From: Melody Allen <melody_allen>
Date: Thu, 05 Aug 2004 07:34:49 -0400

Two books I love to read aloud to 4th grade classes are Lucy Dove by Janice Del Negro and A Penny a Look by Zemach. The first is wonderful frightening. I tell the kids that we will save most of the illustrations until after hearing the story. I read the tale which flows along so beautifully I don't want to interrupt the text to show the pictures around the room. I just show the few double spreads which send chills throughout the room. Afterwards we go back and look at the pictures which actually allows for a retelling opportunity.

The second has a touch of adventure and then a twist of irony suited to older listeners. Even I can "hear" the voices of the two characters in the text and read it expressively. The surprise ending is great and paired with that Seuss story in Sneetches about the green pants with nobody inside them raises discussion about how we view others who are different (I was just as scared of him as he was scared of me).

Melody Allen melody_allen at gw.doa.state.ri.us
Received on Thu 05 Aug 2004 06:34:49 AM CDT