Picture Book: The Best Pet Ever by Victoria Roberts

Summary of The Best Pet Ever:  

This little girl REALLY wants a pet!  As a she walks by the pet store window with her mother, she fervently questions:

Mom, can I have a pet?

Please?

Mom. Mom, can I?

Can I have a pet?

Her mom replies, “We’ll see.”  The spunky protagonist gets creative!  First, she sees a rock, a smooth rock.  She ties a string on the rock and calls it Fluffy.   The girl walks it and trains it, but then there is an unfortunate accident.  Once again, she pleads with her mother for a pet, receiving the same response as before.   After getting creative with a soft, wooly glove and shiny candy wrapper, she latches on to a round balloon named Bruce.  Petting, hugging, and playing with it fills her with joy.  She declares that Bruce is the best pet ever—until it pops!   Not to worry, there is a cardboard box waiting for her…

Evaluation:

Deborah Allwright’s animated and bright pictures are engaging.  They reveal the level of commitment the protagonist has for a pet and her enormous imaginative spirit.  Victoria Roberts’ amusing and winning text is terrific for reading out loud.  Children will enjoy reciting the reoccurring set of questions (see excerpt above). The little girl illustrates several positive character qualities.  For instance, she proves her responsibility and commitment in her own unique way as she patiently waits for her mother's decision.  The Best Pet Ever is ideal for ages 4-8. 

Teaching Opportunities: 

§  Pets.  It opens up an opportunity to discuss the care and the responsibility of pets.  Also, children can draw, write, or share about their family pets.

§  Art/Imaginative Play.  Children can create their own pets from everyday items and practice taking care of them. 

§  Parts of Speech.  Teach about descriptive words (adjectives).   Whenever a new item is fixed on in the book, the girl identifies it and then restates it with an adjective (“box, a cardboard box").  List words from the book or other common nouns.  Allow students to brainstorm describing words or match describing words from a list to each noun. 

§  Predicting Skills.  After each “day or two” phase, prompt students to predict what her next pet will be, the name of it, and/or how she might care for it.  Then, ask the students what type of pet owner they think the little girl will be and why. 

§  Sequence of Events:  Give students, individually or in small groups, a set of cards with pictures or words representing each of the creative pets from the story.   Instruct them to put the cards in order that they occurred in the story.  Encourage older students to recall facts from the story associate with each pet—name, how she cared for it, and/or what happened to it. 

§  Character.  Discuss the positive qualities of the protagonist—imaginative, caring, responsible, optimistic, and so forth. 
§  Writing.  Filling the following sentence:  “ ____ is the best pet ever because _____.”

For other wonderful Tiger Tales titles, click here. 

Picture Books: Dinosaur vs. the Potty (and Bedtime) by Bob Shea

Author Bob Shea has two memorable must-read books for preschool-aged children.   In both, the main character is a young dinosaur who aptly conveys the experience and personality of many young children (ages 2-6).  The lively illustrations use broad strokes, mixed media, and vivid colors—focusing on a plainly drawn but endearing and energetic dinosaur.   Parents (and preschool teachers) will find these selections helpful and entertaining. 

Dinosaur vs. Bedtime
Ordinary encounters are depicted with fervor and importance.  A dinosaur conquers many challenges throughout his day, such as a pile of leaves, a big slide, a bowl of spaghetti, and a tooth brushing.  In each contest, he “roars” his way to victory!  The red toothy dinosaur’s biggest challenge, though, is bedtime.  After a long day of excitement and amusement, the energetic protagonist cannot defeat bedtime—no matter how much he “roars.”  Ultimately, bedtime wins.  

This story fittingly portrays the experience of the toddler or preschooler who has many opportunities for new experiences and independence during his day.  In this case, the dinosaur confidently and successfully meets each challenge.  The character also illustrates the vivaciousness and activeness of most little children.  They desperately need their sleep, but they yearn to stretch out their days as long as possible.  The dinosaur conveys that it is all right to let sleep win!  

 Dinosaur vs. the Potty 

“Roar!  I don’t need to use the potty!”  asserts the determined, active dinosaur as the story opens.  Following a similar format as the first installment in this series, the dinosaur takes on various challenges---all related to fluids!   He makes lemonade, splashes in the sprinkler, drinks THREE juice boxes at lunch, plays in the pool, and splashes in rain puddles---yet each time he adamantly announces that he does NOT need to use the potty!   As he does his victory jig in the rain, he begins to realize that it may be another type of dance—a potty dance.  Dinosaur runs and roars all the way to the potty.  It is a close one—but fortunately, “The potty wins!” 

I love this book even more than his first one!  The story illustrates how children can get so wrapped up in the excitement of the day that they find it difficult to take time to potty.  Setting up potty training as a task to conquer, it may entice some youngsters may to follow in Dinosaur’s footsteps and to have a victory.  The amusing onomatopoeia and repetition make the story ideal for reading out loud and choral participation.  This beloved dinosaur protagonist is sure to charm your kids—and no doubt you! 

New Preschool Book Series by Stuart J. Murphy

During a recent library trip, I saw two brand new books (ages 2-6) by Stuart J. Murphy:  Percy Plays It Safe and Good Job, Ajay!   The vibrant colors and adorable characters prompted me to check them out.  Both books are part of a new preschool series whose purpose is to aid children in developing life skills that are crucial for success at home, in school, and on the playground.   The books conclude with discussion questions and a visual aid that reinforces critical life skills. 

At the website devoted to this new series, you can view more information and videos describing the characters, the books, and the objectives.    There are currently two other books in the series:  Emma’s Friendwich and Freda Plans a Picnic. 

Good Job, Ajay!  (Emotional Skills:  Building Confidence)  

Ajay loves playing ball, but he has difficulty throwing it well.   Percy and Freda come over to help him practice.  To build up his confidence, they reminisce about other tasks he initially was apprehensive to try, such as talking to a teacher and swimming in a pool.  His friends remind him of the steps he took to overcome his fears to enjoy those activities.  With the help and encouragement of his friends, Ajay continues to practice throwing the ball until he masters the skill. At the end of the book, a simple Venn diagram illustrates how children build confidence.  In addition, there are discussions questions about Ajay’s feelings, interactions, and choices.   Finally, connections are made to the listeners’ personal experiences on trying new activities and building confidence. 

Percy Plays It Safe (Health and Safety Skills:  Playground Safety) 

Percy plays at the park nearly every day.  He loves to swing, to slide, and to run while imagining he is a monster.   Unfortunately, he does not always play safely on the equipment or carefully around others.  He inconsiderately bumps into others on the monkey bars and runs through children’s creations in the sandbox.  He also crawls up the slide and goes does head first!  Percy does not think about the consequences of his actions or the rules at the park.   When he gets hurt jumping off a swing, he is finally willing to stop and to reflect on his actions.  The next day Percy does all his favorite activities, but he learns how to do them safely and considerately.  At the end of the book, do and don’t pictures are side by side for children to talk about.  In the discussion questions about Percy’s experience, it is suggested that the listeners act out how to play in prudent ways and to discuss how to play safely. 

For information on Stuart J. Murphy’s educational Math Series, check out this previous blog entry.