Our story time crews read some precociously perky letter "p" stories this week!
We read:
Pigs Make Me Sneeze! by Mo Willems
"Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.
Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.
Gerald and Piggie are best friends.
In Pigs Make Me Sneeze!, Gerald believes he is allergic to his best friend! Will he have to stay away from Piggie forever?" - Disney-Hyperion
Picnic, by John Burningham
"One day, Boy and Girl head down the hill with a picnic basket and meet a fancily dressed Sheep, Pig, and Duck. They all set off to find the perfect place to sit outside — until they see Bull coming! A short-lived chase segues into a gentle interactive text as the friends wend their way from an idyllic outdoor world to a welcoming house on a hill. (Can you find Pig’s ball? Shall we find your bed?) In a charmingly understated tale with child-friendly illustrations and a hint of sly humor, John Burningham evokes a perfect summer day with a fresh new picture book." - Candlewick
Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! by Mo Willems
"PreSchool-Grade 2-The star of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! (Hyperion, 2003) returns in another irresistible tale. Hurrying away to brush his teeth, the pajama-clad bus driver implores readers not to let his feathered friend stay up late. Youngsters are thrust into the role of caregiver as the puerile pigeon attempts to talk his way out of the inevitable, coming up with requests that range from manipulative (I hear there's a good show about birds on TV tonight. Should be very educational) to cajoling (Y'know, we never get to talk anymore. Tell me about your day-¦) to classic (Can I have a glass of water?). Meanwhile, the fowl fights yawns and tries to keep his wide eye open, despite a drooping lid. Defying drowsiness to the last, he finally falls asleep, clutching his stuffed bunny tightly under his wing. Set against comfortably faded pastel backgrounds, the cartoon artwork focuses tightly on the main character, with his comments presented in dialogue balloons. The black-crayon lines speak volumes, as the pigeon's body language and the positioning of his ever-expressive eye humorously convey each nuance of the text. Children will be charmed by this bedtime treat, which will have them laughing out loud at the pigeon-and at themselves." Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal
The Princess and the Pig, by Heather Amery and Stephen Cartwright
"Max and Alice are playing outside when Alice finds a little pig and, after washing him, she kisses him and he turns into a little prince, but the queen wants to turn him back into a pig; there is a little yellow duck on every page." - EDC Publishing
Put Me in a Book, by Robert Munsch
"A long time ago a girl named Dawn Mullins swam past my cottage and asked “What if you put a kid in a book and the kid wanted out?”
That led to a story called DAWN’S BOOK which I wrote for Dawn. Much later I changed it into a class story that I send out to classes that wrote me. My secretary would insert the names of the class into the story.
Then my secretary, Sharon Bruder, said “We are getting really nice books that classes have made about the PUT ME IN A BOOK story.” - Robert Munsch (read more about the origin of this story by clicking the link on Robert's name.)
The Perfect Pet, by Carol Chataway and Greg Holfeld
"Hamlet, Pygmalion and Podge are three little pigs who each want a dog more than anything else in the world. The problem is they just can't decide what sort to get. So Mr. Pinkerton at the pet shop suggests they take a dog or two home to try. But the first dog is AWFUL! The second is DREADFUL! And the third is TERRIBLE! All the pigs want is a pet that is small, clever, playful, friendly, warm, gentle, loving -- and who doesn't bark, dig, chew, lick, howl, wander or dribble. Will they ever find the perfect pet?" - Kids Can Press
Did You Say Pears? by Arlene Alda
"“If horns played cool music, and pants were just clothes....”
Horn, pants, nails, trunk, pitcher — all words that can mean more than one thing. Arlene Alda has put together words and images in a delightful and witty book of photographs as inviting as a pair of juicy pears. Did You Say Pears? takes a playful and very clever look at words that sound the same but have different meanings. Young readers will love to hone their budding sense of language with the deceptively simple text and the irresistible photographs that offer a first taste of the richness of words. A useful information page explaining the wordplay is included.
Arlene Alda’s photographs challenge the reader to look and look again in this book that is bound to be a family favorite." - Tundra Books
Ziggy Piggy and the Three Little Pigs, by Frank Asch
"While his hardworking brothers carefully secure their houses against the Big Bad Wolf, fun-loving Ziggy -- the hitherto unknown fourth little pig -- decides to go to the beach. The traditional tale takes a twist when to everyone's surprise the Wolf blows in the brick house. The three brothers run for their lives to Ziggy, whose resourcefulness takes the Wolf by surprise and saves the day. This refreshing spin on the classic tale shows how quick thinking can offer more protection than even the strongest brick walls." - Kids Can Press
Felt Board Story:
The Three Little Pigs
We sang:
Patty-Cake (this song was a great way for me to learn all the names of our story time crew!)
Patty-cake, patty-cake, baker's man,
Bake me a cake as fast as you can!
Roooollllll it!
Paaaaattttt it!
And mark it with a "C"!
And put it in the oven for Corrie and me!
(and so on for each kid)
How Much is that Puppy in the Window?
Penguin, Parrot, Possum, Peacock, Porcupine, ...
How much is that puppy in the window?
The one with the waggly tail?
How much is that puppy in the window?
I do hope that puppy's for sale!
How much is that peacock in the window?
The one with the colourful tail?
How much is that peacock in the window?
I do hope that peacock's for sale!
etc.
Five Little Ducks Went Swimming One Day
For our craft, we made Three Little Pigs finger puppets!
After our craft, we even had some puppet shows!
We even made time for a baby selfie!
So much fun with this week's craft! Next week we're doing some quirky q-tip paintings!
