#125 - Lilly's Purple Purse by Kevin Henkes

Summary: Lily loves everything about school. She loves the sharp pencils, squeaky chalk and Mr. Slinger, who is the coolest teacher in the world. But when Lilly brings her purple plastic purse, three jingly quarters, and movie star sunglasses to school and can't wait until sharing time, Mr. Slinger confiscates her prized possessions. 

Outside of school she finds a note in her returned purse that reads, “Today was a difficult day. Tomorrow will be better.” Mr. Slinger is truly the best!

Suggested Activity: Guess the Emotion

One child chooses an emotion and acts out that feeling. The other children playing the game try to guess the emotion. The child who guesses correctly becomes the next actor. 

Curriculum Area: Prosocial Behavior (recognizes the feelings of others and responds appropriately)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up

#124 - The Easter Egg by Jan Brett

Summary: If Hoppi can make the best Easter egg, he will get to help the Easter Rabbit deliver the eggs on Easter morning. But it is not so easy. Discouraged, he goes into the woods to think when a blue robin’s egg tumbles out of its nest. Hoppi keeps it safe and warm until the baby bird hatches, and when the Easter Rabbit arrives, he chooses the empty blue eggshell to reward Hoppi for his kindness.

Suggested Activity: Sharing Baskets

Decorate eggs or baskets to give to a home for the elderly. Take a field trip and let the children deliver them.

Curriculum Area: Prosocial Behavior (recognizes the feelings of others and responds appropriately)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up

#123 - A Color of his Own by Leo Leoni

Summary: The chameleon is forlorn that he doesn't have a color of his own.  He is purple like the heather, yellow like a lemon, and even black and orange striped like a tiger! When another chameleon suggests they travel together, he learns that companionship is more important than what color you are. No matter where he goes with his new friend, they will always be alike.

Suggested Activity: The Feel of Color

This activity can be introduced at large group time. Begin by collecting colored construction paper. Individually hold each color up and ask the children how that particular color makes them feel. Adjectives that may be used include: hot, cold cheerful, warm, sad, tired, happy, clean, etc.

Curriculum Area: Sense of Self (recognizes own feelings and manages them appropriately)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up

#122 - Raisin and Grape by Tom Amico

Summary: A young grape is lucky enough to spend the whole day with his grandpa raisin. Grape thinks Grandpa’s wrinkles are awesome. Grandpa says you couldn’t pay him to be a grape again. Both of them agree, however, that together they make a great team.

Suggested Activity:  Purple Bubble Print

In a small plastic bowl or cup, mix one tablespoon purple liquid tempera paint with two tablespoons liquid dishwashing detergent and gently stir in a small amount of water. One child at a time can put a straw in the paint mixture and blow until bubbles rise above the rim of the bowl or cup. Remove straw and lay a piece of white paper on top of the bubbles. As the bubbles pop, they will leave prints on the paper.

Curriculum Area: Learning and Problem Solving (observes objects and events with curiosity, explores cause and effect)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up

#122 - The Red Book by Barbara Lehman

Summary: This book is about a book. A magical red book without any words. When you turn the pages you’ll experience a new kind of adventure through the power of story. The Red Book crosses oceans and continents to deliver one girl into a new world of possibility, where a friend she’s never met is waiting. And as with the best of books, at the conclusion of the story, the journey is not over.

Suggested Activity: Sugar Cube Science

 
Mix a few drops of red food coloring into water and then pour it onto a plate. Add a stack of sugar cubes and observe what happens. The colored water should move up the stack of sugar cubes and eventually make them collapse.

Curriculum Area: Learning and Problem Solving (observes objects and events with curiosity, explores cause and effect)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up

#121 - I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Allison Jackson

Summary: I know an old lady who swallowed a pie, a Thanksgiving pie, which was really too dry. And with that the feast begins! After the pie the old lady swallows a whole squash, all of the salad, and the entire turkey!

Suggested Activity: Rubber Wishbone

Bring in a wishbone from a turkey and place it in a jar. Pour some vinegar into the jar to cover the wishbone. Leave the wishbone in the bottle for 3 days. Remove it and feel it. It will feel and bend like rubber.

Curriculum Area: Learning and Problem Solving (observes objects and events with curiosity, explores cause and effect)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up

#120 - Shapes, Shapes, Shapes by Tana Hoban

Summary: Whenever you are -- inside or outside -- there are shapes to discover. And with Tana Hoban's help you will begin to see them. Look around. How many circles, squares, stars, triangles, hearts, and rectangles can you see?

Suggested Activity: Shape Feely Box

Cut many shapes out of different materials such as felt, cardboard, wallpaper, carpet, etc. Place the shapes into a feely box. The children can be encouraged to reach in and identify the shape by feeling it before removing it from the box.

Curriculum Area: Learning and Problem Solving (observes objects and events with curiosity, explores cause and effect)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up

#119 - The Little Mouse, The Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Dan and Audrey Wood

mouse

Summary: The Little Mouse will do all he can to save his strawberry from the Big, Hungry Bear, even if it means sharing it with the reader.

Suggested Activity: Color Cards

Construct color cards that start with white and gradually become cherry red. The children can sequence the cards from white to red and from red to white. Discontinued paint sample color cards could be obtained from the paint store.

Curriculum Area: Logical Thinking (arranges objects in a series)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up

#118 - Snowbear's Christmas Countdown by Theresa Smythe

Summary: The month of December is full of joyful anticipation for Snowbear—there are just so many things to do before Christmas arrives. For starters, Snowbear must put up decorations, buy gifts for his friends, make hot chocolate and cookies, and—let’s not forget—play in the snow and ride his sleigh! So count along with Snowbear as the days pass and the excitement builds to Christmas Day.


Suggested Activity: Number Chain

Cut enough strips of paper to make a number chain for the days of the month. During group time each day, add a link to represent the passage of time. Another option is to use the chain as a countdown by removing a link per day until a special day. 

Curriculum Area: Logical Thinking (uses numbers and counting)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up

#117 - To be a Drum by Evelyn Coleman

Summary: Daddy Wes helps his children hear the rhythm of the earth. And with the rhythm begins a story of the "drum," the pulse which has moved through the African people and through time and place.

Suggested Activity: Drum Beats

Arrange children in a circle and ask them to close their eyes. Have them listen for the number of of times you beat the drum. (If it is too difficult for them to count in their heads, count out loud as you beat the drum). Whoever names the correct number gets to beat the drum next.

Curriculum Area: Logical Thinking (recognizes patterns and can repeat them, uses numbers and counting)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up

#116 - I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

Summary: The bear's hat is gone, and he wants it back. Patiently and politely, he asks the animals he comes across, one by one, whether they have seen it. Each animal says no, some more elaborately than others. But just as the bear begins to despond, a deer comes by and asks a simple question that sparks the bear s memory and renews his search with a vengeance.

Suggested Activity: "Weather" or Not to Wear a Hat

Discuss the different types of hats that are worn in cold weather. Ask questions such as,"What parts of our body does a hat keep warn?" "What kinds of hats do we wear when it is warm outside?" "How does a hat help to keep us cool?"

Curriculum Area: Sense of Self (recognizes own feelings and manages them appropriately)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up

#115 - The Sun is My Favorite Star by Frank Asch

Summary: There are many stars in the galaxy. But only the sun wakes us in the morning, helps us grow, plays hide-and-seek behind the clouds, and paints pretty pictures in the evening sky.

Suggested Activity: Sunlight Power

 

Fill two glasses half-full of warm water. Stir some flour into one glass. In the other, dissolve a little yeast in the water, then add flour. Now set them both in a warm place for an hour and watch the results.

Curriculum Area: Learning and Problem Solving (observes objects and events with curiosity, explores cause and effect)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up

#114 - The Curious Garden by Peter Brown

Summary: While out exploring one day, a little boy named Liam discovers a struggling garden and decides to take care of it. As time passes, the garden spreads throughout the dark, gray city, transforming it into a lush, green world.

Suggested Activity: Fruit Dehydration

Provide plastic knives and a variety of fruit for the children to slice. Place the sliced fruit in the dehydrator and dry overnight. The next day, invite the children to discuss the differences in how the fruit looks, feels, and tastes. Introduce the concept of dehydration (taking the liquid out). Strawberries, bananas, pineapples, apples, and grapes usually have significant changes after dehydration. 

Curriculum Area: Learning and Problem Solving (observes objects and events with curiosity, explores cause and effect)

Appropriate Age Group: 5 and up

#113 - Alfie's Feet by Shirley Hughes

Summary: Splish, splash, splosh! Stamp, stamp, stamp! Alfie's brand new yellow rain boots are perfect for splashing through puddles and stamping in mud. But something about them doesn't feel quite right. Whatever could it be? He's got them on the wrong feet!

Suggested Activity: How Many Footsteps?

Have the children count how many footsteps it takes to get from a designated beginning spot (such as a chair) to the window. How many footsteps does it take to reach the door? The sink? The calender? If appropriate, record the information on a chart and compare results.

Curriculum Area: Logical Thinking (uses numbers and counting)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up

#112 - Open Wide by Laurie Keller

Summary: It's time for tooth school and Dr. Flossman is excited to meet the incoming class of 32--eight incisors, four canines, eight premolars, and twelve molars, including the four wisdom teeth. There's just so much to learn--from brushing and flossing to dentin and pulp to every student's nightmare: tooth decay!

Suggested Activity: Making Toothpaste

In individual plastic bags, have the children place 4 teaspoons of baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon water. Add a drop of food flavoring extract such as peppermint or orange. The children can mix their own toothpaste.
   

Curriculum Area: Learning and Problem Solving (observes objects and events with curiosity, explores cause and effect)

Appropriate Age Group: 5 and up

#111 - A Pair of Socks by Stuart J. Murphy

Summary: Does a polka-dotted sock match a striped sock? Young children will learn about matching, an important early math skill, as a lonely striped sock searches the house for its mate. They will may even be inspired to practice this skill in their own sock drawers!

Suggested Activity: Sock Match

 

Collect many different pairs of socks. Combine in a laundry basket. The children can find the matching pairs and fold them.

Curriculum Area: Logical Thinking (recognizes patterns and can repeat them, classifies objects)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up

#110 - Construction Zone by Tana Hoban

Summary: Crisp, clear, full-color photographs show all the fascinating machines and earthmovers found at a construction site. Even the very youngest readers will want to put on hard hats! 

Suggested Activity: Mixing Cement

Make cement using a small amount of cement and water. Mix materials together in a large plastic ice cream bucket. Allow the children to help. The children can observe and feel the wet cement and watch as it hardens. 
     
Curriculum Area: Learning and Problem Solving (observes objects and events with curiosity, explores cause and effect)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up

#109 - The Little Red Hen by Carol Ottolenghi

Summary: "The Little Red Hen" is a very old folk tale about a busy hen, and three of her not-so-busy barn companions. Through the tale, you'll learn all about making delicious bread, but you'll also discover the secret ingredient - hard work!

Suggested Activity: Breadsticks

Provide breadsticks or pictures of breadsticks of varying lengths. The children can place the breadsticks in order from shortest to longest.

Curriculum Area: Logical Thinking (compares/measure, arranges objects in a series)

Appropriate Age Group: 5 and up

#108 - The Eye Book by Dr. Suess

Summary: Our eyes see flies.Our eyes see ants. Sometimes they see pink underpants! Dr. Seuss’s hilarious ode to eyes gives little ones a whole new appreciation for all the wonderful things to be seen!
 
Suggested Activity: Eye Color

Prepare an eye color chart with the children. Colors on the chart should include blue, brown, and green. Under each category, record the names of children who have that particular eye color. Extend the activity by adding the number of children with each color.

Curriculum Area: Sense of Self (recognizes own feelings and manages them appropriately)

Appropriate Age Group: 5 and up

#107 - The Robot and the Bluebird by David Lucas

Summary: High atop a pile of rubbish sits a lonely Robot with a broken heart. Then one winter’s day, a Bluebird appears, fighting against the freezing wind. When the Robot offers her a home in the empty space where his heart used to be, neither of them can predict what astonishing things will happen. Together the new found friends set off on a memorable journey that will change them both.
 
Suggested Activity: Cube Tower

Place blue Unifix cubes on a table. Roll a die and stack the corresponding number of cubes. Continue rolling and stacking until the tower falls over.

Curriculum Area: Logical Thinking (uses one-to-one correspondence, uses numbers and counting)

Appropriate Age Group: 5 and up

#106 - The Magpies' Nest by Joanna Foster

Summary: In the springtime of the world, all the birds are wondering where to lay their eggs. Mother and Father Magpie carefully explain every step of nest-building, but one by one their impatient listeners decide they've heard enough and fly away . . . to build the amazing variety of nests we know today. This simple, deftly humorous retelling of a classic English folktale is illustrated with glorious watercolor paintings that accurately depict bird species, nests, and eggs.

Suggested Activity:  Cracked Eggs

Cut tag board egg shapes. Using scissors, cut the eggs in half making a jagged line. Record a numeral on one side of the egg and corresponding dots on the other side. The number of eggs prepared should reflect the child's developmental level.


Curriculum Area: Logical Thinking (uses numbers and counting)

Appropriate Age Group: 5 and up

#105 - Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington

Summary: Apple cider, applesauce, apple muffins, cakes, and pies! Annie is a very busy apple farmer. She bakes yummy treats with the apples she picks and saves her best apples to sell at the market. Follow Annie through her apple-filled day of picking, counting, sorting, baking, and selling, and then try making some of her simple apple recipes.  

Suggested Activity: Oxidation of an Apple

Cut and core an apple into sections. Dip half the apple into lemon juice and place it on a plate. Place the remaining sections of apple on another plate. What happens to each plate of apples? Discuss the effects of the lemon juice coating, which keeps oxygen from the apples. As a result, they do not discolor rapidly. 

Curriculum Area: Learning and Problem Solving (observes objects and events with curiosity, explores cause and effect)

Appropriate Age Group: 5 and up

#104 - If a Monkey Jumps Onto Your School Bus by Jean Cochran

Summary:  What do you do if a monkey jumps onto your school bus . . . or a hippo shows up for breakfast . . . or an elephant wants to run the bases at your ball game? Find out in this hilarious guide on what to do if the animals escape from your local zoo.

Suggested Activity:  How Far Can You Jump?

Place a short piece of masking tape on the floor. Have a child place both feet at the tape mark and jump from a standing start. Use yarn to measure the child's standing jump distance. 

Cut the length of the yarn and give it to the child. Repeat the procedure, only this time let the children have a running start. Measure this jumping distance with a different color of yarn. Ask the children to compare the yarn lengths.
 
Curriculum Area: Logical Thinking (classifies objects, compares/measures)

Appropriate Age Group: 5 and up

#103 - Sunshine on My Shoulders by John Denver

Summary:  In this heartwarming adaptation of one of John Denver’s best-loved songs, a girl and her dad bask in the warmth of nature and each other’s friendship.

Suggested Activity:  Fading Fast

 

Direct sun will bleach most construction paper in a very short time. All you have to do is lay pieces on a shelf near a window.  After a few days, have the children collect their squares. Talk about how the front of the paper looks and how the back of the paper looks.

Curriculum Area: Learning and Problem Solving (observes objects and events with curiosity, explores cause and effect)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up