Callie Cat, Ice Skater

Spinelli, E. (2007). Callie Cat, Ice
Skater. Morton Grove: Albert Whitman
& Company. 

Callie Cat, Ice Skater
By Eileen Spinelli 
Illustrated by Anne Kennedy
Published by Albert Whitman & Company
Morton Grove, Illinois
2007
32 pages

Callie Cat loves to ice skate. She ice skates day in and day out and none of her friends really understand. It makes her feel a "melting sweetness" that she doesn't have a name for. One day, Honeybrook Ice Rink announced an ice skating contest and Callie decides to enter. She skates day and night with her friends watching on, shouting at her to do spins over and over and to be more graceful. When the big day arrives, Callie's friends do not wish her good luck - "Win!" they say. Callie skates beautifully, but she comes in second place. Her friends think it must be awful for Callie since she lost, but Callie doesn't feel that way. She goes out and skates all by herself and she feels that wonderful melting sweetness that she now has a name for... "joy". 

This is a wonderful story with a wonderful message - it doesn't matter if you win or if you lose, do you what you love because you love it. The language in the story is beautiful and poetic but still accessible to children. The cute character illustrations are set against lovely colors and landscapes and the dialogue between Callie, her friends, and her parents, are sure to be something any child can connect to. I highly recommend this book for children, and not just children who skate or play a sport! This book teaches a great lesson in joy. 

Purchase the book here. 

Classroom activities from Show Me Readers Award activity packet, sponsored by the Missouri Association of School Librarians: 

Communication Arts: 

• Callie and her friends notice a poster about a winter contest. Design a winter poster for our school and make a poster for the event. Include prizes that would be appealing to your school. 
• Callie identifies the feeling of joy she associates with ice skating. Write about activities that bring you joy. 

Math:

• Callie loves ice skating more than chocolate cake, her red sweater, and going to the mall. Survey your classmates and see which would be their favorite. Graph your results.
• Callie skated at night during the weekdays and during the day on the weekends. Use a blank calendar to track how many days and nights she skated each month. Based on your monthly calculations, estimate how much Callie practiced for the contest in two months. 

Science: 

• Make a list of things you can do outside in the cold weather. 
• How thick does ice need to be to skate on it? 
• What is the best way to dress when you go outside in the winter? Why? 

Social Studies: 

• The story does not say where Callie lives - predict where the story might be set. 
• Does Callie live in the city or the country? Explain your answer. 
• Research some famous ice skaters. Some examples: Michelle Kwan, Nancy Kerrigan, Sasha Cohen. 

Fine Arts: 

• Draw a picture of something you enjoy doing. 
• Cut out snowflakes and decorate the classroom for the setting of this book. 

Field Trip Opportunities: 

• Go to an ice skating rink.
• Attend a local winter contest. 

Mooshka: A Quilt Story

Paschkis, J. (2012) Mooshka: a
quilt story. Atlanta: Peachtree
Publishers. 

Mooshka: A Quilt Story
Written and illustrated by Julie Paschkis
Published by Peachtree Publishers
Atlanta, Georgia
2012
32 pages

Mooshka is Karla's quilt. But Mooshka isn't any old quilt - she can talk! At bedtime, Mooshka tells Karla stories that go along with each scrap of fabric, or "schnitz", that were collected and added to the quilt from many members of Karla's family. Each schnitz holds a story that belongs to Karla's ancestors and Karla loves hearing the stories at bedtime; one day, however, after Karla's sister Hannah is born, Mooshka falls silent. Only when Karla shares Mooshka with baby Hannah does Mooshka start to speak again...

The illustrations in this book are vibrant, patterned, and elegant, resembling a quilt. On each page that tells one of the schnitz's stories, the border represents the color and pattern of that schnitz. The illustrations enhance the story and the reader's level of comprehension; they are sure to spark a child's interest with their many colors and simple yet beautifully unique patterns. 

This story wonderfully portrays how a quilt can connect past and present. Discuss family relationships with your students. What are ancestors? What do ancestors mean for your present family? Do you have anything in your house that connects your past to your present? 

Teach an art lesson that shows how fabric, quilting, and storytelling can all be woven together.

Have students make their own quilts that represent them, their families, their interests, etc. Make the quilts out of actual fabric, or just by connecting pieces of paper that the students have decorated.

This book is in the contemporary realistic fiction genre category because even though the quilt tells stories, the story itself is realistic. Children will be able to relate to the experience of growing up, having a new sibling, and/or having to share.  

Purchase the book here. 

Happy reading!

Kitten's First Full Moon

Henkes, K. (2004). Kitten's first full
moon. New York: Greenwillow
Books. 

Kitten's First Full Moon

Written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes

Published by Greenwillow Books

New York

2004

40 pages

Kitten mistakes the moon for a bowl of milk - and she wants it! She tries and tries to reach the bowl of milk but ends up tired, hungry, and wet, until she finally gets her own, real bowl of milk. 

Kevin Henkes is a wonderful author of children's literature, known for almost 50 critically acclaimed books including Lilly's Purple Plastics Purse, Chrysanthemum, and more. Kitten's First Full Moon is one of his simpler books, intended for children as young as three. The text and illustrations are bold and simple, printed entirely in black and white. The illustrations, done in gouache and colored pencil, are extremely understated, feature bold, thick, dark lines, and express the changing emotions of the kitten simply but effectively.

Caldecott Medal
ALA Notable Children's Book
Charlotte Zolotow Award
Booklist Editors' Choice
Bulletin go the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon
Kirkus Review's Editors' Choice
Publishers Weekly Best Book
School Library Journal Best Book
New York Times Best Illustrated Book
Book Sense Top Ten Pick

Purchase the book here and visit Kevin Henkes' personal website to find out more about Kitten's First Full Moon and other books. The website also includes lesson plans and teacher resource guides, author interviews, an about the author video, and more. 

This Is Not My Hat

Klassen, J. (2012). This is not my
hat. Somerville: Candlewick Press.

This Is Not My Hat
Written and illustrated by Jon Klassen
Published by Candlewick Press
Somerville, Massachusetts 
2012
40 pages

A little fish has stolen a hat from a big fish. The big fish was asleep when the little fish stole it, and he probably won't even notice it is gone when he wakes up. The little fish admits his crime and thinks he'll probably get away with it. He swims into the seaweed to hide, just in case...

Jon Klassen's little fish lets the readers in on his little secret, allowing them to swim along on his little journey with him. The story is funny, charming, highly entertaining, and one of morality. It requires a sense of humor and is sure to be a hit among kids ages four to eight. 

After the little fish escapes into the seaweed all narration disappears, allowing the illustrations to do the work. Both the text and the illustrations are simple but work together to tell the story exquisitely. The dark, black background provides the backdrop for the ocean where the gray-toned fish and seaweed swim creating a monochromatic palette that makes the simple yet essential illustrations.  

Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book

Caldecott Medal

New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year

#1 New York Times bestseller 

Purchase the book here. 

Teaching ideas and resources for literacy, math, science, design tecnology, art, and more

Jon Klassen activity kit

Llama Llama Red Pajama

Dewdney, A. (2005). Llama llama red pajama.
New York: Penguin Young Readers Group. 

Llama Llama Red Pajama

By Anna Dewdney

Published by Penguin Young Readers Group

New York, New York

2005 
40 pages

Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney is one of the stories of a little llama and his mama. In this story, the little llama worries after his mama has put him to bed and gone downstairs. His whines and whimpers turn to hollers and cries; drama ensues when Mama Llama doesn't come back. When Mama Llama finally returns, she reassures her Baby Llama, "Mama Llama's always near, even if she's not right here." Parents and children alike will appreciate this familiar situation. 

Purchase the book here.

Llama Llama Red Pajama is an adorable book about a dramatic little llama and the love he and his mama have for each other. It is an easy read and is intended to be read to children as young as two years old. The book rhymes and is perfect for teaching a rhyming lesson to young readers, particularly pre-schoolers or kindergarteners. Young children will relate to Baby Llama and his need for comfort and will connect to the theme of bedtime and the separation anxiety they might experience when that time comes. 

The language is natural and the illustrations are bold and large, making it easy for young readers to follow along and enjoy the story. It's sure to be a hit! 

Click here to go to the Llama Llama website! 

Includes book trailers, songs, games, teacher resources, and more.

The Rainbow Fish

Pfister, M. (1992). The rainbow fish.
New York: North-South Books.

The Rainbow Fish

By Marcus Pfister

Translated to English by J. Alison James

Originally published by Nord-Süd Verlag AG, 1992

Gossau Zürich, Switzerland 

English translation published by North-South Books Inc., 1992

New York, New York
32 pages 

The infamous The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister is the beautiful story of a beautiful fish named Rainbow Fish. Rainbow Fish has dazzling scales that shimmer and shine when he swims through the water. Other fish are jealous of Rainbow Fish's scales and admire him as he swim by. One day, a little blue fish asks Rainbow Fish if he can have one of Rainbow Fish's many scales - Rainbow Fish, however, is too proud to give one of his scales away. He sends the little blue fish away and from then on, none of the other fish look at Rainbow Fish as he swims by. Rainbow Fish gets lonely and wonders what good his shimmering scales are if no one is there to admire them. Eventually, Rainbow Fish meets an octopus who tells him to share his scales with the other fish - then, the octopus says, he will discover how to be happy...

Purchase the book here to find out how the story ends!

Would you share your scales if you had as many as Rainbow Fish? 

The Rainbow Fish's illustrations are absolutely beautiful. With soft colors and scales that truly shimmer and shine, children and adults alike are sure to be captivated! 

In the classroom: 

This book would be perfect to teach a lesson about sharing and what it means to be a good friend. Students will learn how true happiness does not come from being the best, the prettiest, or the most unique, but instead from being kind and friendly. 

Phonemic Awareness Activity

"A Friend Is..." Activity & More

Positive Behavior Management & Games

Why Is the Sky Blue?

Grindley, S. (1997). Why is the sky
blue? New York, N.Y: Simon &
Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Why Is the Sky Blue? 

By Sally Grindley

Illustrated by Susan Varley 

Simon & Schuster's Books for Young Readers

New York, New York 

1996
32 pages

Why Is the Sky Blue? by Sally Grindley is a wonderful children's picture book about a curious rabbit and a wise old donkey. Rabbit decides that he wants to learn everything there is to learn; Donkey agrees to teach Rabbit, as long as he sits still and listens. The first thing Donkey wants to teach Rabbit is why the sky is blue. However, Rabbit is very curious about lots of other things and runs about to make new discoveries. This process repeats itself quite a few times, every time Donkey promising to tell Rabbit why the sky is blue the next morning. One day, Donkey doesn't see Rabbit in the field. He goes off to look for the little rabbit, wondering if he might have gotten into trouble. As Donkey begins his search for Rabbit, he begins to discover things he never knew before and experience things he hasn't felt in a long time - finally he comes across Rabbit, who announces that he knows why the sky is blue... Why do you think the sky is blue? 

Beautiful, colorful illustrations

Simple vocabulary perfect for pre-schoolers, kindergarteners, and first graders

Purchase the book here.

In the classroom: 

Consider having students sort short quotes/phrases by which character said them.
Complete characterization charts for Donkey and Rabbit.
Explore punctuation like question marks and quotation marks.