A Big Day for Bike
Bike is my second book with illustrator G. Brian Karas! The first is Lemonade in Winter.
This book is a first day of school story, transposed into the story of Bike’s first day on the job. I wrote a lot about the start of school in Harry Versus the First One Hundred Days of School, which is a chapter book about first grade. Here are two of my favorite back-to-school books: School’s First Day of School by Adam Rex, illustrated by Christian Robinson and We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgens.
Also, there’s a lovely list of back-to-school books here, at We Are Teachers.
Bike is also a book about a vehicle who identifies as female. There are actually not so many of these.! Most car, truck, bike, train and boat characters in picture books are identified as male. If you’re looking to include all your students in enthusiasm about vehicles and transportation, A Mighty Girl has some super useful lists. Here’s their list of bike books. And their list of transportation picture books.
Last, Bike is a book with mapping! I love maps in picture books, because they teach a skill and allow children to think about the world in a new and useful way. My book What Happens on Wednesdays has mapping elements as well, and teachers often have children draw maps of their neighborhoods after reading it. Other fiction picture books with mapping include Madlenka by Peter Sis, the Adele and Simon series by Barbara McClintock.
The Kitten Story (A Mostly True Tale)
Click here for a conversation between editor and author that includes ideas about the history of adult heroes in picture books.
Illustrator Brittany Cicchese can be found here.
Conversation starters around The Kitten Story:
The author says the story is “mostly true.” Do you think that makes it fiction or non-fiction? Which parts do you think might be invented? Which parts do you think are true?
The family in the story has a number of small conflicts. How do they work them out? Are there other ways you think they could work out their disagreements? What do you do when people in your family disagree?
If you got to name that kitten, what would you name it?
Do you have any pets? What are their names? Are there any reasons behind those names?
Harry Versus the First One Hundred Days of School
There are so many things to do connected to this book! Penguin Random House’s official educator’s guide is chock-full of delightful suggestions.
Here’s an interview about Harry from the Horn Book magazine.
Upside-Down Magic Series
From New York Times bestselling authors Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle, and Emily Jenkins comes an offbeat series about a group of misfits who set out to prove that life on the other side of ordinary has its charms.
Scholastic Upside-Down Magic resources.
A mix-and-match game featuring Nory’s big test.
UDM extended teacher guides here and here.
Share the trailer for the Disney Channel movie with your students! And watch the film, streaming on Disney+ and available for rent elsewhere. It has lot in common with the book series, but there’s a lot that’s different as well. Comparison and contrast could be very fruitful.
Tiger and Badger
I wrote a very early draft of Tiger and Badger when my oldest daughter was about three. Her best friend came over and they fought — well, like a tiger and a badger — all afternoon. They were so very sad to say good-bye at the end of the afternoon, they hugged and hugged. In all the early drafts of the book, the characters were human. When I changed them into a tiger and a badger, I think the story became much funnier. When I saw Marie-Louise Gay’s pictures, I felt an immediate sense of joyful recognition. There is Tiger! Just as if he jumped right out of my mind. And there is Badger. She is wearing a spatula. Of course she is wearing a spatula! It’s a story about a bad day in a very good friendship that I think kids can relate to, laugh at, and learn from.
— Emily Jenkins, from the Candlewick catalog
OTHER RESOURCES
Tiger and Badger pairs well with some other books about friendship, quarreling and making up:
Sophie’s Squash Go to School by Pat Zietlow Miller, illus. by Anne Wilsdorf
You Are Not My Friend, But I Miss You by Daniel Kirk
Bootsy Barker Bites by Barbara Bottner, illus. by Peggy Rathmann
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, illus. by E. B. Lewis
The Fun Book of Scary Stuff
Artist Hyewon Yum can be found here.
The Macmillan activity pages for Fun Book include coloring and dialogue-writing activities.
A Fine Dessert
A Fine Dessert has been the subject of some intense controversy. I encourage you educate yourself thoroughly about it if you want to share the story with your students. I am very sorry for the racial insensitivity of the book and donate all my royalties to We Need Diverse Books, an organization that promotes diversity in literature, publishing and reading practice.
If you choose to use A Fine Dessert in your classroom, you may want to read the Texas Library Association's statement about it. And here, the TLA provides a list of resources for teachers who want to teach it. The list includes many articles about the controversy plus activities and discussion questions on other subjects.
Additional classroom activities for A Fine Dessert can be found here.
Here are some other classroom activities, with CCSS tie-ins, for A Fine Dessert. They were created by Random House.
This Kid Lit TV video shows me and illustrator Sophie Blackall making the dessert. Sophie shows her collection of antique whisks and we take you through how to make blackberry fool with your school group, or with kids at home.
Artist Sophie Blackall can be found here.
Toys Go Out, Toy Dance Party and Toys Come Home
A number of teachers have kindly shared some of their Toys classroom activities and discussion questions with me, allowing me to modify and post them on this teacher resource page -- most particularly the Sandy Hook School in Connecticut, where Toys Go Out was the "One School One Book" choice in 2007. Toys Go Out has been an all-school read at many elementary schools nationwide.
I also encourage you to check out the Random House Teacher Guides to both books, which are thoughtful and useful. Here's the one for Toys Go Out. And here's the one for Toy Dance Party.
Here is the first chapter of Toys Go Out, read by the author.
ACTIVITIES
"Plasticness": What are things made of plastic? What does Plastic learn from TV and the dictionary about plastics -- and what is plastic, the material, actually? Come to think of it, what is rubber? Ask students to bring in 5 items from home that are made of plastic, and some made of rubber.
Sinkers and Floaters: StingRay is a sinker. Plastic is a floater. What other items sink and float? There is a science experiment here.
Tails: Lumphy loses his tail. What might he have used it for, were he a "real" buffalo? What do the tails of other animals do for them? What might happen if they were to lose their tails? A nice book pairing here is What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins (no relation). Students might write their own stories about an animal losing a tail.
Games: The toys play checkers, leap frog and pick-up sticks. Plastic annoys everyone during the checkers game. How come? Students might discuss sportsmanship and play some of the games themselves.
Sting rays and buffaloes: There are loads of interesting facts (and truths!) about these animals. (By the way, Lumphy is an American buffalo, also known as a bison, not an African or Asian buffalo.) Have children research them in groups and present their findings to their peers.
Favorite toys: Children can bring favorite dolls or stuffed animals to class, and write or share stories and details about their toys. On this day, groups can make cupcakes and have a tea party, like the Little Girl does at the end of the book.
Dance Party: The youngest readers can have a dance party, with or without toys.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
In chapter one of Toys Go Out, StingRay says, "it's not so bad if you don't complain." Do you complain, ever? Does it make you feel better? Or worse? How does it make others feel when someone is complaining?
Lumphy would rather be warned about something that he won't like. Would you? Why, or why not?
The Girl says her toys are her best friends. What makes someone a best friend? Can we always say that one friend is best, or are there different sorts of friends, with different qualities? Are there different ways of being friends? Are oldest friends the same as best friends? Do you think the Little Girl loves one toy more than the others? Why or why not?
What is the difference between a truth and a fact? Are they the same?
Lumphy is afraid of the washing machine -- and comes to love it. (Him.) Have you ever been afraid of something and come to love it, later? What? How did that happen? Did you learn anything from that experience?
What are subliminal messages? Can you think of any that people try to give you? Or which you give them?
StingRay and her friends discuss what it means to be grown-up in chapter six. What do you think it means to be grown-up? Is there more than one way to define it? What things do grown-ups do that children don't?
WRITING PROMPTS
Before reading Toys Go Out , Toy Dance Party or Toys Come Home, photocopy Zelinsky's illustrations and have students write their own stories inspired by them.
Have students write dialog for two of their own toys, trying to give each toy a voice of its own.
Write an encounter between a toy and an appliance.
OTHER RESOURCES
Picture books with toys come to life, one way or another:
Dahlia, by Barbara McClintock
I Love You, Blue Kangaroo, by Emma Chichester Clark
The Paper Princess, by Elisa Kleven
Traction Man is Here! by Mini Grey
Some books for ages 6-9 that feature animated toys:
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline
The Velveteen Rabbit, by Margery Williams, illustrated by William Nicholson
Raggedy Ann Stories, by Johnny Gruelle
Winnie the Pooh, by A.A. Milne
The Indian in the Cupboard, by Lynne Reid Banks, illustrated by Brock Cole
Miss Happiness and Miss Flower, by Rumer Godden
The Doll People, by Anne M. Martin and Laura Godwin, illustrated by Brian Selznick
Invisible Inkling series
Topics related to the first book in the series, Invisible Inkling-- bullying, immigration, endangered species, making ice cream, boys' friendship.
For Invisible Inkling: Dangerous Pumpkins -- Halloween, pumpkin-carving, costumes, ghosts.
Fun tidbit: the Invisible Inkling series is set at the same school that inspired Jon Scieszka's Spaceheads! It's P.S. 58 in Brooklyn.
Water in the Park: A Book About Water and the Times of the Day
The book takes you through the different hours of a day, showing the rhythms and patterns of life in the park, so it's easy to connect to lessons on telling time. is a math book that contains a comical but factual explanation of American coins and their value, and a set of math problems that can be written out by students as the characters sell lemonade at different prices. It's also about entrepreneurship, and set-up costs as related to profits.
An interview with Water in the Park illustrator, Stephanie Graegin.
Two books that inspired Water in the Park:
The Park Book by Charlotte Zolotow, illustrated by H.A. Rey
White Snow, Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt, illustrated by Roger Duvoisin
Other books that take you through a day in a poetic way:
All in a Day by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Nikki McClure
All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Marla Frazee
Lemonade in Winter: A Book About Two Kids Counting Money
Lemonade is a math book that contains a comical but factual explanation of American coins and their value, and a set of math problems that can be written out by students as the characters sell lemonade at different prices. It's also about entrepreneurship, and set-up costs as related to profits.
Here is artist G. Brian Karas's blog post on how he did the art for Lemonade in Winter.
Here’s a math and literature classroom activity guide for Lemonade in Winter by Kids Wings.
The Smithsonian “Our Story” American History study guide for Lemonade in Winter is here.
Lemonade in Winter is a movie! From Scholastic/Weston Woods, with great narration by Rebecca Soler. Great for classroom use.
Some good money-related picture books:
The Money Tree by Sarah Stewart, illustrated by David Small
Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst
The Money We'll Save by Brock Cole
Sugar Would Not Eat It
Sugar has come under fire for depicting someone yelling at a cat and trying to feed it a food that's bad for it. Do your students think we should depict things like this in stories? Why or why not?
What do kids think about the different ideas Leo's friends have for getting Sugar to eat the cake?
There's lots of room for discussion here about obedience, trying new foods, eating hated foods, and various family approaches to eating. The book might also be a nice jumping-off point for discussions of animal care and healthy eating.
The Little Bit Scary People
This book is about fear, and it's also about recognizing the humanity in people who are different from ourselves, even when those people behave in scary ways. It partners well with my book The Fun Book of Scary Stuff.
Books about fear:
Garmann's Summer by Stian Hole
There's a Monster at the End of this Book! from Sesame Street
Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears by Emily Gravett
What Happens on Wednesdays
This is a good first-month-of school book for pre-k to first grade. It charts a typical day's schedule in a reassuring way. It allows children to compare the kinds of activities at school with the activities at home and in the neighborhood.
It's also a book which emphasises the sense of the self in the community, which is a large part of many kindergarten curriculums. Children can name the elements of their own neighborhoods which are important to them. Older students can draw maps and label their favorite spots. They can go on walking tours of the neighborhood around school, then come back and draw what they saw -- or build it with blocks. The group can discuss how there are public landmarks (the library, the grocery store) and private landmarks (the tree where the umbrella once was stuck, my friend's house, and so on).
Here's a useful interview with artist Lauren Castillo.
Mapping Neighborhoods:
Knuffle Bunny, by Mo Willems
Lentil, by Robert McClosky
Madlenka and Madlenka's Dog, by Peter Sis
Every Friday by Dan Yaccarino
Books on starting school:
Will I Have a Friend? by Miriam Cohen, illustrated by Lillian Hoban
My Kindergarten by Rosemary Wells
Daffodil & My Favorite Thing
These books work well for discussions of individuality and difference, self-esteem and self-expression. Some school groups have made lists of favorite things and posted them around the classroom. Others have drawn pictures of hated clothes and beloved ones.
Books about strong likes and dislikes:
I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato, by Lauren Child
Bread and Jam for Frances, by Russell Hoban, illustrated by Lillian Hoban
On the subject of clothing and how it shapes our identity, Daffodil pairs well with:
Halibut Jackson, by David Lucas
Ella Sarah Gets Dressed, by Margaret Chodos-Irvine
Fancy Nancy, by Jane O'Connor, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
Timothy Goes to School, by Rosemary Wells
Traction Man is Here, by Mini Grey
Daffodil, Crocodile
For Pre-K students, this book is fun to connect with study of animal sounds and discussions of what animals students would like to be -- and why. For older children, teachers have done mask-making activities and worked with papier mache.
Pairs nicely with:
Alligator Boy by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Diane Goode
Skunkdog
This book might be used for discussing friendships that blossom despite prohibitions. Or, skunks, obviously.
On the subject of friendships in the face of difficulty:
The Other Side of the Fence, by Jacqueline Woodson, illus. by E. B. White
On the subject of skunks:
The Skunk, by Mac Barnett, illus. by Patrick McDonnell
That New Animal
This book can be useful in discussions of anger and change within families, as well as for learning about babies. Teachers have also used it for units on dogs.
Some excellent new baby books:
Smile, Lily! by Candace Fleming
What the No-Good Baby is Good For, by Elise Broach, illustrated by Abby Carter
I Kissed the Baby! by Mary Murphy
Peter's Chair, by Ezra Jack Keats
On the subject of anger, I also recommend:
When Sophie Gets Angry… by Molly Bang
I Hate You! I Love You! by Tomek Bogacki
Stellar dog books:
McDuff Moves In by Rosemary Wells, illustrated by Susan Jeffers
Dog Blue, by Polly Dunbar
Bark, George, by Jules Feiffer
Dog Heaven, by Cynthia Rylant
The Very Kind Rich Lady and her 100 Dogs, by Chinlun Lee
The Bea and HaHa books
These are very short stories of toddler friendship, appropriate for the preschool classroom.
Friendship/Relationship books for the very youngest readers:
Max and Ruby books, by Rosemary Wells
Maisy stories, by Lucy Cousins
Leonardo the Terrible Monster, by Mo Willems
Big Sister Little Sister, by LeUyen Pham
Five Creatures
The idea for this book came from a venn diagram I drew, sorting the separate and overlapping qualities of members of my household. The book can be used as a companion to math activities in sorting, making sets, counting, and diagramming. It can also be used as a starting point for discussing children's different family compositions, including pets, and for drawing family portraits.
For math concepts, pairs well with:
12 Ways to Get to 11, by Eve Merriam, illustrated by Bernie Karlin
One Hundred is a Family, by Pam Munoz Ryan, illustrated by Benrei Huang
17 Things IÕm Not Allowed to Do Anymore by Jenny Offill, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter
Ninety-Three in My Family, by Erica S. Perl, illustrated by Mike Lester
Love You When You Whine
This book is an expression of unconditional love despite a child's imperfections and occasional naughtiness. Can be used to remind young school children of their parents' love – and for conversations about pleasant and unpleasant behavior. Children can make drawings that express different strong emotions they feel: anger, happiness, fear, love.
Some quality books for discussing manners and behavior:
What Do You Say, Dear? by Seslye Johnson, illustrated by Maurice Sendak
How to Behave and Why by Munro Leaf
No, David! by David Shannon
Miss Nelson is Missing, by Harry Allard, illustrated by James Marshall
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Mark Teague
Recommended love books:
You're Just What I Need, by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Julia Noonan
You and Me, Little Bear, by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Barbara Firth
The Hello, Goodbye Window, by Norton Juster, illustrated by Chris Rashka