Tuesday Tales - Snowmen at Night

"Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner is one of my favorite winter books!

This is what Barnes and Noble says about “Snowmen at Night”
School Library Journal
A child wonders why a snowman looks droopy the morning after it was made and decides that snowmen must be nocturnal. The bouncy, rhyming text describes the imagined rumpus in which the snowmen have races, do tricks on skates, and bump into one another like clowns. "They gather up their snowballs, the pitcher takes his aim,/and underneath the moonlit sky they play a baseball game./No one knows just how it started,/but soon it's quite a sight-/with snowmen throwing snowballs/in the world's best snowball fight!" After a night of action, the tired snowmen return to their homes. The oil-over-acrylic paintings capture the fun of the rollicking adventures and bring these round creations to life. The illustrations convincingly depict their solid bodies in action, and the moonlit snowy setting provides a sense of mystery. The imaginative description and lively art could provide an entertaining read-aloud for bedtime sharing or winter story times.-Adele Greenlee, Bethel College, St. Paul, MN Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.


Christmas is over but we are still well into winter and it’s time to carry that snow theme into the new year. “Snowmen at Night” will make a great addition to your library and the language is very rich.

1. This is a great book for predicting what might happen next, especially since the snowmen are “walking” down the street at night…”I wonder where they are going?”

2. This is my favorite book for describing action: Those snowmen really get after it sliding, climbing, skating, throwing, sledding, riding, resting, sleeping, melting, waving, slipping, smiling, drinking, pouring, racing.

3. There is also plenty of opportunity to describe each snowman by what they are wearing: green scarf, red hat, earmuffs, red mittens, carrot nose etc.

4. There is a lot of fun going on in these pages so talk about all of those feeling words:
The snowmen are joyful, gleeful, excited, eager , thrilled, keyed up, energized, delighted, overjoyed, pleased, elated, enchanted, charmed, enamored, captivated.

5. Take this opportunity to expand and talk about all of the sports that you could do in the winter. Maybe look up information from the winter Olympics and learn all of those sports.


Abundance is….building snowmen, playing in snow and laughing all the way!

Tuesday Tales..Ring, Ring..Can you hear that?

Today I am guest posting again for AVT Coach's Tuesday Tales and I am excited to present one of my favorite Christmas stories, "The Polar Express" by Chris Van Allsburg.

A magical train ride on Christmas Eve takes a boy to the North Pole to receive a special gift from Santa.

It is our tradition to read this one out loud as Christmas nears and this year we were fortunate to be able take the kids to the Grand Canyon Railway and to ride the Polar Express to the North Pole. We all wore our pajamas, enjoyed singing waiters and waitresses, and received our very own reindeer bells during a visit from Santa.

Book summary and teaching ideas come from A Teacher's Guide to The Polar Express.
One Christmas Eve many years ago, a boy lies in bed, listening hard for the bells of Santa’s sleigh, which he has been told by a friend do not exist. Later that night he hears not bells but a very different sound. He looks out of his window and is astounded to see a steam engine parked in front of his house!

The conductor invites him to board the Polar Express, a train filled with children on their way to the North Pole. The boy and his companions journey past tiny towns and forests full of wild creatures. They travel up and around mountains and across the Great Polar Ice Cap to the magical city at the North Pole.

The train takes the children to the center of the city, where Santa and the elves have gathered for the giving of the first gift of Christmas. The boy is chosen to receive this first gift. Knowing that he can choose anything in the world, he decides on a simple gift: one silver bell from Santa’s sleigh. Santa cuts a bell from a reindeer’s harness and the delighted boy slips it into his bathrobe pocket as the clock strikes midnight and the reindeer pull the sleigh into the sky.

When the children return to the train, the boy realizes the bell has fallen through a hole in his pocket. Heartbroken, he is returned to his home. In the morning, his little sister finds one small box with the boy’s name on it among the presents below the Christmas tree. Inside is the silver bell! The boy and his sister are enchanted by its beautiful sound, but their parents cannot hear it. The boy continues to believe in the spirit of Christmas and is able to hear the sweet ringing of the bell even as an adult.

Special Features of The Polar Express
The arrival of a steam engine—the Polar Express—on the boy’s quiet street is startling and wonderful enough to make readers gasp out loud. This book in particular captures the magic of childhood with sensitivity and grace. The warm and vivid color pastels create expressive characters and scenes that are very much alive. The artwork, combined with Chris Van Allsburg’s vivid prose, creates a journey that resonates on many levels for readers of all ages.

This is a book to return to year after year. The vivid visual world of The Polar Express is evoked by the text as well as by the pictures. Van Allsburg constructs a distinct sense of place, infused with magic by his skillful use of metaphor and simile. The train is “wrapped in an apron of steam,” and the children drink hot cocoa “as thick and rich as melted chocolate bars.”The lights of the North Pole appear to the boy as “the lights of an ocean liner sailing on a frozen sea.”

Summary of Teaching Ideas

One of the most striking features of The Polar Express is its vivid sensory description. Children can be encouraged to notice the way Van Allsburg uses all of the senses when describing the boy’s journey.

For example, the reindeer “pranced and paced, ringing the silver bells that hung from their harnesses. It was a magical sound, like nothing I’d ever heard.” He describes the sensation of the train rolling up and down the mountains “like a car on a roller coaster,” and the taste of rich hot cocoa. This type of description provides a wonderful model for children who are working on writing fresh and unusual description. Van Allsburg’s writing also evokes a distinct sense of place. He writes, “the train thundered through the quiet wilderness,” describing the striking contrast of the thundering train and the quiet woods.

It can be helpful to examine his descriptions of the setting (which changes as the train makes its way to the North Pole), as it can be useful in the context of both reading and writing.When we are reading, for example, we can gather information about the story by paying close attention to the setting. It helps make the world of the story real for us. Van Allsburg’s stories do not take place in a void but instead are rooted firmly in believable settings.

Guiding Questions for a Polar Express Book
Conversation
• The boy’s friend told him that Santa doesn’t exist, but the boy continues to believe. Think of a time in your own life that you have experienced this situation. How does it feel to keep firm when other people tell you you are wrong?”
• Notice how Chris Van Allsburg adds to his descriptions of the train ride to the North Pole by comparing one thing to another (give some examples). How does this kind of descriptive language add to the story for you?
• The boy can ask Santa Claus for anything in the world. Why do you think he chooses a simple bell?
• Why can the boy still hear the bell as an adult, while his sister and friends cannot?
• What do you think Chris Van Allsburg wants the bell to represent?

I love having family traditions that involve books and reading. Hope you enjoy the book as much as my kids have through the years.

Here are some highlights of our family trip on The Polar Express:

Abundance is ...using your imagination and living the story.

Thank you Storytellin' Mama for your guest post! What a wonderful way to look at this well loved story! Avtcoach

Tuesday Tales - Shhh! Santa!

There is nothing like a good book about Santa to get kids excited about Christmas. I picture Santa as a very jolly endearing man and this week's book does not disappoint. This week's Tuesday Tales is Shhh!, written by Julie Sykes and illustrated by Tim Warnes. This book was originally published under the name of "Noisy Santa" and then "Shhh! Santa".

Here is what the Barnes and Noble review says about Shhh!

Publishers Weekly
"In this slight but sweet picture book, Santa is so excited about delivering toys that he has a hard time keeping quiet on Christmas Eve. His loud "Hee hee," a giant "Ah choo!" and his nervous stumbling threaten to wake up sleeping children on his route. Luckily, he avoids disaster and makes it back to the North Pole where he can let out a big "HO, HO, HO!" Kids will giggle at Santa's clumsiness and childlike behavior, and they'll likely take a shine to Warnes's cartoony rendition of a roly-poly Saint Nick. Ages 3-7."

I have already started reading this to the children that I see. First there is the idea that Santa is being too loud and there is a host of friends to remind him "Don't wake the children!". Don't you know every child secretly hopes they will hear Santa when he comes to their house!

There is the reindeer, a cat, a snowman, and a dog who all try to keep Santa quiet. He is so excited about Christmas that he just cannot help himself.

There are a number of things that happen to him including slipping in the snow, tripping on a roller skate and sneezing out loud.

There are bags of toys and for little ones great opportunities to describe the toys that can be seen, to imagine what might be in the wrapped packages and to talk about what the child would like there to be in a package.

In addition, there is a plethora of Christmas decorations to label and compare with your own at home. There is also a little mouse on every page and he is fun to seek and find!

I hope you have an amazing season of reading with your little ones. I do have my favorites but I would love to hear from you. Include in your comments the top 3 Christmas books you read with your children. Let's see if we can create a great list for all to share. I will post the list next week!

Abundance is...imagining and the magic of Christmas!

Tuesday Tales - Night Tree

Tuesday is almost over but there is still time for bedtime reading and I have just the book! One of my favorite Christmas books is "Night Tree" by Eve Bunting. This book has old fashioned illustrations and an old fashioned family theme you will love. This is a simple story about a family who has a tradition. Each year they make popcorn strings and other ornaments and deliver into the forest to decorate their favorite woodland tree. By the light of the moon and a good flashlight the family decorates the tree and then they lay out a blanket and have treats while they sing carols, a Christmas gift for the animals of the forest. After they return home, they young boy in the family imagines the forest animals dancing around and enjoying Christmas around the tree. What better way to talk about the simple gifts of Christmas, the giving of self, of homemade gifts and the pure joy of giving.


This is a perfect opportunity to talk about the different animals of the forest. Compare and contrast this list with the animals in other categories such as zoo, farm, jungle, dessert, and ocean.


Consider how your family will provide Christmas to the creatures in your back yard!


Have a discussion about the treats you would take with you if you were going into the forest for a picnic. What would be in your thermos? What treats would you take for the animals?


I like this book because the family is doing an activity together. When our children were small two years in a row we went to a tree farm and cut down our own tree. I say only two because two of us in the family were allergic to the tree! In year two our beautiful tree fell in the living room and there was quite a mess on the off white carpet. Seemed like a wonderful, simple and natural idea at the time and it was! Cutting down the tree at the farm is still a fond memory for our girls. This may or may not work for you but I wonder what your family could come up with to make this story come alive and make a memory for your holiday season!

Abundance is...creating your own traditions.

Tuesday Tales: For Parents

Tuesday Tales today is for parents. Love...and...Logic. Amazing to hear those words together when talking about parenting young children!


For those of you with young children, have you heard of Jim Fay and Charles Fay and the "Parenting with Love and Logic" website and books? The concept is that children learn best even from an early age from making choices and living with the decisions of logical consequences. The earlier versions of the book certainly worked well years ago when my children were young and another edition certainly helped me through the teen years! This method uses gentle language, clear expressions of love and empathy and choices that benefit the child and the parent. If you find yourself at a crossroads with the tantrums of an 18 month old, the resistance of a two year old or public outbursts of a three to four year old I recommend this book. This is the method we use in coaching parents to teach their child spoken language and the principles of both methodologies complement each other. Words matter, but also the way the words are spoken also matters. The Fays even give parents tips on certain phrases that seem to do magic and help form the boundaries that are so important for developing proactive and competent children. This is my Tuesday Tales for today! Check it out!

Abundance is...going to the grocery story with a well-behaved child!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Looking forward to December and January and all of those great Christmas and Winter books!!

Tuesday Tales - A Beautiful Feast for a Big King Cat

Today I welcome my special guest Elle from Fingerprints On My Window. You will remember her from her October guest post. She is a speech pathologist, and her family owns a vineyard in rural California. I have had such fun sharing this Tuesday Tales with Elle.

The holiday season is upon us and with many feasts planned I was reminded of this book.

A Beautiful Feast for a Big King Cat, is written by John Archambault and Bill Martin JR. The beautiful illustrations are by Bruce Degen.

I love children's literature, and have many favorites about cats. This is certainly due to the influence of my Bookworm who is a cat lover. She loved cats at a very young age and now her love of cats has grown to include leopards, tigers and lions. She and the artist are both animal planet junkies.

I found this book many years ago in a scholastic book form and ordered it for my then three year old cat lover. She loved the rhythm of the language and as time went by we could explore the more complex lessons and the moral found in this book.

From Publishers Weekly
Each time the small mouse teases the cat--" Big cat, big cat, / catch me if you can! "--he is saved by his intrepid mother, who yanks the cat's tail or tweaks his nose with the fireplace tongs. The third time around, however, the cat takes a shortcut and catches his prey. The little mouse doesn't despair. Rather, he "starts to think," then tempts the cat with visions of "fried chicken bones /with catnip crust . . . / and plump juicy livers / in sweet sugar dust"; when the cat closes his eyes to contemplate the feast of which he thinks himself worthy, the mouse escapes. Archambault and Martin's rambunctious plot and lively, rhymed verse are perfectly complemented by the slapstick in Degen's detailed and faintly Victorian illustrations. The cat, both menacing and comical, lies in a yellow waistcoat on a chaise lounge reading The Feline Times --"Kitty Crisis: Litter Supply Boxed In"--while the cozy mouse house hums with domesticity. As rhythmic as Archambault and Martin's Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and as endearing as Degen's Jesse Bear books. Ages 3-8. Copyright 1994

My big language tip is to read this book over and over. You will certainly miss the magic of this book if you only read it a few times! As the child anticipates the story and memorizes the text they will join in with the rhythmic rhyming verse.

To make the most of multiple readings…

1. Leave off the last word or two of a familiar line and allow the child to finish the sentence.

2. Use pauses between the lines and before the repetitive phrase comes up as a way to invite your child to fill in the blanks.

3.You can also recite the words together in unison.

We read this story at least 100 times before my daughter could read and then again we enjoyed it as she was learning to read. A true gem. My daughter and I would laugh about the strange things the cat wanted to eat. We also enjoyed talking about the way the little mouse got out of trouble by using his imagination. Great discussions were prompted about how teasing can get you into big trouble.

I will finish this post with a quote from one of the author's Bill Martin Jr. who incidentally didn't read until he was in college and became an expert at hiding his own illiteracy.

"A blessed thing happened to me. I had a teacher who read to me." Bill Martin Jr.

Never underestimate the power of reading a book to a child. I hope you feast on books this holiday season as well as plump juicy livers in sweet sugar dust

Elle, Fingerprints On My Window

Thank you so much Elle!

Abundance is...feasting on a good book!

Tuesday Tales - The Wolf's Chicken Stew

The weather is getting colder and that makes me think about preparing soups and stews. One of my favorite books about stew is "The Wolf's Chicken Stew" by Keiko Kasza.

Publishers Weekly wrote on the Barnes & Nobel website:
"Wolf loves to eat almost more than anything else in the world. No sooner does he finish a meal, he's planning his next. He searches all day for a chicken for his stew. When he finally spies one, he hesitates and hatches a plan to fatten the bird, which will mean more stew. So he marshall's his considerable culinary skill and secretly delivers a succession of treats to the chicken's house: 100 scrumptious pancakes, doughnuts and pound cake. With each delivery he says: ``Eat well, my pretty chicken. . . . Get nice and fat for my stew!'' But a shock is in store for the wolf, and his next meal isn't quite what he'd planned. Sprightly watercolors illustrate this imaginative tale by a newcomer. Ages 4-8. (April)"

The wolf goes to the chicken's door and knocks thinking he will see a nice fat hen. Instead he is greeted by all of her chicks who smile and greet the wolf because they think he is so kind for providing them such treats. The hen is not fat because all of her chicks have been eating the sweet treats. The irony is that the chicks call him "Uncle Wolf" and he changes his mind about eating the chicken and embraces his new role as Uncle Wolf.

I love books that require some problem solving and predicting and this book is perfect for helping your child develop that skill. As children get older their academic subjects require them to use information they read from the text and their own general knowledge to infer an answer.

In this book the wolf has a primary belief that if he provides sweet treats, the chicken will get fat and then he can make more stew. Think about those books such as Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs that give us an understanding of the character of a wolf. After reading the books older children can discuss what is alike or different about these stories.

In a discussion of this book, parents can ask "thinking" questions to see how their child is able to think through a problem and how they understand another character's point of view.

• What was the wolf thinking when he made the chicken some sweet treats?
• Why did he choose pancakes and cakes?
• If you were the wolf, what treats would you make for the chicken to fatten her up?
• What did the wolf think the chicken was doing with the treats?
• What do you think the chicken was doing with the treats?
• What was the wolf expecting when he went to the door?
• Why was the chicken unafraid?
• Why were the chicks unafraid?
• What did the chicks and the chicken think about the wolf?
• How did the wolf feel when he was saw what the chicks were thinking?
• How did the wolf change his mind?

Talk with your child about a time when you thought one thing then changed your mind.

What kind of character was the wolf at the beginning of the story? (sneaky, sly, tricky, conniving.) How did the wolf change? How would you describe him after he became friends with the chicks.

Have your child retell the story in their own words. It is interesting the words they use to describe the action.

Abundance is...having the freedom to change your mind.

Tuesday Tales - Thanksgiving Is Here!

Halloween is over but there is no end to the reading fun in the next two months of holidays. There are so many great books that help enrich your child's language.
Today's selection gets everyone in the mood for Thanksgiving. "Thanksgiving Is Here!" by Diane Goode is a wonderful picture book. It actually is a picture book. There are very few words. The story is told through the illustrations and there is much to talk about as you look through this book.

Barnes & Noble website says this about the book:

"As soon as Maggie's grandma and grandpa get the turkey in the oven, bright and early on Thanksgiving morning, the guests arrive and the commotion begins: glamorous aunts, crying babies, acrobatic cousins, strange dogs, mysterious gifts, romance, friendships, "yackety-yak"ing and, of course, lots of wonderful food and fun.
You'll find a new story every time you read this joyous celebration of Thanksgiving!"

There is really a lot of activity to talk about in this book. Here are some of the conversations that I have had with my children:

1. Talk about all of the family relationships. Preschool children are just beginning to understand that their grandma is their mom or dad's parent. This is a new awakening for them. They also begin to understand mom actually has a sister or brother!! By 4 or 5 children should begin to label family members by uncle, aunt, and cousin. They should also begin to label family by their relationship to their own family.

2. If you have grandparents that live far away, keep personal photo albums around with their pictures and refer to them often. Children can learn who these people are and begin to label their relationship.

3. In this book the family has to do a lot to prepare the home for the huge Thanksgiving meal. Label the actions including food preparers, table setters, furniture movers and entertainers.

4. Compare the food prepared in the story with the food your family traditionally eats for Thanksgiving. What is a common food on your table and how is it prepared. Consider preparing one of the foods in a cooking project before Thanksgiving such as mashed potatoes or green beans, or pie.

5. For younger children talk about all of the objects needed to set the table for a meal and help them set the table for the next family meal. Do they know where to place the knife, fork and spoon?

6. Did you notice the strangely wrapped gift that was placed above the oven? What could it be? Have your children make guesses about the gift and watch for the big reveal at the end of the story.

7. There are many actions to talk about using past tense grammar markers. What did the family do after they ate? Ex: Cleared the table, washed the dishes, dried the dishes, fed the baby, slept on the couch, read the paper, comforted the baby, read a book, took a walk, chased the dog.

8. At last it was time for dessert and my, everyone is enjoying the sweets. Notice all of the action in this picture. What is your favorite Thanksgiving dessert. Play the "Going To Grandma's" game only substitute desserts.

Ex: After Thanksgiving dinner I am going to eat...pumpkin pie. Take turns going around the circle with each person giving and idea. You have to say what each person said along the way. This is great even for little ones for auditory memory.

I hope you are having fun preparing for Thanksgiving at your house!

Abundance is...sharing thankfulness with family and friends.

Tuesday Tales: Fright Night Flight

Well, it's the week of Halloween and I could not resist giving you a true Halloween themed selection. This is a light hearted take on the nighttime carousing of a number of our favorite Halloween characters. Although an older book (2002) we recently purchased it in paperback version from Scholastic Books. I do know that many parents choose to keep a more "Harvest Night " theme for their younger children. However, I feel that children 5 and above have much to gain by at least learning the vocabulary of a traditional Halloween theme. Just like you don't really have to eat broccoli to know the name of it, you don't really have to use Halloween vocabulary intimately to understand it and be able to hang with your friends as you participate in secular events. So, I have chosen this fun book for its rich language.






Here is what the School Library Journal says about Fright Night Flight by Laura Melmed.


"It's time for a witch's Fright Night Flight. "With hat and cat, away I zoom/upon my super jet-fueled broom." The first stop is a spooky castle with a creaky floor inhabited by a "lurking, smirking Vampire" who joins the party. They fly off to a number of places-the cemetery, the "House of Dread," and elsewhere-picking up other spooky characters along the way. When the frightful creatures reach their destination, they warn readers that they'll soon end up at "-your house (we know the street) and- ring- your- doorbell- TRICK OR TREAT!" The rhyming text is full of fun. The full-spread illustrations are rich with color and amusing detail, and the characters are drawn in a nonthreatening cartoon style that will not scare young children. A fine choice for Halloween storytimes.
Melinda Piehler, North Tonawanda Public Library, NY
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.



Descriptive Vocabulary
I read this book this week to one of my first grade clients. We focused on descriptive words such as lurking, smirking, howling, growling. These types of descriptors show up in all types of literature and are critical for use in creative writing assignments throughout the school years. We do not talk like this in everyday conversation so we need to consider reading books with this rich language.



Rhyming Words
Kindergarten through 2nd or 3rd graders need to understand rhyming. I read each phrase and left off the end word. The child was encouraged to think about the meaning and find an appropriate rhyming word that fit. We then generated other rhyming words with that pattern.



Synonyms:
Children with rich vocabulary understand that there is more than one way to talk about the same concept. This book offers a perfect opportunity to talk about synonyms.
Ex: Fright, Frightened, Scared, Terrified, Alarmed, Worried, Anxious, Upset, Panicky
Merry, Happy, Elated, Joyful, Glad, Blissful, Pleased
Lurk, Prowl, Loiter, Hang About, Skulk, Wait, Creep Around
Smirk, Grin, Leer, Sneer
Growl, Snarl, Rumble, Bark, Roar
Howl, Bay, Cry, Wail, Scream, Shriek, Bawl, Holler


It is kind of fun to begin to use these new words in regular conversation. It might just diffuse a tantrum to start talking about the howling and wailing!



Imagination:
I spent alot of time talking about how these characters are imaginary. I use other characters as a reference such as Mickey Mouse, Spiderman, and Sponge Bob. It is also fun to talk about how the illustrator drew very interesting characteristics. (Green skin, large nose, black cape, large teeth, hairy body, huge head). Little artists might have fun trying to draw these characters or to start with a basic body then add interesting body parts of their own.



I also like that the witch used her imagination and developed a motorized broom. We talked about the engine and the steering wheel and discussed other Vehicles that are similar.



In the end, the characters end up on the doorstep of some real little children in costumes matching the characters. Take this opportunity to talk about the costumes they have seen and maybe even get out the newspaper ads for costume sales. You can also find costume images online and talk about the different aspects of each. For example, what would a dinosaur costume have to look like, or what would a princess wear.



I have posted with the book title a link to Amazon since this book might be hard to find. If you don't find this book please consider the language concepts above and incorporate them in any of the books you read to your children.

I hope your family has a fun and safe Halloween!

Abundance is...a costume that let's you be someone else for one night and getting lots of candy!

Just for fun! One of my favorite Halloweens was an adult costume party/dance when I was in my 20's. We already had our children and cherished getting away for some adult time. Please note the bottle in the photo was the prop for the "bum" next to me!! My husband is the "Where's Waldo" character in the back. He actually wore it to the elementary school for my daughter's Halloween party! I am the "baby doll" on the front. Oh to have that body again!

Tuesday Tales Welcomes Laura for Guest Post

My friend Elle from "Fingerprints On My Window", who guest posted last week introduced me to her long time friend Laura. Many of you know her from "Storytellin' Mama". Well, she happens to be a professional in child treatment. She too has posted children's book reviews and we, with Elle became "three amigos" when it came to children's literature. She so graciously agreed to guest post this week. I welcome your comments on this post but please visit Laura at her site and leave her a comment too!

Thank You Laura!

Avtcoach

I am a family counselor and a mother of four little ones eight and under, so I understand the importance of children’s literature. My own kids are at a variety of ages and stages and they all love reading and books. Stories can also play a significant role in the emotional development of children and families as we all deal with the normal stressors and frustrations of daily life.

"Autumn is a time of nature’s beauty and outside fun, but the turn of the season also signals the holiday season approaching. School is back in full swing and there are shopping trips to be taken for back to school clothes and supplies. The upcoming celebrations are not complete without shopping trips for holiday meals and holiday gift giving. These shopping trips can be trying for both parents and children."

The book I have chosen is Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney.

It is a great read for the upcoming holiday months and provides some much needed humor and relief to get through the holiday shopping season.

This fun and whimsical book tells the story of a mother Llama who takes her young son shopping. The little llama becomes overwhelmed and bored as the shopping trip continues and he has a major temper tantrum. The mother stays calm and emotionally responds to the needs of her little llama by encouraging him to work with her as a team. They clean up the mess he has made and finish the shopping trip. The story ends with mother and son sharing an ice cream treat together.

The tale is told in short, witty rhymes that are fun to read aloud and say together. Each page is illustrated by the author herself and has colorful and emotionally expressive drawings of the shopping trip. The faces of the characters are slightly exaggerated which makes it easy for kids to identify the emotions happening in the story.

I know from personal experience that shopping with kids can be difficult and frustrating. My own children have had many meltdowns while shopping and as we read this book together we have had fun laughing at events that we all know well. It is one of my kid’s favorites books at story time and they have memorized a few parts of the story:

“It’s no fun at Shop-O-Rama Llama Llama MAD at Mama.”

“Please stop fussing, little llama. No more of this llama drama.”

Here are some learning activities that can enhance the reading of Llama Llama Mad at Mama:

“Yucky music, great big feet.
Ladies smelling way too sweet.
Look at knees and stand in line.
Llama Llama starts to whine.”

(A page out of the story where the little llama is growing impatient. Any rhyming part of the story can be used for these activities.)

Looking at Words and Letters

1. Ask your child to count the lines on the page.
2. Have your child point out the first word and the last word on the page.
3. Ask your child to find the words that start with “L” and have them practice writing the letter L, l


Playing With Sounds

1. Say, I’ll say two words clap your hand if they rhyme:
a. Feet, sweet

b. look, ladies

c. line, whine
2. Clap out the beat of the poem and say it together.
3. Ask your child which word doesn’t belong in each group of three:
a. Sweet, smelling, knees

b. look, ladies, whine

Emotional Development

1. Go through the story and have child identify emotions (happy, sad, mad) on the characters faces.
2. Have child draw a picture of a part of the story they like and tell you what will happen next.

To encourage reading development and independent reading in my children at home, I read out loud to my children, we read the story out loud together, and then I listen to them read the story back to me.

My favorite part of Llama Llama Mad at mama is hearing my kids peals of laughter at the words and pictures of this zany shopping trip. I hope you will enjoy it as well.

Happy Reading,

Storytellin’ Mama

Abundance is...a shopping trip with no meltdowns!

Note from Avtcoach:

Yesterday I posted about the site My Cup 2 Yours and her One Month to Live theme for this month. Well, Storytellin' Mama posted on this subject this Monday and you will not want to miss the insights she shares on this subject!!

Tuesday Tales Welcomes Elle for Guest Post!!

Some of you know the story of my incredible journey into blogging. How I met someone born on the same day and year that I was born. Well, I have another story of new blogger friendship. I found Elle, a woman with a blog that I love who is also a speech pathologist. We are like minded in the way we view language and I invited her to guest post this week. You will love her post! Please visit her at "Fingerprints On My Window" and leave her a comment too! Also check out her posts about her amazing family vineyard!


Too Many Pumpkins, by Linda White and Illustrated by Megan Lloyd. A great read for October. I found this book through the scholastic book orders. This book can be enjoyed by a range of children, ages five to ten.

The simple story introduces us to its main character a senior woman by the name of Rebecca Estelle. Rebecca, an avid gardener, enjoyed growing everything except pumpkins. She hated pumpkins due to previous experiences in her personal history. Rebecca had vowed never to even look at a pumpkin again and she didn't until...........one Autumn day several pumpkins fall off a passing truck in her front yard. We spend much of the next few pages watching Rebecca try to rid herself of the pumpkins. In desperation Rebecca finally avoids her front yard by closing the drapes and using the back door. In the end, the reader is pleasantly surprised to see the change in this character's attitude about something she hated for a long time.

The vocabulary used is fun and helps set the tone of the book. The book introduces young readers to the following vocabulary words: enormous, smithereens, slimy, tumbled, insisted, admiring, noticed, curious, disgust, ignore, muttered, never, glanced, shrieked, twined, plopped, struggles, grumbled, perhaps, nuisance, whirled, and snugly.

The author will describe a few events and actions on each page and then uses the word "until" as a transition. What a great invitation to ask a question or make a statement to develop inferencing skills. Some examples might be;
"Oh I wonder what will happen next?" or "Maybe she will decide to eat the pumpkins."

It is also a great time to pause in your reading. When readers use pauses 2 to 3 seconds in length within a story it can be very powerful. Some quiet moments allow for the child to ponder what is happening and what will happen next. I encourage all readers of young child to "slow down." The art in this book is a treat as well.

My favorite thing about this story is we get to witness a character who ends up changing her mind about something after a long time. Learning that there is always a chance we could change our minds about something is a great life lesson for old and young alike.

I hope you all find a great read this October and enjoy the magic of a book shared with a child.

Elle, Fingerprints On My Window

Thank you so much, Elle!!

"Abundance is...pausing to think, and the freedom to change your mind!"

(Avtcoach)

Tuesday's Tales - The Runaway Pumpkin

The Runaway Pumpkin was written by Kevin Lewis and Illustrated by S.D. Schindler.

The Publishers Weekly said this about the book:

"In Lewis's rhyming tale, it is Halloween day when an enormous pumpkin bounces downhill and through the Baxter family farm. At the sight of this "thumpety/ bumpety/ thumpin'/ bumpin'/ round and rolly/ runaway pumpkin!" the Baxters think not of personal safety but of Granny's pumpkin recipes. Schindler, in amusing but untidy compositions, gives each person an astonished expression and a thought-balloon flash of pumpkin bread, soup or pie. Crisis averted, the resourceful family carves a humongous jack-o'-lantern while Granny bakes. A solid choice for children who prefer a slapstick celebration to chills and thrills. Ages 4-7. (Sept.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information."

1. Predicting:
For predicting skills in this book focus on the page where the children are walking up the hill to see the pumpkin. Imagine what would happen if the pumpkin rolled down the hill.

2. Reasoning:

• Talk about why the family thinks of food while the pumpkin is rolling. This is a great opportunity to think about the foods your family enjoys in the fall. What food do you think about when you hear the word Halloween? Fall?
• Talk about other ways we use pumpkins. (Porch decoration, carving etc.)
• Extend discussion to other foods such as apples (caramel apple, apple pie, applesauce), corn (popcorn, tortillas, chips).
• For older children: Talk about the ingredients you might need to make one of the foods in the story.

3. Auditory Memory:
The rhyme that is included on each page is a great one to have your child join in reciting. Also help your child try to remember the sequence of the action: Where did the pumpkin roll first, second, third.

4. Activity:
Cooking is such a great language activity. Bake something made with pumpkin and let your child follow the recipe. Talk about ingredients, amounts, utensils needed (teaspoon, cups, bowls, loaf pans, spatula, cookie sheet, oven, temperature, mix, pour, add, stir, cook, bake, boil, sift), and spices needed. Let them taste the spices. Take pictures of your child adding each ingredient and performing each step of the process. Print them out and you have your own sequencing cards to talk about the process later. Great for repetition and auditory memory!

Tuesday's Tales Readers..Support Childhood Cancer With One Comment!

I want to also share with you a story about Mitchell Whitaker. A 10 yr. old young man who lost his battle with cancer September 27, 2007. He has an amazing family. His mother Tracy ran in her first marathon this June in memory of her son. She is dedicated to raising money for Team in Training and here is how you can join in.


Tracy and 40 of her friends will run in the PF Chang Rock-n-Roll Marathon in January in honor of Tracy's 40th birthday. Her friends are wanting to raise $144,000. Their team website is Mitchell's Angels. Tracy also has an amazing blog where you can read about her story. Go Mitch Go! If you visit the site please tell her Avtcoach sent you!


Now your part is easy! Tracy's friend and my blog friend JenX67 will give $1 up to $250 for each unique comment made on this post!!! That is right, all you have to do is comment on this post and you will be contributing to a worthy cause! Also visit JenX67 and thank her for her contribution! The money goes to support one of Tracy's friends Stefunkc who is participating. The money goes to the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society. Stop by Stef and Jen's sites and thank them for their efforts! Spread the blog love!


I have included Dr. Seuss's "The Foot Book" on my list for today because that was one of Mitchell's favorite books. When you read it to your child please say a prayer for Mitchell's family as they learn every day how to celebrate Mitchell's life and how to live with their loss.

As many of you know my husband has recently been diagnosed with Cancer. He has a great expectation for a cure. Children with cancer have very difficult journeys. Mitchell had a difficult battle for two years. Children with cancer and their families need our prayers and our support. Commenting on a blog is the least we can do to help with this effort!

Abundance is...our memories of a special child, a team dedicated to finding a cure, and a mother's love for her child.

Tuesday Tales: Room On a Broom

Children's books are a staple in my practice as a speech-language therapist. There are so many valuable skills a child can learn from books. In this new "Tuesday Tales" feature I will post a synopsis and provide some key language skills that might be the focus of conversation when reading this book aloud to your child.

Today's "Tuesday Tales" is Room On A Broom written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.
It is almost October and what better time to begin reading books with a theme for the upcoming events. This is a perfect non-halloween book about a nice witch and her friends.

This is what Barnes & Noble says about this book:
"The witch and her cat are happily flying through the sky on her broomstick when the wind picks up and blows away the witch's hat, then her bow, and then her wand! Luckily, three helpful animals find the missing items, and all they want in return is a ride on the broom. But is there room on the broom for so many friends? And, when disaster strikes will they be able to save the witch from the hungry dragon?

1. Make Predictions.

Before reading this book look at the front cover together and try to guess what the story might be about. Children can develop predictive skills at an early age and they are so important for literacy and reading development. After they make some guesses, acknowledge their guesses as they read the story and find out what really happened.

• What do you think the story is about?
• Where do you think the witch and cat are going?
• How many friends could sit on that broom?
• What season do you think it is? Why?
• If you were going to ride on a broom where would you want to go?

2. Practice Inferencing.

Another strategy for book reading is for the reader to view the next page without the child seeing the page, then provide information about the page for the child to guess what is happening.

• Oh! My! You won't believe it but the witch dropped something! Can you guess what she dropped? If the child does not guess, then provide inferencing clues about the object until the child guesses correctly.


• Another example from this story is to provide inferences about the animal that helped the witch. Ex: This animal walks on four legs, wears a collar, barks and eats bones. Increase or decrease the attributes based on your child's level of language.

3. Describe Character's Emotions.

Children learn through stories to empathize with another's point of view. Have a discussion about how the witch felt when the animals helped her, or how the animals felt when they helped the witch. Then relate the theme to child's own experience. Ex: I remember when you helped you sister put on her shoes. How did you feel when she said thank you? Were you "proud" of yourself? Did you have "courage"? With older children, talk about what they think about the friends "sticking up" for the witch. What does this look like in the family or at school and how do they feel about it?

4. Learn some new vocabulary.

There are so many words to talk about that are not in the text of the book but are basic to the themes of the story. Talk about these higher level words to "raise the bar" of vocabulary development, then use the words in the home environment throughout the day or week. In this story you can point out the rhyming words or have the child repeat key phrases.."is there room on the broom for a dog like me?"

braid, bow, cauldron, gust, blew, wand, beast, dragon, room (available space), crowded, disguise, camouflage, conceal, deceive, hoax, trick, swamp, disaster, frightened, scared, terrified, protect, threaten, loyal, growl, yowl, croak, shriek, wail, imaginary, make-believe, search

Abundance is...finding something that was lost and having a friend to act on your behalf.