Posts Tagged ‘pigs’

Today was our first session of Getting Ready to Read Plus. The program consists of five sessions, each class is ninety minutes. We share wonderful picture books, felt board stories, rhymes and songs. The children participate in a variety of pre-reading activities and learning games. All sessions will help children to recognize letters and to notice the sounds in words. We play with words, listen for beginning sounds, identify words that begin with the same sound and match up rhyming words. We will also talk about opposites.

Today’s theme was “Pigs” and the letter of the day was “P.” The children were able to come up with all sorts of words that begin with the /p/ sound – puffins, penguins, popcorn, pass, pen, pencil, purple, and more.

  Writing paper for kids - Pig

Pig theme interlined paper for beginning writers.

  Letter P - pictures and words

Our story today was If You Give a Pig a Pancake, written by Laura Numeroff. This is a great read aloud for four year olds. A group of children can easily sit, enjoy the story and make some predications about what will happen next. I like using it with a /p/ theme because it includes words like pancake, pig, picture, and piano. Felicia Bond’s visiting pig oozes with personality and moves from one place to another, creating mess after mess.

Harper Collins printables for If You Give a Pig a Pancake

Harper Collins colouring page for If You Give a Pig a Pancake

If You Give a Pig a Pancake at Amazon.com

If You Give A Pig A Pancake at Amazon.ca

Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride written by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Chris Van Dusen
Chapter Book Series for Kindergarten to Grade 3 published by Candlewick Press

What could be better than expertly buttered toast? Not much, especially if you are Mercy Watson. She loves hot buttered toast almost as much as she enjoys adventure.

Author, Kate DiCamillo and illustrator, Chris Van Dusen have teamed up to create a delightful series of blue ribbon pig tales. Perfect for boys and girls, aged 6 to 8, each book is generously illustrated with bold and humorous depictions of Mercy’s hilarious escapades.

Whether attempting to drive a car or capturing a thief, Mercy is one very special pig. Read aloud or independently, this series is definitely one you’ll ‘toast.’

The delightful Mercy Watson website

Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride was a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book in 2007

Ms. DiCamillo has written several notable chapter books for older readers Because of Winn-Dixie (a Newbery Honor book), The Tiger Rising (a National Book Award finalist), and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. She won The Newbery Award for The Tale of Despereaux. I can’t pick a favorite, I’ll just look forward to the next.

Mr. Van Dusen wrote and illustrated two picture books I frequently recommend; A Camping Spree With Mr. Magee and Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee.

Chris Van Dusen’s website

Mercy Watson Goes For A Ride at Amazon.com

Mercy Watson Goes For A Ride at Amazon.ca

A Camping Spree With Mr. Magee at Amazon.com

A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee at Amazon.ca

Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Bed? written by and illustrated by Barney Saltzberg
Picture book about getting ready for bed published by Candlewick Press

It is time to put toys away, brush teeth, enjoy a story and head off to bed. For Cornelius P. Mud, however, these steps toward bedtime aren’t quite what moms and dads envision. Cornelius stores his toys in the fridge, feeds chocolate chip cookies to his goldfish and selects a huge stack of piggy bedtime stories.

Big, bold illustrations help to tell a story that is perfect for circle time or bedtime. Readers who enjoy Cornelius P. Mud, are You Ready for Bed? will want to watch for the companion books: Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for School? and Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Baby?

Fun for ages 2-5, in board book and hardcover formats

Cornelius P. Mud, are You Ready for Bed? at Amazon.com

Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Bed? at Amazon.ca