 airport, 2 luggage carts, 3 check-in desks, etc...). This helps preschoolers build their number sense. There are also other items and multiples of the same number to count on each double-page spread. For example, on the 5 trash cans page there are also 5 items in each trash can.
Tips for Using with Children
This is the perfect story to share with young travelers preparing for an airplane trip. In a classroom setting, it's the perfect book to help instigate a "pretend" airport visit and imagining an airplane ride to another destination. It's also a terrific counting book that introduces young people to the signs that can be found at an airport. Airport signs can be created to imitate those in the book. After "picture talking" the book, children can be invited to "act out" the trip to the airport with adult guidance.
Tips for Using with Families
This book can help demonstrate to families the importance of sign and symbol recognition in early emergent literacy. Share the book and discuss with families other known signs that children often recognize in their environment. One behavior that can help develop a child's reading ability is to identify signs and labels in their environment. Families can encourage early literacy by pointing out environmental print in the child's world. A fun activity at a parent meeting might be creating an airplane travel prop box for children to use in the classroom. The prop box could include signs, passports, luggage, paper money, and so on.
Hank Finds an Egg
Author Rebecca Dudley brings “Hank” and his “storybook forest” to life by using photos of woodsy dioramas crafted and constructed in a way that is simply magical. The choice to create this story as a wordless picture book allows the reader to observe every detail of the photos and tell the story in his or her own way. As Hank finds an egg in the forest and cares for it until he can be assured of its safety, readers discover their freedom and creativity to tell this story in their own words.
Tips for Using with Children
This book lets readers take the lead as they provide the words to accompany the pictures. The use of open-ended questions can prompt children to share personal connections they might be making. For example, adults can ask children what they would do if they found an egg like Hank did. How would they take care of the egg? Adults can allow children to touch and hold a hard-boiled egg. What words would children use to describe the egg? What would happen if the egg was not handled gently? Children could create their own drawings to tell their egg stories to others. Children may also enjoy taking plastic eggs outside and re-creating the story using props from nature.
Tips for Using with Families
In the beginning of the story, Hank tries to return the egg to the nest, but is not able to reach high enough. Often, little ones feel too small to accomplish what they would like to do. Adults can help children build independence and self-help skills by modeling problem solving. While looking at the pictures in this book, adults can "think out loud" for Hank and model this process. For example, when reading, adults can make comments such as, "I wonder what Hank could do to help get the egg back into the nest." or "I wonder what Hank can use to build his ladder."
Hero Mom
"Our moms are superheroes." With bright watercolors and concise text, this book focuses on the many jobs of mothers in the US military. These moms fly helicopters, heal wounded soldiers, and lead battalions. Whether children have military moms or not, this book reinforces the importance of mothers' work and the daily sacrifices made by soldiers. It will be a great addition to libraries near military bases as well as supplementing Mother's Day, Veteran's Day, and Career Day collections. A companion book, Hero Dad is available by the same author and illustrator.
Tips for Using with Children
There is much to inspire conversation in this book beginning with the cover - What is a hero? What does this girl's mother do? Why is she a hero? Do the children know any women or men in the military? Continue looking at and thinking about the pictures on each page. Children will have much to say about differences between super heroes and heroes—jobs that involve danger, helping people, leadership, and traveling away from families. If time allows, suggest that children draw related pictures such as their parent at work or a personal hero.
Tips for Using with Families
In Hero Mom, the mothers are soldiers often separated from their families. Discuss what the mothers in this book do to ease these situations for their children—to make them feel loved during their absences. Consider situations in which children are separated from a parent whether because of military duty, work travel, divorce, illness, etc. Brainstorm ways that families can handle these absences in supportive and loving ways.
Lifetime: The Amazing Numbers in Animal Lives
This is not your typical counting book, though its clear and interesting illustrations invite children to count to—10, 20, 40, 50, 100, even 1,000. These opportunities to count and recognize numbers are accompanied by fascinating number facts about eleven various animals depicted within the book. For example in one lifetime, the female red kangaroo will give birth to 50 joeys. Children will have fun finding all 50 of them while contemplating what it would be like to have 49 siblings! Endnotes provide further intriguing information such as the fact that a newborn joey weighs about the same as two raisins. A great book for number and animal lovers alike.
Tips for Using with Children
Encouraging children to count and talk about the items in this book will strengthen their understanding about numbers. For example, they can count their own teeth and compare them to the dolphin's 100, or their own height in inches to the giraffe's 200. Build children's number memory by asking questions such as, "Who gives birth to 1,000 babies in a lifetime?" This will make for fun and lively snack time conversations. Where developmentally appropriate, help children organize their counting on the page as the numbers of items grow larger. For instance, show them how to count the woodpecker's holes in vertical rows, to count the rattlesnake's rattles by twos, and to count the dolphin's teeth in four sets of twenty-five.
Tips for Using with Families
This book is a perfect vehicle for introducing families to the importance of incorporating "math talk" into children's daily lives, thereby making mathematics and numbers more familiar when children begin formal schooling. Activities could include: measuring and recording children's height and weight regularly, counting items while setting the table, making certain to find all eight crayons at clean-up time. These activities help children understand numbers and their usefulness. Discuss other ways families can incorporate "math talk" into their children's lives.
The Long, Long Line
Fifty animals are in a line (in order from smallest to largest) with a bird as host and guide. Children can relate to the closeness, boredom, fear, and excitement of the animals and their long wait. The anticipation builds until the final surprise when children open the flaps and see the Jumbo Coaster ride with all 50 animals on it! The illustrator's use of vibrant colors, the actions of the characters, and the grand finale are a delight.
Tips for Using with Children
In addition to the sheer fun for children hearing this book, there are so many learning opportunities, such as counting, naming and describing animals, sorting types of animals, and recognizing beginning and ending sounds in words. Point out the interactions of the animals and ask children how they are feeling. They may notice that the animals are organized in order by size and can be asked to speculate the reason for this. They will have fun predicting why they are in line.
Tips for Using with Families
Point out to families that they can sit with their children and explore this book in many ways. Depending on the child's developmental level and interests, they will like counting the animals, naming them, guessing the animal at the far right of each page, and reading and talking about the action on each page. They should follow the child's lead, and by all means, be prepared to read it again when he/she asks. Parents of children at the beginning reading stage can be encouraged to play the word game of beginning and ending sounds that the animals play.
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild
Mr. Tiger's life is very proper (walking on two legs, wearing a full set of clothing and a hat) but oh, so BORING. One day, Mr. Tiger gets the urge to go wild...and he does! He starts by walking on all fours. He enjoys that so much that he decides to take the leap into going fully WILD and bounds off into the wilderness. Life from there should be simpler for Mr. Tiger, but sadly, something is still missing. Mr. Tiger is lonely and misses his friends. Read how Mr. Tiger and his friends learn how to feel free to be themselves.
Tips for Using with Children
After reading the story, provide children with the four Mr. Tiger stick puppets and two back drops that can be printed from Peter Brown’s website at: http://www.peterbrownstudio.com/downloads/Mr_Tiger_Activity_Kit.pdf
Reread the story and invite the children to follow along by using the stick puppets and the backdrops in the appropriate sections. Send the materials home with each child and encourage them to retell the story to their families. Children will enjoy sharing the story of Mr. Tiger in their own words.
Tips for Using with Families
Suggest to parents that there are many books like Mr. Tiger Goes Wild that have interactive learning games or materials online to share with their children. Public libraries are a great place to find free access to computers. Children can learn basic computer skills while learning about authors, books, book characters, language, and other early reading skills. In addition to the stick puppets and backdrops available on the author's website, there is also a tiger mask that can be cut-out for dramatic play and a Mr. Tiger Matching Game. Examples of other authors with interactive websites for young children include Dr. Seuss, The Berenstain Bears, and Mo Willems.
Take Me Out to the Yakyu
This story is about a young boy enjoying a trip to baseball games with his two grandfathers - one in Japan and one in America. Each step on the way to the game is told from the perspective countries on facing sides of the pages, with several key Japanese words shared in both the text and illustrations. Children will take interest in the experiences that are similar and those that are different from the arrival at the ball park to the last inning of the game and the ride back home to bed. Lists of English and Japanese baseball terms are at the back of the book, along with additional information about baseball from both countries.
Tips for Using with Children
Before reading, ask children to share their experiences with baseball. Encourage children to discuss the cultural and language similarities and differences that they notice about Japanese and American culture as demonstrated on each page spread. Support children when they mention that in both cultures the children are loved and cared for. Children will have fun saying the English and Japanese baseball words. Encourage children to learn both sets of words.
Tips for Using with Families
Explain to families that when reading this book together, children can be guided in how to look for what is the same about cultural aspects of each country and what is different. They can take turns with the child in reading or talking about one of the countries on each page spread. Encourage family members to talk about their countries of origin and cultural differences and similarities in sports or other activities where appropriate. Young children typically learn languages easily so encourage your child to say and learn the featured words.
That Is Not a Good Idea
In the style of a silent movie, a hungry fox meets a mama goose, and he invites her to his home in the woods for dinner. Five goslings watching the action give warnings which become more frantic with each step closer to the fox's soup. Children will love the suspense leading up to the confrontation in the kitchen and will laugh at the ending. And again through multiple readings of the book.
Tips for Using with Children
The large print in this book makes it easy for a child who is beginning to read to follow along with the reader, and you may want to slide your finger under the words as you read. Encourage the children to read along with you when you read the goslings' cries. They will be excited to hear the book again, and they could act out the parts, taking turns being the fox and goose. Many children can then play the part of the babies. Simple props could be used - a hat for the fox, a scarf for the goose, and a little yellow yarn for the goslings. Children would enjoy, as part of a group or individually, drawing and labeling the ingredients in their fox soup.
Tips for Using with Families
Point out to families that this is a book in which children will enjoy talking about the characters, telling what they are thinking and feeling, and making predictions. Remind them to encourage the children to say the goslings' warnings along with them. They can point out the word "really" and how each time the goslings cry out, they add another "really." It would be beneficial for the reader to slide a finger under the words when reading the goslings' cries. Children will be developing their language and literacy skills as they retell this story to several different family members.
This Is Our House
Every house has a story. In this book, we hear the stories that turned this house into a home for a little girl and her family. With a simple and beautiful design similar to a family photo album, this book traces the journey of three generations throughout the seasons. From the moment the little girl's grandparents arrived at their new house, readers are invited into the home where they lived, loved, and grew as a family. Similar to the house in this story, this book is one that all generations will appreciate and enjoy together.
Tips for Using with Children
Every child's description of "home" will be unique and can be celebrated. Invite children to share drawings or photos of their family, house, or a special gathering place that is meaningful in their lives. Creating an "All About Me" poster for each child that can be shared and displayed at the child's eye level can be comforting to him or her when the child's away from home or separated from his or her family. If an adult is teaching children in a center or classroom, it might be fun to create an album or journal for the classroom community. Children could contribute to this journal and add special announcements, artwork, photos, and more. Reflecting back on this journal creates a sense of belonging for the children and is also a wonderful tool for communicating classroom happenings with families.
Tips for Using with Families
Making connections between what is read and one's personal experiences is an important literacy skill. This book uses a storytelling style similar to that of a photo album. If adults have photos available of their child's past, and also pictures of themselves when they were a child, it would be fun to look at these together and talk about what is happening in each picture. If an adult does not have many pictures from the past, he or she can share stories with their child either orally or by drawing. Family stories are memories that can be passed down from generation to generation. Some families have not lived in the same house for several generations like the family in the story, but they may have a tradition that has stayed with them over the years, no matter where they go. Sharing and talking about these traditions is a fantastic literacy and language builder, not to mention a very cozy way to spend time together!