I am sorry for taking so long to put another edition of this series up....life has been hectic here. Now I am back to help promote reading to your child, as part of my daughter's JK program the kids received a red file folder and inside was a calendar and instructions for the parents to read to their children every night and sight on the calendar then return the folder with the communication folder each day for the teacher to give the children a stamp for the day and at the end of the month they would get a reward (to be placed on the opposite page in chart form for each month. I think this is a great way to peak your child's literary interests and it can be reading on all levels of media forms (such newspaper, magazines, instruction manuals, cook books) as well as books. I love this idea, not only does it force parents to read to their child but also slow down and take some end of day time to be with your family. The only thing is how does the school reinforce the importance to those parents who don't see it as important, that question was answered today when the teacher instructed the siblings of one student to read to them and sign off on it because it was an important part of learning.
So today, I want to discuss some of the books we have been reading as part of Princess B's JK program.
Chester is a picture book with more. Inside the cover of the book is a story that is told and retold through dueling authors. The author, Melanie, starts the story out about a mouse in a house, when all of a sudden Melanie's cat, Chester, takes over the story with his red marker and send that mouse packing and then rewrites the story about himself. As Chester's antics escalate Melanie and the mouse won't have any of it. Chester becomes a powerful and confident feline with his red marker in tow, while Mealnie and mouse fight back to regain control of this book. Needless to say, Chester loses his power when he is written into the story as a pink tutu wearing cat.My Review: This was one of the funniest books I have read. The kids and I enjoyed the take-charge-cat but his antics with the red marker for the kids was "naughty" It was a picture book filled with questions as to what Chester would do next. And the end when he was written in as a pink tut wearing cat was where the giggles came out for all of us. We loved discussing the antics and what was wrong with them. Chester and his red marker take over was a hit but the wonderful story was able to introduce to my kids what was right and wrong in a situation such as this, not that we have a cat that can take over out book but maybe when faced with not wanting something instead of forcing a change maybe discussing why you don't like the situation and how you can compromise may be an option.
I found a great site with activities that we will be using the more we read Chester, go to the follow URL: http://www.bookcentre.ca/activity_chester
Cinnamon Baby by Nicola Winstanley, Illustrated by Janice Nadeau, 2011, ISBN: 978-1-55337-821-1, 32 pages, Ages 3-7, $18.95 CAD
This book is a modern version of folklore that brings to discussion of a magical remedy for stopping a baby from crying. It starts that story about a baker named Miriam, who creates delicious bread works of art that fill your nose full of wonderful scents and make you tongue come alive with each bite. As each page turns we learn that
Miriam's own favorite cinnamon bread also delights Sebastian, a musician who enters her shop, that he buys it every day for a year and then asks her to marry him. After a baby is born to the happy couple, all is blissful until their bundle of joy begins crying. And crying. Only when the two are almost at wit's end does Miriam suddenly know, looking down at her baby curled up like a little raisin, exactly what she must do.
A celebration of the bond between mother and child and an ode to the power of our senses, each delectable word and image of this beautifully told and illustrated story will be savoured.
My Review: This is a lovely tale of how the bond between mother and child begins in the womb. It is a wonderful story of how the love of a mother knows just what a child needs. It is this sixth sense, that brings this crying baby to a sudden squeal of happiness. It is as much as lovely to read as it is to look at the illustrations that are a beautiful compliment to the tale. For me this was a great tale to use as a means to end the day for my kiddies, reminding me of though the day may not always be perfect and they may not always listen but I love them not matter what.
On the Kids Can Press link to this book are some story time activities that can be used to promote the caring character education that this book holds for the children, from prop suggestions to discussion of the five senses to sound and smell recognition to the discussion on how they parent(s) make the student feel better or comforted when they are sad. Also included is a page to allow the children to draw their favourite smell.
Disclaimer: I received these books from Kids Can Press for the purpose of writing a review of the them, free of charge. There was no monetary gains made on my part. The opinions expressed here at strictly that of mine and you are free to make your own judgement.
No comments:
Post a Comment