Cat Secrets by Jef Czekaj

Recommended Grades: K-5

Cats have secrets they keep in a book.  But, if you are anything other than a cat, and especially a  mouse, you should not be reading it!  What happens when the cats test the readers to see if they meet the criteria to read the book?      

Lesson Idea:  

Read Aloud/Model Text: This is a fun read aloud for kids in the primary grades.  It also makes a good model text for writing dialogue.  The author uses bubbles to indicate when a cat is speaking.  Cat Secrets can also be used as a model for “talking directly to the reader.”  Both author’s craft techniques can be modeled for students in writer’s workshop.

©2013 by Dawn Little for Picture This! Teaching with Picture Books. All Amazon links are affiliate links and may result in my receiving a small commission. This is at no additional cost to you.

One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo

Recommended Grades: 3-5

What would you do if you met your ideal pet?  Elliot asks his father if he can have a penguin during a visit to the aquarium.  This begins a silly tale of an irresistible friendship. 

Lesson Idea:  

Six Traits Mentor Text/Conventions or Organization: Read aloud One Cool Friend and discuss how the author/illustrator modeled the use of dialogue.  The author actually uses dialogue bubbles embedded within the text.  Additionally, this book would be a great model text for surprise endings.

©2012 by Dawn Little for Picture This! Teaching with Picture Books. All Amazon links are affiliate links and may result in my receiving a small commission. This is at no additional cost to you.

Big Plans by Bob Shea

Recommended Grades: 2nd -5th grades

In Big Plans a little boy sits in the corner of his classroom plotting his future and his plans are BIG! With the help of his bird and a lucky stinky hat, he may become Mayor, President, or fly to the moon!  

I wrote a post about Big Plans in 2010.  At that time, I recommended using it as a book to help students set goals for the beginning of the year.  Here I recommend using it to set summer reading goals:  

 

Lesson Plan Ideas:

Goal Setting: After reading aloud Big Plans, discuss the idea of making summer reading goals with your students. As a class, discuss reasonable reading goals for the summer. Provide students with a Big Plans Summer Reading goal sheet they can use to record the number of books they read. 

 

Writers Workshop, Dialogue: Read aloud Big Plans and discuss how the author differentiated dialogue in the story (color and size).  Share other models of dialogue for students as mentor texts when they are writing.  Encourage students to borrow from the authors’ craft in their own writing. 

 

 

©2012 by Dawn Little for Picture This! Teaching with Picture Books. All Amazon links are affiliate links and may result in my receiving a small commission. This is at no additional cost to you.

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

Recommended Grades: 4-6

A bear loses his hat and asks the other animals if they have seen it.  A surprise ending might catch the reader off guard. 

Note: I originally learned about this book on Twitter via my Professional Learning Network (PLN).  If you aren’t familiar with it already, Twitter is a fantastic professional development resource!

Lesson Idea:

Writer’s Workshop: Read aloud I Want My Hat Back and analyze the way the author indicated dialogue.  Provide students with other books in which the author uses dialogue in non-traditional ways. Have students analyze all books and choose one style to practice with in their own writing.  Disclaimer: This idea came from Donalyn Miller, a fantastic resource in all things reading!

Trait: Organization: After reading aloud I Want My Hat Back, discuss the surprise ending with students.  What direction did you think the author was going in?  How did the ending stand out? Analyze other picture books with surprise endings and have students practice using this technique in their own writing.

©2011 by Dawn Little for Picture This! Teaching with Picture Books. All Amazon links are affiliate links and may result in my receiving a small commission. This is at no additional cost to you.