Eddie Gets Ready for School
Eddie has a morning routine that is anything but ordinary. His checklist for getting ready for school includes waking up (himself and everyone in the house), getting dressed (in a costume), packing a snack (a watermelon may qualify), and finding something for show and tell (the pet cat, of course). Eddie can get ready all by himself, but not the way his mom would have done! The humor in this book is visual and each page contains a list of acts that children would love to do themselves. Milgrim’s words and pictures tap into the humorous world of small children.
Pennsylvania Center for the Book Awards
Book Activities & Discussion Ideas
Read the story to the children looking closely at the illustrations and discuss how they relate to the lists on each page. Through conversations begin to establish that lists help us organize our daily routines. Provide paper, crayons, and markers so that children can draw their own “Get Ready for School Routines” and share with each other.
Encourage families to read the story and laugh together over Eddie’s attempts to incorporate his own ideas about getting ready for school in his lists. Be sure to look at the end pages for extra lists and laughs. Remember how important it is to involve a child in all family routines and give them their own responsibilities. Gather materials for families to make their own lists (paper, markers, pictures, and/or symbols). Discuss ideas for their lists which might include household chores, after-school activities, or party preparations. Be sure to emphasize how clear lettering, good spacing, and including pictures and symbols make the print more readable for children.