Author: Uncle Anzac
Publisher: Random House
Publication Date: 1995
Genre: Picture Book
Audience: Pre-K – 1
Overview: This is a fun story about a little kiwi named Kapai. Kapai has a lust for adventure and this story is about his day with a whale named Paikea.
Activity: After reading the story, have the students write three sentences about an adventure they would have with a whale.
Reviewer’s Name: Corri Deegan
Author: Babette Cole
Publisher: Picture Lions
Publication Date: 1992
Genre: Picture Book
Audience: Pre-K – 1
Overview: This is an extremely funny book that describes all the smelliest things that can be found in the world. Hold your nose and find out what have the stinkiest and strongest smells!
Activity: Have the students write five things that they think are smelly.
Reviewer’s Name: Corri Deegan
Author: Norman Bridwell
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc
Publication Date: September 1995
Genre: Holidays
Audience: Pre-K-1
Overview: This is a fun and lovable story about Clifford‘s first Halloween. Children will fall in love with the big red dog as they reminisce with his owner, Emily Elizabeth on his adventures of his first trick-or-treating experience and what happened when he went to his first Halloween party.
Activity: After discussing this story, children can talk about their own family Halloween traditions and what they are doing for the upcoming holiday. After sharing with the class, each student will decorate their own pumpkin to hang on a bulletin board in the classroom.
Reviewer’s Name: Corri Deegan
Author/Illustrator: Ed Emberle
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Publication Date: 1993
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Audience: Pre-K- 1
Awards: Caldecott Medal
Overview: This is a fun read-aloud story that entertains young children and helps them deal with common fears. The book is filled with different die-cuts and boldly colored pages that eventually reveal scary features of a big green monster. Ed Emberley created an imaginative original work that is a friendly way for children to take control over their own monsters or nightmares. The ending phrase, “And don’t come back until I say so,” allows children to be interactive while reading, but also feel confident.
Activity: After reading the book to the class, have the students choral read with you and then have them write and illustrate what their big green monster would look like.
Reviewer’s Name: Corri Deegan