There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly

Author- Simms Taback

 

Title- There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly
 

Illustrater- Simms Taback  
 
Year- 1998 
 

Publisher- First Scholastic Printing Genre- Picture Storybook
 

Reading Level- Assisted Format- Hardcover
 

Interest Level- Elementary
 

Topics- Caldecott, animals
 

Summary- An old lady's belly expends and gets bigger and bigger as she swallows different animals. It is a fun and silly book. The illustrations are just hilarious. You can see into the women's stomach as it continues to grow because of all the things she swallows.
 

Extension Activity- You could have the children draw the old lady with all the different animals in her belly.

Jumanji

Author: Chris Van Allsburg

Title: Jumanji

Illustrator: Chris Van Allsburg

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company

Year: 1981

Format: Hardcover

Genre: Picture Storybook

Reading Level: Assisted

Interest-Level: Primary, Elementary

Topics: Caldecott, Board games, siblings, animals, adventure, fantasy

Summary: Jumanji follows siblings, Judy and Peter, as they adventure to the park across from their house and find the magical adventure game of Jumanji. The board game implements real animals and jungle elements as they play the game.

Extension Activities:

-For younger children, after reading the book you could discuss with them how the drawings in the book differ from other picture books.

-Invent your own magical board game or let the kids!

My Friend Rabbit

Author: - Eric Rohmann

 

Title: - My Friend Rabbit

 

Illustrator: - Eric Rohmann

 

Publisher: - Roaring Brook Press

 

Year: - 2002

 

Format: - Hard Cover

 

Genre: - Picturebook, Fiction

 

Reading Level: - Assisted, Emergent

 

Interest Level: - Preschool, Kindergarten

 

Topics: - Animals, Planes, Friends

 

Summary: - Mouse's friend Rabbit tends to bring destruction with him where ever he goes. One day Rabbit gets their toy plane stuck in a tree really high up. Rabbit comes up with a solution that is bringing all the animals together and stacking them one on top of the other until they could reach the plane. 

 

Extension Activities: - One idea is to hand out construction paper and other basic craft supplies, and have the kids recreate the story using what they have. Another idea is to set up the room to look like the setting in the story and bring in stuffed animals of all sizes. Then you could have them make a paper airplane and have them use their imagination to put themselves into the story.

The Polar Express

Author: Chris Van Allsburg

Title: The Polar Express

Illustrator: Chris Van Allsburg

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company

Year: 1985

Format: Hardcover

Genre: Picture Storybook

Reading Level: Assisted

Interest-Level: Pre-school, Primary, Elementary

Topics: Caldecott, Christmas, The North Pole, Santa Claus, Elves, Winter, Trains

Summary: The story begins with a little boy lying in bed waiting for Christmas and debating whether or not Santa Claus is real. Moments later he is startled by a noise outside his window and looks out to see a train, The Polar Express, waiting to take him on an adventure to the North Pole.

Extension Activities:-Have the kids come to class in their pajamas that day for a “special event”. Put their chairs in rows of two to mimic the seating on a train. As they come in, hand them a ticket to board The Polar Express! After you read the story, hand our hot chocolate and have activities such as coloring their own ticket, making bell necklaces or have print offs of trains for them to create their own Polar Express.

Princess Baby

Author: - Karen Katz

Title: -Princess Baby

Illustrator: - Karen Katz

Publisher: -Schwartz & Wade Books

Year: -2008





Format: -Hardcover

Genre: -Easy To Read Book

Reading Level: -Assisted Reader

Interest Level: -Preschool


Topics: - Princess, Baby, Names


Summary:
-The little girl in the book is called every other name than the one she actually wants to be called, Princess Baby!

Extension Activities:
-Ask children what nicknames they were called when they were younger.
-What is their favorite nickname?

The Mitten

Author: -Jan Brett

Title: -The Mitten

Illustrator: -Jan Brett

Publisher: -G.P. Putman's Sons

Year: -1989





Format: -Hardcover

Genre: - Picture Storybook

Reading Level: -Assisted Reader

Interest Level: -Preschool, Elementary


Topics: -Mittens, lost, Grandma, animals,



Summary:
-When Nicki drops his mitten in the snow, he goes on without even realizing that it is missing. One by one, animals from the woods find it and crawl in it, and the story of the animals unfold.

Extension Activities:
-Have each kid pick their favorite winter clothing item and bring it in, describe why it is their favorite.

Officer Buckle and Gloria

Author: -Peggy Rathmann

Title: -Officer Buckle and Gloria

Illustrator: -Peggy Rathmann

Publisher: -Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers

Year: -1995









Format: -Hardcover

Genre: -Picture Book

Reading Level: -Assisted Reader

Interest Level: -Elementary


Topics: -Caldecott, dog, safety, Officer Buckle, Gloria


Summary:
-The story is about an under appreciated police officer who goes around telling people safety tips. He gives presentations and people ignore him and accidents still always occur. However, Officer Buckle gets a police dog named Gloria. When Officer Buckle gave the presentation at the school, Gloria came along and made a scene (without Officer Buckle knowing) while he was giving his presentation. When Officer Buckle realizes that everyone is really just watching Gloria, he stops giving the presentations. The school gets into a million accidents, and Gloria and Officer Buckle learn that you should always stick with your buddy.

Extension Activities:
-Do you have an animal that is your buddy? Use colored pencils and paper to draw your pet. If you do not have a pet, draw one that you would love to have.

My Friend Rabbit

Author: -Eric Rohmann

Title: -My Friend Rabbit

Illustrator: -Eric Rohmann

Publisher: -Roaring Brook Press

Year: -2002





Format: -Hardcover

Genre: - Picture Storybooks

Reading Level: - Assisted Reader

Interest Level: - Preschool, Primary, Elementary School

Topics: -Caldecott, friends, rabbit, trouble


Summary:
- The story is about a rabbit who tries and helps out his friends, but every time he does, trouble follows.

Extension Activities:
-Brainstorm and write down different ways that Rabbit could have helped the mouse get the plane out of the tree.

1+1 Take Away Two!

Author: - Michael Berenstain

Title: - 1+1 Take Away Two!

Illustrator: - Doug Cushman

Publisher: - Western Publishing Company, Inc.

Year: - 1991


Format: - Hardcover

Genre: - Counting Book

Reading Level: - Beginner

Interest Level: - Preschool

Topics: - Math, Counting, Addition, Subtraction


Summary: - Jungle animals come and go, accompanied by addition and subtraction sentences describing the changes.

Extension Activities:

--Act out the addition and subtraction with children in the classroom. This could be done with puppets, stuffed animals, or even having the students dress up.

--Students could draw animal pictures to describe new math sentences that they are given. Inversely, students could be given pictures representing math problems and be required to write the coresponding mathematical equation.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Author: -Judith Viorst

Title: -Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Illustrator: -Ray Cruz

Publisher: -McClelland & Stewart, Ltd.

Year: -1972

Format: -Picture Book

Genre: -Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Reading Level: -Independent reader

Interest Level: -Elementary

Topics: -Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Days


Summary: - From the moment Alexander wakes up with gum in his hair, to when Alexander goes to sleep with his Mickey Mouse night light burnt out his day is nothing but bad mishaps.

Extension Activities: -Everyone sit in a circle and talk about your worst day ever, and see if the person next to you can top it. This teaches us that absolutely everyone has bad days.

Draw a picture of how you feel when you're having a bad day.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Author: Eric Carle

Title: The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Illustrator: Eric Carle

Publisher: Philomel Books

Year: 1969 and 1987 (board book 1994)

Format: Board book

Genre: Picture Book

Reading Level: Assisted

Interest-Level: Pre-school

Topics: Insects, food, caterpillar life cycle, butterfly

Summary: A caterpillar hatches from its egg and begins a journey of eating and growing. After he eats through various fruits, junk food, and a “nice green leaf” he builds a cocoon around himself. And in this cocoon he sleeps and sleeps and eventually comes out as a beautiful butterfly.

Extension Activities:

-Create caterpillars with pom-poms and pipe cleaners.

-Print off pictures of the food the caterpillar eats in the story. Have the children color and cut the pictures out. Then as you read the story, the children string the phone on a piece of yarn as they hear what the caterpillar has eaten through.

Little Black Puppy

Author: Charlotte Zolotow
Title: Little Black Puppy
Illustrator: Lilian Obligado
Publisher: Western Publishing Company
Year: 1960


Format: Paperback
Genre: Picture Book
Reading Level: Assisted
Interest Level: Preschool, Primary, Elementary


Topics: Boy, Dog




Summary: 
When I was a child this was likely my favorite book.  The story is very simple.  I suspect it was the relationship between the boy and his dog that I longed for.  Instead I got a free hamster from an 'accidental' litter.  It bit me.

Extension Activities:
- "Dammit, it's gone again"  After reading the book each student tells a story about when they lost the cat, dog, hamster.  Then they show the scars from the punishment.
- "Pee in the Corner"  After reading the book, the boy pretends he is dog.  Possible results include chewed shoes, that "wet-fur-smell", and pee in the corner.