Books

What kind of work might animals do?
Find out in this frolicking rhyming book who would be a bus driver, who would be a trash collector, and who would put out fires.

How might Animals celebrate Halloween?
Follow Owlet and friends in this jolly rhyme where they carve pumpkins that look like them, decorate their trees with cobwebs and streamers, and scatter skeleton bones about. Then wearing unique costumes they collect yummy treats, like chocolate ants and honey gummy bears and enjoy the holiday as much as we do.

REVIEWS

“All the Halloween boxes are ticked for the littlest listener . . . carving pumpkins, decorating, donning costumes, and trick-or-treating. Costumes include the traditional . . . as well as some creative twists. Treats match the givers. The shared book at the close is an ideal way to end a busy day.” ~Kirkus

“This endearing read-aloud will make young children giggle and will warm their hearts. Throughout the story, Paul invites children to imagine what animals would do if they celebrated Halloween like humans. . . . A wonderful choice for an autumn story hour at the library or at home that will have young children laughing, learning, and saying, “Again!” ~School Library Journal

“On Halloween, Owlet finds that every animal celebrates the scariest time of the year differently. Each animal’s traditions feel unique to its species. Refreshingly, Halloween regulars (such as bats) mingle with animals not often featured (such as an armadillo). Lines of text sometimes curve (like a smiling jack-o’-lantern) or sway (like an eerie breeze). Walker’s brightly colored critters contrast nicely with the dark and starry night.” ~Horn Book Magazine

Activities
Do you have a pet? How might your cat, dog, bird or bunny dress up for Halloween. What would their pumpkins look like? What would be their favorite treat? On Halloween, make sure your pet gets that treat.

If animals tried to be kind,
Porcupine would knit Giraffe a long scarf, Squirrel would help Dog dig-diggity-dig for a bone.
All across the animal kingdom, every creature would be kind in their own special way.

Activities
Describe a kindness someone did to you? Share how it made you feel.

What kind things can you do for the important people in your life.

If animals gave thanks, Frog would cro-oak-cro-oak for her lily-pad boat, Squirrel would squeeeak for her fluff-puff tail and across the animal kingdom, every creature would be grateful for food, family and friends.

REVIEWS

“As summer turns to fall, adorable forest animals count their blessings in Paul and Walker’s newest addition to the If Animals… series. Paul’s rhyming verses here emphasize some of the sounds forest animals make, and no doubt young listeners and their enthusiastic adults will enjoy voicing them.” ~Kirkus

Activities
Click here to make your own list of what you’re thankful for.

Check out this video with Ann and David talking about how this book and the series came into being and hear Ann read the If Animals Gave Thanks.

If animals celebrated
Christmas . . .
How would they do it?
Tortoise would hiss
a holiday wish,
Crane would croon
joyful carols,
and Mama and Papa Buffalo
would kiss beneath
the mistletoe.
Across the animal kingdom,
every creature would
deck the halls for this
magical season.

REVIEWS

“A sweet, cozy book to share with young children as Christmas approaches.” ~Starred Review Kirkus, September 2018

“cozy . . . satisfying” ~Publisher’s Weekly, September 2018

If animals said “I love you”
like we do . . .
how would they say it.
Ostrich would boom it with wings
spread wide.
Impala would speak with a leapity-leap.
Gorilla would add a loud chest, slap-slap.
And across the animal kingdom,
every creature would show love in
a unique way.

REVIEWS

“Full of loving and silly family relationships. ~School Library Journal

“Bouncy and fun to read aloud . . . Adult and child pairs will find ways to mimic the animal’s ways of expressing their love.” ~Kirkus Review

Where would a sentence be without words? And what’s a word without letters?

Just like when you’re constructing a building, you build your words from the ground up.

REVIEWS

“A great way to attract reluctant boys to writing, but so visually stirring it has broad appeal.” ~School Library Journal—October, 2011

World builder will provide teachers with a great introduction to writing, especially for children just beginning to put words and sentences together.” ~School Library Journal—January 2009

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

Download Teacher’s Guide

Tortuga’s friends are worried his basket will fall off his shell before he reaches his grandmother’s house and that Coyote will eat him . . . or are they? Maybe they’re just interested in the food in his basket. Little Red Riding Hood is updated to a desert setting with a glossary of Spanish words.

REVIEWS

“A lively text sprinkled with Spanish words . . .and desert-colored artwork full of funny moments make this a winner.” ~Booklist

“This effervescent tale with its big bold pictures is sure to see lots of storytime action” ~The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“This fresh look on an old classic is sure to be a hit with children.” ~School Library Journal

If animals kissed
like we kiss goodnight
Giraffe and his calf
would stretch their necks high
and kiss just beneath
the top of the sky.
But what about Mama Python and hatchling,
and Seal and his calf?
What about sloth and her cub?
What about sloth and her cub?

AWARDS

A Junior Library Guild Selection

REVIEWS

“Perfect for capturing the attention of the littlest listeners. The imaginative possibilities alone make this one stand out.” ~Kirkus Reviews

“There are probably not enough synonyms for “cute” to cover this survey of hypothetical smooches between animal parents and offspring. . . .The book exudes the affectionate silliness of a beloved bedtime ritual.” ~Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

Download Teacher guide.

REVIEWS

“This gently amusing story (is) just right for beginning readers, but younger children will enjoy hearing it read aloud.” ~Booklist

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

teacher- Snail’s Good Night – activities

Step into Reading, Level 1

Big Rabbit hops big hops.
Little Rabbit hops little hops.
How can Little Rabbit keep up?

REVIEWS

“Fledgling readers will be encouraged as Little Rabbit makes his own way around the last object. The positive message about believing in one’s self and succeeding on one’s own terms will be appreciated. Overall, a solid addition.” ~School Library Journal

Iguana is planning a party. Tortuga the Tortoise, Conejo the Rabbit and Culebra the snake all want to come, but will they help? An update of The Little Red Hen with a glossary of Spanish words.

AWARDS

Selected by the Children’s Book Committee at Bank Street College of Education as one of the Best Children’s Books of the Year, 2005

Nominated for several State Reader Awards

REVIEWS

“The little red hen goes south of the border . . .for this bilingual twist on an old favorite . . . 
A hoot.” ~Publishers Weekly

“A first choice for all libraries.” ~School Library Journal

“A clever dual-language update of The Little Red Hen. An excellent chance for young readers to learn some Spanish vocabulary.” ~Kirkus Reviews

“A wonderful read aloud for everyone.” ~The Reading Teacher

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

Click here to download a fun crossword puzzle.

REVIEWS

A ready-to-read book about Sadie and Samuel who never get things right, but in the end still know what’s important.

“A giggly salute to the absurd . . .an all-around great addition to any new reader’s library,” ~Kirkus Reviews

“New Readers will enjoy the messy affection and the innocent slapstick nonsense.” ~Booklist

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

1. Students love to share silly things they have done. Have them write about it.
2. These ready-to-read stories make fun plays for students to act out. The narrative sections are the stage directions to each actor, telling her or him what to do. The tags, like “Samuel said” and “Sadie said” tell each actor when to read. Break your classroom into six groups and have each one act out a different story in the book.
3. Talk about how some things look silly to outsiders, but seem perfectly logical to the person doing them. Has this ever happened to your students?

“Compelling verse celebrating the bravery of 14 American Girls prove that every girl is capable of making a difference.”

REVIEWS

“An intriguing hybrid of history, poetry and art.” ~Publishers Weekly

“A commemorative book that honors both quiet and noisy acts of heroism.” ~Kirkus Reviews

“A handsome book.” 
~Booklist

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

Have students write about something they have done that was helpful, brave, or unique.

Research other people who as children acted in a way that made a difference.

With a joyful rhyme, follow a girl through her day from a foot’s-eye view.

AWARDS

National Parenting Center’s “Seal of Approval”

REVIEWS

“Exuberant verse, delightful watercolor illustrations.” ~The New York Times

“Sheer fun, pure and simple.” ~School Library Journal

“Cheerful and bouncy poem narrates the activities of a spunky heroine.” ~Publishers Weekly

“A jolly rhyming text . . . in perfect accord with readers’ interests and perspectives.” ~Kirkus Reviews

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

1. Make a silly shoe out of clay. Have students step barefoot into flat, wet clay. Cut around that shape. Students can stick scraps to build up the area around the toes and heel into a shoe, and stick bent pipe cleaners into the wet clay for straps. Cover clay with paint and glue. Then decorate with buttons, feathers, confetti, etc. Let dry.
2. Trace student’s feet onto paper—have them cut around them and then color them. Hang them as decorations on your bulletin board.
3. Bring to class lots different shoes—or your students could each bring one shoe from home (jogging shoes, high heel shoes, dancing shoes, hiking boots, skiing boots, etc.) and talk about where each might be worn.
4. While reading, have your students act out the book—stomp and jump and skip and spin, etc.

This unique book uses quilt patterns to explain the seasonal flow of life in our country during the 19th Century.

AWARDS

Winner 1996 Carl Sandburg Literary Arts Award for Children’s Literature

1996 NAPPA Award

One of the New York Times Best Illustrated Books for 1996

Notable Social Studies Trade Book of 1996

REVIEWS

“So beautiful and so filled with real archetypal patterns that it could easily make quilt lovers, if not quilt makers, of us all.” ~The New York Times

“A commanding vision of American history.” ~Publishers Weekly—Starred Review

“Innovative and unexpectedly poignant nonfiction.” ~The Los Angeles Times

“An attractive combination of craft and history.” ~Booklist

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

1. Talk about how our lives are different and/or similar to the lives of pioneer people.
2. Try to duplicate some of the activities from pioneer days. For example, make butter out of cream, or create Christmas decorations out of cookies and strands of popcorn and cranberries. Make a fan to keep cool on summer days, or a kite to fly on windy days, or a Yankee puzzle to play with on rainy or snowy days.
3. What are the different shapes in each pattern in the book? How many of each shape is in each pattern?
4. Create your own 9-patch pattern. Download the form for use in your classroom.

MY SEASONS SEWN QUILT

This delightful, informative alphabet book uses the names of early American patchwork patterns to describe life in this country during the first one hundred years
after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

AWARDS

A 1991 Notable Social Studies Book

The New York Times Notable Book of 1991

REVIEWS

“Like a quilt that grows old gracefully,
this book promises to become well-thumbed over the years.” ~The New York Times

“The cleverest history book of the year.” ~Smithsonian

“A novel way to introduce patchwork’s economic, social and artistic role while relating it to history.” ~Kirkus Reviews

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

1. Talk about how our lives are different and/or similar to the lives of pioneer people.
2. Try to duplicate some of the activities from pioneer days. For example, make butter out of cream, or create Christmas decorations out of cookies and strands of popcorn and cranberries. Make a fan to keep cool on summer days, or a kite to fly on windy days, or a Yankee puzzle to play with on rainy or snowy days.
3. What are the different shapes in each pattern in the book? How many of each shape is in each pattern?
4. Create your own 9-patch pattern. Download the form for use in your classroom.

MY EIGHT HANDS ROUND QUILT