1st grade read aloud

All posts in the 1st grade read aloud category

My Teacher is a Monster!, by Peter Brown

Published November 1, 2014 by Dagmar

teacher monsterPeter Brown, author of You Will Be My Friend and Children Make Terrible Pets, has written a new book that was a big success with my kindergarten students.

Running into your teacher outside school can be fun.  Or, if you think your teacher hates you, it can be “a terrible surprise.”

Ms. Kirby is always yelling at Bobby, especially when Bobby flies paper airplanes in class.  Ms. Kirby stomps, and she roars.  Ms. Kirby even looks just like a monster.  Bobby runs into Ms. Kirby sitting on a bench reading a book.  Not knowing quite what to do, and feeling awkward, Bobby sits next to her on the bench.  Suddenly, a gust of wind blows Ms. Kirby’s favorite hat off her head.  Bobby runs to catch Ms. Kirby’s hat.    Ms. Kirby is so grateful to Bobby that she thanks him and then shows him how she likes to quack with the ducks at the park.  Bobby decides to show Ms. Kirby his favorite part of the park.  Sitting at the top of a hill in the park, Ms. Kirby has an idea.  She pulls out a piece of paper and gives it to Bobby.  Bobby quickly folds it into an airplane and launches it.  It’s the best paper airplane flight ever.   Bobby and Ms. Kirby each decide the other is not so terrible.  In fact, Ms. Kirby starts looking like an actual teacher, instead of a monster.  It’s a great resolution…until Bobby throws a paper airplane in class.

I love Peter Brown’s dedication, “To misunderstood teachers and their misunderstood students.”  Have fun with this one!

Benjamin and Bumper to the Rescue, by Molly Coxe

Published October 21, 2014 by Dagmar

Many thanks to Amélie of Amélie’s Bookshelf for recommending this terrific book.  It provided a great opportunity to talk to my kindergarten students about authors and illustrators and whether illustrators always had to draw or paint the pictures to a book.  In this case, Olivier Toppin has taken photographs of stuffed animals with real props in order to illustrate the book.

Benjamin and BusterAs I read this to my kindergarteners, they were held in great suspense, some said they were even scared as we read it.  Trust me, this is a very gentle book with a kindergarten-sized villain and two really good guys, named Benjamin and Bumper.

When Benjamin’s mom goes off to do errands and doesn’t return, Benjamin and Bumper set out to find her.  Luckily, they are very practical animals, packing lots of tools that they might need for their search and rescue mission, including: their scooter, ropes, ladders, a sewing kit, a fishing pool and some tools.  When they discover that Mrs. Middlemouse has been captured by the terrible Sir Pouncelot, they’ll need all these various things in order to save her from becoming an ingredient in one of his dinner casseroles.

Will Benjamin and Bumper be able to save Benjamin’s mom?  Will Sir Pouncelot learn a lesson?  Tune in to this, the first of the Benjamin and Bumper Adventure series, to find out!

The Most Magnificant Thing, by Ashley Spires

Published October 17, 2014 by Dagmar

For those of us who see ourselves as inventors, scientists, or just creative types, we know the frustration of tryThe Most Magnificenting to recreate the vision in our heads.  So it goes for a “regular girl and her best friend in the whole wide world.”

The girl sets out to build the “most magnificent thing”, “easy-peasy”.  She gathers materials, hires an assistant (her dog) and starts to build.  When she is finished, she is “shocked to discover that the thing isn’t magnificent.”  Determined to get it right, she tinkers, adjusts, examines and builds many things.  None of them fit the image in her head; and, needless to say, none of them are magnificent.  Finally, she gets MAD.  Completely losing her patience with the creative process, she starts smashing, jamming and pummeling her creation and in the process smashes her finger.  “It is not her finest moment.”  Her assistant, the essence of calm, holding his leash in his mouth, suggests a walk to clear her head.  She has a hard time calming down, but after a while, “the mad gets pushed out of her head.”  She starts to see some good elements in each of her earlier designs and sets out to try again.  Finally, she finishes her creation.  It isn’t exactly what she imagined, but turns out to be a most magnificent thing.

I think everyone that reads this book will totally relate to this girl’s emotions as she creates her magnificent thing.  Ashley Spires is not only a gifted author, but also a very gifted illustrator.  I loved absolutely loved this book, and so did my students.

In November, by Cynthia Rylant

Published October 17, 2014 by Dagmar

In NovemberThis is a very peaceful book about the changing seasons and the coming of winter.  Beautiful illustrations by Jill Kastner are a great accompaniment to Cynthia Rylant’s words.

“In November, the earth is growing quiet.  It is making its bed, a winter bed for flowers and small creatures.”  “In November, some birds move away and some birds stay.”  “In November, the smell of food is different.  It is an orange smell.  A squash and a pumpkin smell.”

The story talks about the animals, birds, trees and finally ends with a family joining in a special meal, presumably Thanksgiving.  This is a wonderful book to share with your younger students as Thanksgiving approaches.

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything, by Linda Williams

Published October 17, 2014 by Dagmar

The Little Old LadyHere’s a fun read for your younger Halloween fans.  This book is a perennial favorite at my school.  I  usually read it with kindergarten, pre-k and 1st grade students around Halloween and love to have them join in with me as I read.

There once was a little old lady who wasn’t afraid of anything.  As she walks in the woods, she is followed, first by shoes that go CLOMP, CLOMP.  Then, she is followed by pants that go WIGGLE WIGGLE, a shirt that goes SHAKE SHAKE.  Each time, she turns and says “Get out of my way, I’m not afraid of you!”.  When she gets home, who should knock on the door, but the shoes, pants, shirt and a pumpkin head all trying to scare her.  When she says she’s not afraid, the pumpkin head looks so sad that she comes up with a great way for him to scare someone. Read the book to find out how!

Happy Halloween!

 

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves, by Julia Rawlinson

Published August 26, 2014 by Dagmar

fletcher and the falling leavesFletcher and the Falling Leaves is one of my favorite fall books.  Fletcher is a little fox who discovers that his favorite tree is changing.  He begins to worry about his tree when the tree’s leaves turn brown and then begin dropping off.  Fletcher tries to fix his tree, trying to tie the leaves back onto the tree.   He is distraught when a squirrel and porcupine make off with the fallen leaves.  When the tree is finally bare, Fletcher takes the last leaf and makes a little bed for it in his room. The next day, winter has arrived, and Fletcher is amazed at the sight of his tree shimmering with icicles.

This story is very sweet, but what really makes it a keeper are the incredible illustrations of Tiphanie Beeke.  Her water colors are beautiful, and my students always love the last “shimmery” page.

I love to read this to my K-1 students and talk to them about the life cycles of trees.

The Monster’s Monster, by Patrick McDonnell

Published August 26, 2014 by Dagmar

Grouch, Grump and little Gloom ‘n’ Doom are monsters.  They each think they are biggest, Monster's Monsterbaddest monster.  They spend their time arguing and trying to best each other.  Then, they decide to settle their argument with tape, gunk, glue and a lightning bolt.  The monster they create will be truly horrible and will scare everyone in the monster-fearing village just down the hill from their castle.

What a surprise when their terrible, giant monster doesn’t realize that he’s a monster.  His first words are “Dank you!” He then proceeds to greet all the bats, snakes and other creatures in the room – much to Grouch, Grump and little Gloom ‘n’ Doom’s chagrin.

They are hopeful when their monster goes down the hill to town, sure that he’ll wreak havoc there.  They are disappointed again as their monster goes inside the bakery and then leaves it with a “Dank you!” and a white paper bag.  The monster goes to the beach and sits.  The three little monsters sit next to him.  When their monster hands them each a powdery jelly donut, they do something they don’t do often.  They say, “Thank you.”

This is a funny, sweet book that my students loved.  Enjoy.

 

 

The Black Rabbit, by Philippa Leathers

Published May 8, 2014 by Dagmar

BlackRabbitHere’s a really fun read aloud.  I read this to students from our transitional kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade.  All of them LOVED this book.

Black Rabbit comes out of his burrow into the bright sunlight.  He sees a big black rabbit behind him and is very scared.  He runs from Black Rabbit, but Black Rabbit runs after him.  Rabbit hides behind a tree but when he comes out from behind the tree there is big Black Rabbit.  All my students yelled out, “It’s his shadow!”, but this book has a couple of great twists that kept them totally interested until the end.

My students all immediately said, “Read it again!”  Don’t miss this great book.  A Junior Library Guild selection.

North: The Amazing Story of Arctic Migration by Nick Dowson

Published April 19, 2014 by Dagmar

northNorth is a beautiful book describing seasonal changes in the Arctic and Arctic migration.

North begins with winter in the Arctic and its year-round residents, the polar bear and arctic fox.  When spring arrives, algae blooms, plants grow and the tundra turns green.  Animals and birds begin their migration to the Arctic, beginning with the gray whale, terns, bar-tailed godwits, snow geese, white cranes,  caribou, walrus, narwhal whales and more.  The text describes each creature’s journey, including what they eat as they travel.  By May, the ice sheets are cracking, opening new sea lanes for the migrating animals.  In summer the Arctic is lush flowers and grass, feeding the many animals that are now living in the Arctc.  When September arrives, the animals and birds begin to prepare for their journey south again.

It’s a wonderful way to introduce students to migration.  I read it to my 3rd grade students who really enjoyed the book.