1st grade read aloud

All posts in the 1st grade read aloud category

Duck, by Randy Cecil

Published May 18, 2013 by Dagmar

DuckI have to admit that I choke up whenever I read Duck by Randy Cecil.  This book tells the story of a carousel animal, a duck, that dreams of flying like other ducks.

One day, a small lost duckling walks up to Duck, thinking Duck is his mother.  Duck takes the duckling under her wing and raises her.  They laugh, plan and dream together.  Duckling is growing up, and soon, Duck realizes that she will have to teach Duckling to fly.  After trying everything she knows how to do, Duck finally straps Duckling to her back with her scarf.  When they see ducks flying by, they jump off a hill, and Duckling flaps his wings.  Duck realizes that she is weighing Duckling down.  She loosens her scarf and falls to the ground, watching Duckling fly away with the other ducks.

The winter passes sadly for Duck.  When spring comes, she no longer looks at the ducks flying, because flying took Duckling away from her.  Then, she spots Duckling out of the corner of her eye.  Duckling has returned.  They laugh and play until Duckling takes duck onto his back and helps her to fly.

This is honestly such a sweet and touching book.  Randy Cecil’s drawings are fantastic and my young audiences love it.

The stories of Ezra Jack Keats

Published May 15, 2013 by Dagmar

Snowy DayEzra Jack Keats (1916-1983) wrote so many wonderful books for children.  I think most notable for me, as a children’s librarian in a school that serves mostly children of color, is that Ezra Jack Keats, although john henrywhite, made his characters all African American.  It is really refreshing to reach to my shelves and show my students books with children that look like them. Of course, it’s not only that fact that makes me create multiple story times using Ezra Jack Keats’ stories.  His books deal with universal problems that all children growing up face.  I think he is so popular in my library today, because can relate to Peter and the situations he finds himself in.

a letter to amyThey want to whistle like Peter in a Whistle for Willie, or be friends with a girl without getting teased, like Peter in A Letter to Amy, or keep a snowball overnight like Peter in The Snowy Day or figure out how to deal with bullies, like in the book Goggles.

whistle for willieEzra Jack Keats wrote the following books: my favorite, The Snowy Day, as well as A Whistle for Willie, A Letter to Amy, Goggles, Pet Show, Peter’s Chair, Apt. 3, and John Henry and others.  Snowy Day won the Caldecott Medal in 1963.

If you haven’t read Ezra Jack Keats’ books for children, I think you’ll really enjoy reading them and introducing a new group of young students to his beautiful illustrations and writing.

The Voyage of Turtle Rex, by Kurt Cyrus

Published May 12, 2013 by Dagmar

turtle rexThis book creates a wonderful bridge between modern day sea turtles and their much larger prehistoric ancestors, archelon.  Like sea turtles today, Archelon apparently returned to the same beaches where they were born just as sea turtles do today.

The rhymes in this book are soothing and the illustrations are really beautiful.  Dinosaur fans will particularly delight in the illustrations.  My students are always quiet and attentive while I read this book.  I love it so much that I read it to my classes each year. I particularly like reading this book to first and second graders.

The Really, Really, Really Big Dinosaur, by Richard Byrne

Published May 9, 2013 by Dagmar

big dinosaurThis was a fun read.  Here’s your opportunity to use different voices, if you’re so inclined.  The illustrations are really cute and it was great watching my students smiling and then clapping at the end of the book.

Big dinosaur wants little dinosaur’s jelly beans.  Little dinosaur can’t give them away, because they belong to his friend.  Big dinosaur really wants those jelly beans… a lot.  The little dinosaur says his friend is really, really, really big. “Everyone knows I’m the biggest and strongest dinosaur around here!” Big dinosaur starts boasting about all the ways he is better than little dinosaur’s friend. Ooops. Big dinosaur gets his just desserts in a very funny way.

Aesop’s Fables, by Jerry Pinkney

Published May 2, 2013 by Dagmar

Caldecottaesop-winning author and illustrator Jerry Pinkney’s Aesop’s Fables appear with Pinkney’s incredible illustrations.  I’ve seen a many versions of Aesop’s Fables and can honestly tell you that this is my favorite version.

It’s hard to deny the appeal of fables to children.  My students tend to want to read the most familiar fables, “The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf”, “The Tortoise and the Hare” and the “The Lion and the Mouse”; but, there are so many wonderful fables to explore in this book.  I love that this book appeals to children of all ages.

The Lion & the Mouse, by Jerry Pinkney

Published May 2, 2013 by Dagmar

lionThis Caldecott Medal winning book is superb.  I have always been a fan of Jerry Pinkney’s illustrations, but this book is truly beautiful.  The Lion & the Mouse is a wordless retelling of  Aesop’s fable of a lion who spares a mouse’s life and then has his life saved by the mouse.  The moral of the story? “Even the strongest can sometimes use the help of the smallest.”

The illustrations in this book are breathtaking.  I love watching my students intently look at each page and then listening as they recount the story to me.  Pinkney says in his author’s note at the end of the book, “My curiosity and reverence for animal life has grown over the years, and my concern for them grows in equal measure.  It seemed fitting, then to stage this fable in the African Serengeti of Tanzania and Kenya, with its wide horizon and abundant wildlife so awesome yet fragile – not unlike the two sides of each of the heroes starring in this great tale for all times.”  It is clear that Pinkney loves animals, because I honestly believe that the detail is so wonderful in these pictures, that I can read the animals’ expressions.

This is a book that would be an incredible addition to any child’s library.

Swirl by Swirl, Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman

Published May 2, 2013 by Dagmar

This swirlmay be one of the most beautiful books in my library.  Swirl by swirl is full of illustrations by Beth Krommes (winner of the Caldecott Medal for The House in the Night)  that look as if they have been etched.  The colors are vibrant and really “pop” against the black background.  I use this book with my older grades to show them the incredible art work and talk about seeing shapes in nature.  I use the book in my younger grades to show the students all the ways that swirls exist in nature.  Either the way, the book is always a hit and would make a great gift for any young child at all interested in nature.  The words are simple, but the concept has lots of room for discussion.

“A spiral is a snuggling shape.  It fits neatly in small spaces.  Coiled tight, warm and safe it waits.”  The pictures show a woodchuck, an eastern chipmunk and a bull snake curled up in their burrows underground. “A spiral is a growing shape.  It starts small and gets bigger, swirl by swirl.”  This page includes a swimming nautilus and a cross section of a nautilus shell.  As the book progresses, we see ferns, snails, hedgehogs, millipedes, the horns of rams, octopi, seahorses, elephants’ trunks, spider webs, ocean waves, flowers, the Milky Way.  There are endless things to talk about.

This is an incredible book worthy of any school library or any bookshelf at home.  It’s a favorite of mine.  I hope you enjoy it!

Ginger, by Charlotte Voake

Published March 15, 2013 by Dagmar

A sweet book about adapting to change.www.ginger

Ginger is a ginger-colored kitty who is pampered by the little girl he lives with.  She makes him delicious meals and gives him a nice basket.  He’s very happy, until…a little kitten joins the household. The kitten upsets Ginger by eating out of his food bowl and trying to call into his basket.  Ginger is so upset that he decides to leave home.  The kitten misses him and gets into all kinds of trouble.   The little girl finally realizes that Ginger may be upset and might have run away.  She finds him outsie in the rain, sitting alone under a bush.  After bringing Ginger in, the little girl makes sure that Ginger has his own bowl and his basket back.  The kitten gets his own cardboard box to sleep in.  What a sweet ending when the little girl finds Ginger and the kitten in the cardboard box together.  The book’s large type and simple theme makes this book great for young students and anyone who loves cats.

Boot & Shoe, by Marla Frazee

Published March 15, 2013 by Dagmar

Boot&Shoe-103112-kids-380This book is fantastic and has the funniest, sweetest ending.  The language is up-to-date, the illustrations are really great.  I loved it as did my students.

Boot and Shoe are two adorable dogs who were born in the same litter.  They do everything together, eat, sleep, pee…but Boot likes to be on the back porch and Shoe spends his days on the front porch.  One day, a squirrel causes havoc.  Boot and Shoe chase and chase the squirrel until they get totally turned around.  Boot ends up on the front porch and Shoe ends up on the back porch.  Boot and Shoe are determined to wait until the other returns to their proper spot.  They wait and wait and wait.  Finally, they decide they should check the other porch.  Without seeing each other, Boot ends up back on the front porch and Shoe ends up back on the front porch.  They wait all night for each other.  Finally, they miss each other so much that they cry.  All my students are really sad at this point in the story.  Luckily, every dog has to pee.  Where do Boot and Shoe finally find each other?  You’ve got it…at their favorite place to pee, the bush.  You can’t help but giggle.

This very cute book is highly recommended for K-3 students.

Mr. Putter and Tabby, by Cynthia Rylant

Published March 7, 2013 by Dagmar

mrputterI love the Mr. Putter and Tabby series for 1st and 2nd grade readers or a fun read aloud for K and 1st grade.  There are about 20 books in the series and would make great gifts.  My personal favorites are: Mr. Putter and Tabby Take the Train, Mr. Putter and Tabby Feed the Fish, Mr. Putter and Tabby Fly the Plane and Mr. Putter and Tabby Row the Boat.

Mr. Putter is an elderly man who lives with his fine cat Tabby.  He lives next door to Mrs. Teaberry and her naughtly dog Zeke.  Together, Mr. Putter and Tabby and Mrs. Teaberry and Zeke go on many fun, and funny, adventures.  The three short chapter format is perfect for young readers.

The illustrations by Arthur Howard are colorful and engaging.  Highly recommended for young readers.