Book Talk

Flotsam
by David Wiesner
New York: Clarion Books, 2006.

Suggested Age and Interest Level: K through 5th* and beyond

Editions: Hardcover, eBook

Awards: Caldecott Medal, New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book, Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s, Booklist Editor’s Choice, School Library Journal Best Book, and more.

Languages: English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Korean, Spanish

Topics to Explore: Beaches and seashore, Fantasy, Humor, Ocean creatures, Perspective-talking

Skills to Build:
Semantics: Vocabulary, Categories, Homonyms, Synonyms, Associations, Adjectives, Prepositions
Grammar and syntax: Noun + Verb agreement, Plural forms of nouns, regular and irregular, Present progressive tense structures, Negative structures, Advanced syntactic structures
Language literacy (a.k.a. Language discourse): Sequencing events, Cause-and-effect relationships, Problem solving, Drawing inferences, Verbal expression (Giving explanations), Compare and contrast, Answering Why questions, Predicting events, Discussion
Pragmatic social language: Nonverbal communication
Articulation: Carryover for most any phoneme, especially S, Sh, and Ch
Executive Functions
Fluency

Summary: A wordless picture book about a curious, science-minded boy on the beach examining flotsam (i.e., objects that have washed ashore). He has come with microscope, binoculars, shovel, collection box, and pail. While fascinated with a sand crab, a huge wave knocks him into the ocean. Back on the beach, he sees that the wave deposited something of interest lodged in the sand – an old, barnacle-encrusted, box camera known as a Melville underwater camera.He discovers a film roll inside, so he runs to the seaside camera shop to get it developed. He leaves the store with incredible photos in hand, leading him to astounding revelations of where the camera has been and what it has recorded over many eras – in fact, going back as far as the invention of the camera! Follow the magical images and see how he solves the mystery with his scientific aids, then see what he contributes in furthering its magical journey.

Strategies: Consider book talk by viewing just a few pages at a time, leaving off at a suspenseful part to come back to later. This fantastic tale with multiple images per page has plenty of details. The many images on a page requires study. Allowing time to figure out the scene so key revelations aren’t missed makes book talk more rewarding. On some pages, you may wish simply to allow your audience to view the image in silence to process the wonders of the artist’s talent and imagination.

Methods:
Before the read-aloud, show the book’s cover, read the title and author, and discuss the illustration.

Vocabulary

Ask children to describe the cover with questions such as –

•          What is the “eye” in the center?
•          What are the creatures in the corners?
•          Where might the story take place?

Talk about the meaning of flotsam. Ask for a definition, an idea, or guess, then supply your own. Read the inside jacket cover that explains it this way –

Something that floats.

If it floats in the ocean,

it may wash up on the beach,

where someone may find it,

and be astonished,

and share the discovery

with someone else –

 Vocabulary, Present tense constructions

On a page turn, reveal what sets the stage for the story in order to add meaning. Describe the beach scene, scaffolding targeted grammatical structures with the elements, including –

• The boy is (by himself) on the beach.
• He is holding a shovel.
• He’s reaching to find something in the ______ (water/wave that came ashore).

 

Vocabulary, Categories

At the inside title page, ask children to name the items on the page that define flotsam, as used on the story.  Flotsam shown includes –

• Shells (sand dollar, conch, and clam shells)
• Starfish
• Driftwood
• Tools,
• Compass
• Bottles,
• Coins
• Feather

To work on categories, ask children what all the items are called to name the category flotsam. Then ask children to name some of the flotsam pictured. To continue working on categories, ask what items came from the sea, what items came from land, animals, are handmade, and so on.

Vocabulary, Prepositions, Giving explanations

On a page turn, see the story open with a sand crab and a large eye behind it. Identify the sand crab and its interesting parts, including its eyestalks, antennae, pinchers, shell, and walking legs, called pereiopods.

Ask children to identify the object behind the crab, the human eye. Support children in explaining the illustration using prepositions.

• The boy’s eye is behind the sand crab.
• The boy picked up a sand crab at the beach.
• The boy is looking at the sand crab in front of him.

 

 Vocabulary, Present progressive tense and Advanced syntax constructions.

Continue to share in the storytelling as you turn the page and see the boy enjoying his discovery of the crab.  Use various verbs in describing each scene, such as –

• The boy _______  (stares, gazes, looks out) at the sandcastle.
• He __________ (walks, strolls, wanders) along the beach.
• He ________ (sees, discovers, finds) a sand crab.

Then all of a sudden, a big wave comes unexpectedly crashing onto the beach. The boy gets knocked off his feet, into the splashing wave. Support  advanced syntax structure in descriptions about the boy and what is happening with the wave at the same time, such as –

• The boy looks at the crab as the wave crashes behind him.
• The wave crashes and the boy is knocked down.
• The boy gets knocked over when the wave crashes onto the shore.

Cause-and-effect relationships

On a page turn, see that the boy back on the sandy beach, farther away from the waves. Yet the scene has changed. Seaweed wraps around his feet. He stares at an old box camera that washed ashore.

To work on cause-and-effect relationships, ask how the old box camera got lodged in the sand. Structure sentences with connecting words since, because, as a result of. For example –

• A camera is stuck in the sand as a result of a big wave that brought it ashore.
• A camera appears in the sand because of a big wave from the sea.
• A camera is on the beach since it got washed up by a big wave.

Vocabulary, Noun + Verb agreement, Syntax structures, Pronouns

On a page turn, see the boy fascinated with the old box camera, how it functions, and the film inside the camera.

To work on vocabulary, label and define a roll of film as it is shown in the story. It can be described as a thin sheet of (usually) celluloid that is covered with emulsion, rolled up, attached to a spool. The film is inserted into the camera to record a photograph.

To work on N + V agreement, syntax structures and pronouns, support sentence constructions about the boy sharing his find with his parents and the lifeguard as they try to figure out if the camera might belong to anyone around them. For example –

• He shows the camera to his mom and dad.
• They show the camera to the lifeguard.
• The lifeguard doesn’t know.
• His parents don’t know.

Then describe the boy’s actions as he finds a roll of film inside the camera.

• He opens up the camera
• He finds an object inside the camera.
• He removes the yellow roll of film.

 

Sequencing events, Adjectives, Nonverbal communication

The next picture sequence shows the boy hurriedly leaving the beach, running to the seaside town, and finding Bob’s One-Hour Photo shop. After an exchange with the woman behind the desk, he goes outside to wait.

To work on sequencing, ask children to describe the picture sequence of the boy waiting on the bench. How does the artist show the passage of time? Scaffold with connecting words first, then, next, and finally. For example –

• First, he sits and crosses his arms.
• Then he lays on the bench
• Then he disappears.
• Then he comes back and puts his head in his hands.
• Next, he turns around and looks in the store window.
• Finally, he comes out of the store with the photos in hand.

To work on adjectives and nonverbal communication, support children in interpreting the expression on the boy’s face as he views the photos from the camera.

Start a sentence, then brainstorm words to complete it. For example –

         He looks ________.

• fascinated
• amazed
• shocked
• perplexed
• stunned
• astonished

Compare and contrast, Vocabulary, Stating functions, Giving explanations

On a page turn, see the fantastic image of a school of orange fish, one of which is a mechanical version, with its various machinery exposed.

To work on compare and contrast, support children in giving a description of the unusual fish and comparing it to the others. Ask questions such a s-

• How is this fish like the others?
• How is this mechanical fish different from the other fish?
• What is the same about all the fish?
• What makes this mechanical fish able to swim?

To work on vocabulary, stating functions, and giving explanations, name the unusual parts of the mechanical fish and its function. Then ask what each part does. For example, ask –

• What is its function?
•          A turnkey winds up the mechanism inside the fish.
•          Gears operate the fish.
•          Propellers make the fish go.
•          Rudders help balance the fish.

and so on.

Plural forms of nouns, regular and irregular

Use the images in the next four page turns to work on plural forms of nouns such as –

• fish/fish
• octopus/octopuses (correct plural noun)
• shell/shells
• seahorse/seahorses
• starfish/starfish
• whale/whales

Descriptions, Syntax constructions, Prepositions, Drawing inferences

On a page turn, see the images from another perspective, that of the boy as he holds the photos in hand.

On the opposite page, the other photo is revealed – a frog-like octopus reading a book in an underwater living room among friends and family.

Allow time for children to absorb all that is going on in the image. There is a lot to discover. Ask for descriptions of their favorite part of the scene.

•  What’s funny about the photo?
• What is unusual in the photo (developed from the camera’s roll of film)?

To work on syntax constructions with prepositions, support children in expressing humorous details, such as –

•          The octopus creature lifts a tentacle up on a footstool.
•          A group of fish are lined up on the couch (like sardines) (ready to be sat on).
•          A fish is upside down under a lampshade (because it is under water).
•          A little fish looks at another fish inside a fishbowl (when they are both under water).

To work on drawing inferences, point out the upside down trailer in the upper corner labeled Moving and Storage. Pose questions about how the trailer got there and the consequences it had on the scene. For example –

•          Why might the door of the trailer be open?
•          How did the living room furniture, like lamps, armchairs and couch, get there?
•          What might have happened when the octopuses found it?

Answering Why questions, Syntax constructions (including negation)

On the next two page turns, find more unusual, fantastical photographs from the camera. Support children’s descriptions by focusing on one aspect or event at a time.

To work on answering why questions with negative syntax structures, ask –

    Why is it unusual for…

•          …a fish to ride in the basket of a hot air balloon? (e.g., Fish don’t live out of water.)
•          …a hot air balloon to be a blown up fish (a pufferfish) with fins for wings? (e.g., Fish can’t fly.)
•          …a sea turtle to swim with a village of cone-shaped shells on its back? (e.g., Turtles don’t carry shells on their backs.)
•          …a spacecraft with space aliens to land on the ocean floor? (e.g., A spaceship probably wouldn’t land underwater.)
•          …giant starfish with forests on their backs to walk on the ocean floor? (e.g., Starfish don’t grow that big; Forests can’t grow under water.)

 

Verbal Expression, Nonverbal communication, Adjectives, Vocabulary, Drawing inferences

On a page turn, see another photo from the film roll. To support verbal expression, scaffold descriptions that express why the photo is unusual, such as –

•          The photo shows a girl from one country holding a photo of a boy from another country who is holding a photo of a boy in another country.

Build anticipation for problem-solving by asking how this could happen. For example, ask –

•          How could the camera have taken a picture of one child from one land holding a picture of another child from somewhere else in the world who is holding another photo of another child?

On the opposite page, see the boy bewildered by the photographs.

To work on nonverbal communication, ask children to describe the boy’s actions and expressions and what they indicate about his thoughts and feelings. Support constructions such as –

     He _______

•          …holds the photo at arms’ length.
•          …scratches his head.
•          …holds it close to his eyes.
•          …looks at the photo with his magnifying glass.

To work on the use of adjectives, ask children to complete the sentence with a word about how he’s feeling, as in  –

• confused
• inquisitive
• bewildered
• mystified
• baffled
• puzzled

To work on vocabulary, describe the word magnify. Talk about the microscope with a lens that magnifies the photo. and that he is able to see even more in the photo with the magnifying glass and microscope.

To work on drawing inferences, ask what is making the boy so intent on the photo with his microscope. Then ask what this says, or infers, about what he is thinking and feeling. Scaffold responses such as –

•          He can’t figure it out.
•          He wants to see more details.
•          He is surprised (baffled, mystified, etc.) at what more he sees.

Drawing inferences, Problem solving

On a page turn, see another photo of another girl in the same scenario, holding another photo.

Work on drawing inferences by talking about the magnification process and what it’s revealing, then asking questions such as-

•          What has made the boy so intent on looking deeper into the photo?
•          What could the microscope do for him?
•          What could be learned from using the microscope?

To work on problem solving, point out the boy who now holds his head in his hands, gazing at the equipment he brought with him to the beach?

•          What is the boy’s problem?
•          How does he solve the problem of (not being able to see, understanding) what intrigues him?
•          What does a microscope do?
•          What is his solution to understanding what is in the photos?

 

Perspective-taking, Problem solving

On a page turn, look carefully at each photo inside the circle with a number and x next to it.

To work on perspective-taking, ask from what and whose perspective they are seen. For example  –

•          Why are the photos in a circular shape inside a black background?
•          On the previous page, what is the instrument the boy is looking through?
•          Who is seeing these images inside the black background? (the boy)
•          How is the boy seeing these photos? (through a microscope)

To work on problem-solving, discuss a microscope and its purpose of enlarging. Then discuss the microscope’s effect on the photos. Consider asking yes/no questions such as –

         Could it be that __________

•          …the more he increased the number, the more he magnified the lens?
•          …the more he magnified the lens, the more he magnified the picture?
•          …the more he magnified the picture, the better he could see another picture inside it?
•          …the more pictures he saw, the farther back in time the pictures were taken?
•          …higher the number beside the photo, the more he magnified the picture?
•          …the more he magnified the picture, the more he saw pictures taken farther back in time?

Point out that each person in the photos looks different. Ask for explanations of the problem the boy solved with the microscope.

•          What is different about them? (They are from different time periods).
•          Why isn’t the boy in the last photo, the largest, holding a photo? (Before that time, there were no cameras, so there would have been no photographs.)

 

Advanced Syntax construction, Problem solving

On a page turn, see the boy on the beach with the towel around his shoulders. The day is coming to an end. His parents and other beachgoers are packing up. He remains perplexed, contemplating, thinking about, his discovery.

Encourage complex syntax constructions by supporting children’s descriptions the two events happening at the same time. Consider sentence starters if needed. Some examples –

•          The boy stays on the beach as            (the beachgoers pack up and leave).
•          At the end of the day, the beachgoers leave but       (the boy stays with the camera).
•          The boy’s parents go home, but the boy             (wants to stay at the beach).

To work on stating the problem and solution, we can appreciate that the concept of a photo within a photo within a photo showing people in different places in the world during different eras can be challenging, even for most children.

Start with a smaller concept and build on it, such as a picture description, as in –

• The boy stays on the beach because he wants to keep looking at the photo.

 So, then ask –

• Q: What is the problem?
  A: He is puzzled by the photo.

Next, ask what is puzzling for him. Support language that describes what he is trying to solve. For example,

• Q: What is he trying to figure out?
  A: He is trying to understand why he sees more photos inside the photo when he magnifies it.

Next, ask what he did to try to solve his problem. Support children’s responses, as in –

• Q: What does he do to solve the problem?
  A: He looks at the photo under his microscope. He magnifies the photos

Next, ask how he solved his problem. Support responses in a few parts, such as –

• Q: What did he finally realize? What did he figure out by magnifying the photo?
  A: The boy figured out that over the years, different children in different places found the camera.
  They got a photo out of the camera and took a picture of themselves holding the photo that they found.

Perspective-taking

On the opposite page, see the boy figure out how to take a picture of himself with the camera holding the first photo of the girl from the film roll. Then see the scene from different perspectives. Study the illustrations for meaning.

Ask from what or whose perspective the images are seen. Point out details and support responses such as –

• The first image is from the perspective of a viewer beside the boy.
• The second image is from the boy’s perspective (as he pushes the camera button with the handle of his shovel).
• The third image is from the perspective of a viewer in front of the boy, with the ocean behind.
•  The fourth image is from the same perspective, in front of the boy, but very close to the camera’s lens. (See the camera’s eye on the opposite page for a comparison.)

 

Perspective-taking, Drawing inferences, Predictions

On a page turn, see the image of the boy holding the photograph from the perspective of the camera’s lens. It IS the photograph, and the camera captured it of the boy with a big wave crashing behind him, washing the other photos out to sea.

On the opposite page, still from the perspective of the sea, see the photos floating away and the boy watching as he stands on the shore. With a faraway look in his eye, he tosses the camera out to sea, waving goodbye. Support children’s explanations with inferences based on events that led up to the present.

• What might the boy have been thinking as he threw the camera into the sea?
• Did he think the camera would sink to the bottom of the ocean and never be found?
• Why don’t you think so?
• Did he think the camera would float away to capture another adventure? Why do you think so?
• If someone found the camera in the future, what would they find on the roll of film?

 

Vocabulary, Grammar & Syntax, Literate Language, Predicting

On the next few page turns, continue book talk about what the camera captures on its fantastical adventures in the same way as with the previous pages.

Support descriptions with scaffolding, such as modeling a sentence, providing a sentence starter, and expanding an utterance to incorporate the target objectives.

At the story’s end, see a girl in another part of the world kneeling on the beach, reaching for a half-buried camera in the sand. Ask children to predict what might happen next.

Other skills to address throughout the shared book reading:

Articulation

To work on correct production of a phoneme or particular phonemes at the level of carryover to spontaneous speech, use the images to encourage descriptions during book talk.

Book talk can be heavily loaded with sibilant sounds S (i.e., sea, microscope, splash, seaweed, octopus, spaceship, inspect, etc.), CH (i.e., multiple uses of pictures), and SH (i.e., ocean, fish, shore, shovel, etc.).

 Fluency

Wordless picture books provide wonderful opportunities to work on communication goals for children who stutter.

To work on fluency techniques, structure participation in book talk by demonstrating and supporting fluency techniques such as easy start, light contacts, pausing, and speaking on a steady breath stream.

To work on adjusting attitudes and increase verbal participation in life, hold a discussion on avoidance. Use the illustrations of the boy in conversation with other beachgoers and the lifeguard.

Discuss how events might have been different if the boy had avoided inquiring about the camera due to fears about stuttering. Some suggestions include –

• Why was it important to speak with the beachgoers, no matter how he spoke?
• Why was it important to ask the lifeguard about it, no matter how he spoke?
• If the boy had not spoken with others about the camera, what might have been the result? (E.g., He wouldn’t know if it belonged to another beachgoer, he might not be comfortable taking it in his possession, etc.)

To work on techniques combined with avoidance issues, use the same methods for fluency techniques at the page where the boy goes into the camera store. Ask the child to supply the dialog. Notice he was asking for the film to be developed as well as for another roll of film to purchase.

Additionally, talk about how the clerk is not directly looking at him while he is talking because she is on the phone. Discuss the real-life dynamics of interaction with others.

• Are there times when we need to speak to another while they are busy doing something else?
• Is this realistic? Understandable?

Ask how the story would have been different had the boy avoided interacting with the clerk since she wasn’t giving the expected eye contact or focusing directly at him. .

After the read-aloud, revisit the book’s pages and continue book talk to build any of the following skills:

 

Vocabulary, Associations, Homonyms, Synonyms

To work on vocabulary and  associations, review the meaning of flotsam. Talk about the word frequently associated with flotsam, which is jetsam.

The literal meaning of flotsam is debris in the water that was not deliberately thrown overboard.

Jetsam, on the other hand, is debris that was deliberately thrown overboard. It was usually tossed to the sea to lighten a ship’s load.

Ask children what the proper word would be for the camera when it was found by the boy.  Some examples –

• Do you think that the camera, when it was found by the boy, was deliberately thrown in the water?
• Or did it accidentally end up in the ocean?
• Is it correctly called flotsam?
• Do you think the camera the boy threw out to sea at the end of the story could be called flotsam?
• Why not?
• Why should it now be called jetsam?

To work on homonyms, talk about another meaning for the two words used together.

Flotsam and jetsam can be spoken in a nonliteral way. Used this way it means odds and ends.

When people talk about the flotsam, or flotsam and jetsam of life, they mean the miscellaneous, or unimportant things.

To work on synonyms, talk about other words used for flotsam, such as

• debris
• litter
• garbage
• waste
• trash
• junk

Executive Functions

The neural networking of executive functions is mostly driven by language. It can be helpful for children to verbalize strategies characters put in place that lead to the story’s outcome. Strengthening these skills can also enhance many literate discourse skills.

To work on planning and organization, talk about what the boy would want to bring with him as he planned for a day of discovery at the seashore. While we don’t see him in preparation, we can assume he had plenty on his list. Ask questions such as –

• If the boy wanted to study ocean crabs, what would he need to gather up for a day at the beach?
• How did good planning affect his ability to learn about the camera when it washed ashore? (E.g., He already had what he needed, like a magnifying glass, microscope, a bucket to set the camera on, etc.).
• What did he pack and how was it later used ?
  1. A magnifying glass to look closer at the photos and discover there was more there for the eye to see
  2. A microscope to look even closer. It allowed him to see the photos went back in time.
  3. A pail to place the camera on to take a photo
  4. A long to press the button on the camera
  5. A towel to wrap up in when he was wet or cold.
• How might planning ahead and organizing for an event help you with an unforeseen event?

Discussion

There are many avenues for holding discussions about this imaginative story. Given the amount of material to choose from, consider asking viewers for their favorite page. Focus on the underwater creatures the camera captured in never-before-seen activities. Discuss why the image is fascinating and holds so much interest.

• Is that you might have to look a little further to figure out what’s going on?
• Is it that the wildly imagined image might make sense?
• Is It funny because _______?

Then think of other sea creatures, such as a whale, shark, or sunfish. Imagine what that creature might do under the water that has never before been revealed!

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Note:  See other book treatments by the three-time Caldecott award-winning author/illustrator, David Wiesner, in the catalogs of Books Are for Talking, Too! (Fourth Edition).

Browse through three, age-related catalogs to find literally hundreds of quality picture book entries, easily attainable through school and local libraries. Find your favorites and discover other excellent choices ideal for the specified skills. Get treatment plans that provide you with methods, prompts, word lists, activities, and loads of ideas, whether for one child, or multiple learners.

Use the Skills index to look under the Skills headings for suggested picture books ideal for supporting those skills. Then see book titles cross-referenced to three age-related catalogs. You’ll also find picture books that cover this book’s topics and a whole lot more in the Topic Explorations Index of Books Are for Talking, Too! (Fourth Edition).

~ All in one resource!  ~

Books Are for Talking, Too! (Fourth Edition)

~ Engaging children in the language of stories since 1990 ~

Available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/efcKFw6

Extended Activities:  See a YouTube video “read along” of Flotsam by the Canadian production company, Whimsical Productions, at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1v9-UT93R4

You Stole My Name: The Curious Case of Animals with Shared Names
by Dennis McGregor
Oregon: Blue Star Press, 2021.

Suggested Grade and Interest Level: Pre-K through 2

Editions: Hardcover, Board book

Honors: Kirk’s Best Indie Picture Book, 2023

Topics to Explore: Animals, Nature, Sharing

Skills to Build:
Concepts of Print
Semantics: Vocabulary, Homonyms, Adjectives, Attributes, Idioms, Metaphors, Prepositions
Grammar and syntax: Two- and three-word utterances, Noun + Verb agreement, Present progressive tense structures, Question structures, Negative structures, Advanced syntactic structures
Language literacy (a.k.a. Language discourse): Predictions, Cause-Effect Relationships, Verbal expression (Giving explanations), Compare and contrast, Answering Why questions, Relating personal experiences, Discussion
Pragmatic Social Language:  Nonverbal Communication
Fluency
Articulation
Phonological Awareness

Summary: All marvel over the museum-quality artwork in the reviews, so much so that it’s been called “A Coffee Table Book for Kids”. The story schema presents a repetitive sequence of comparisons between two different creatures that share a similar feature. The text is a clever, catchy, rhyming verse that invites repetition, questions, comparisons, and explanations. It’s ideal for multiple sessions as you can read as much as you’d like and easily pick up where you left off.

Before the read-aloud, consider possibilities for working on  –

Concepts of Print, Predictions

Show the cover and use your finger to underscore the words of the title, printed in a wavy line, while reading it aloud.  Identify the names of each animal and ask which one stole the other’s name. Ask for predictions about what the story will be about.

Explain that on each page, two beautiful creatures are presented from our wonderful world.  The one who stole its name from the other will have its name printed at the top. Ask children to see if they can spot the name of the animal on the following page and point it out.

Vocabulary, Attributes, Giving explanations

Ask children to identify the animals on the cover, Bull and Frog. Talk about the features of Bull, its size and long horns, and Frog, small, green, with a wide mouth. Ask –

• What kind of a frog is Bullfrog? (largest of all frogs, lives in shallow water, makes loud sounds)
• Why does Bull think Bullfrog stole his name?
• What does it mean to share?

Say that the book shows how many animals share their names with other animals – and “we will soon find out which ones!”

Of Interest: Bullfrogs actually get their name from the sounds male bullfrogs make when mating. The loud, bellowing sounds are judged to be similar to the sounds of bulls.

During the read-aloud, emphasize the rhythm and rhyme as you read aloud and consider all the possibilities for targeting skills, like  –

Syntax Constructions, N + V agreement,
Idioms, Compare and Contrast

On the first page, show the Kangaroo and Kangaroo Rat. The verse reads –

You stole my name, but I don’t mind

after all, we’re two of a kind.

I like to jump and you do too.

They say I even look like you!

To work on syntax and N + V agreement, describe the actions of Kangaroo and Rat, as in –

•           The rat is jumping
•          The kangaroo is jumping
•          They are jumping.

Work on idioms as you reread the text –

after all we’re two of a kind

Explain that when two people are much alike, we can say they are two of a kind. Ask children to apply the idiom to their own lives, as in –

•          If you and your friend like to do the same things, then are you two of a kind?
•          Do you know any people who are two of a kind? What makes them so?

To work on compare and contrast, ask about the animals’ likenesses and differences, as in –

•          How are Kangaroo and Rat alike? (e.g., both animals, jump, have tails, fur, etc.)
•          How are Kangaroo and Rat different? (e.g., Kangaroo is large, Rat is small; Kangaroo uses only hind legs to jump; Kangaroo is a marsupial, Rat is a rodent, etc.)

Two- and three-word utterances, Syntax construction,
Cause-and-effect relationships, Giving explanations,
Answering Why questions, Compare and contrast

On a page turn, see Hawk and Chicken Hawk. The rhythmic verse along with the images are more easily repeatable for early language learners. Encourage repetition, as in –

I always run I do not walk

When I see a chicken hawk.

•          Chickens run.
•          Chickens can run.
•          Chickens always run.

To work on present tense, talk about the action of Chicken, as in –

•          Chicken is ___ (i.e., running, running away from the big hawk).

To work on cause-and-effect relationships and giving explanations, asking what made Chicken run so fast. Scaffold with connecting words so and because. For example –

•        The chicken runs because it sees the hawk
•        The chicken runs away so the hawk can’t get her.

To work on answering Why questions, scaffold responses to include connector words so and because. Questions might include  –

•        Why does the chicken “always run” when it sees the hawk?
•        Why is the hawk called a chicken hawk?

To work on compare and contrast, talk about likenesses and differences, such as –

•        How are Chicken Hawk and Chicken alike? (both birds, have similar colored feathers, sharp beaks)
•        How are Chicken Hawk and Chicken different? (Chicken Hawk is a big bird; Chicken is smaller; Chicken Hawk eats birds, Chicken eats grain)

Present tense and Advanced syntax constructions,
Prepositions, Metaphors, Vocabulary,
Attributes, Compare and Contrast

On a page turn, show Parrot and Parrot Fish as you read the catchy verse.

To work on present tense, encourage descriptions about what each is doing, such as –

•        The parrot is flying.
•        The fish is swimming

Expand sentences with prepositions to create phrases and advanced syntactic structures.  For example, describe where and how the creature is performing its action, as in –

•        The parrot is flying ___ (in the air, above the water).
•        The fish is swimming ___ (beneath, under, through) the sea.

To work on metaphors, talk about the meaning of rainbow feathers. Ask –

•          How are the parrot’s feathers like the rainbow?

 Encourage expression of the metaphor’s meaning, as in –

•          The parrot has rainbow feathers.
•          The fish thought the parrot’s feathers looked like a rainbow.
•          The parrot looked like a rainbow flying above the water.

To work on vocabulary and attributes, describe each animal’s features, as in –

•          Parrot has ______ (wings, a beak, a tail, is colorful, lots of colors, etc.).
•          Parrot Fish has _______ (scales, fins, a tail, etc.).

Continue work on advanced syntax structures by connecting the words with other words to express more meaning, such as –

•          Parrot has wings to fly through the sky.
•          Parrot Fish has fins to swim beneath the sea.

To work on compare and contrast, talk about likenesses and differences. After naming the attributes of each, this skill should fall right into place!

Of Interest: Parrot fish actually get their name from their dentition that forms a parrot-like beak. (Not shown). Multiple, tightly packed teeth on the outside surface of their jaw bones enable them to rasp algae from coral rocks. This contributes to a natural process called bioerosion.

Question and Negative structures, Nonverbal Communication,
Vocabulary, Attributes

 On a page turn, see Cow and Cowbird, who can’t figure out how it got named after a cow!

To work on question structures, first ask clarifying-type questions. Then ask how Cowbird might have asked the question about how it got its name. For example –

•          What does the bird want to know?
•          What can’t he/she figure out?
•          How does he/she ask this?

Scaffold structures such as –

•        How did I get my name?
•        Why did I get named after a cow?

To work on nonverbal communication, use intonation of voice (i.e., riled up, ticked off) to imply how the little bird feels about its name as you re-read –

Fashion choices I prefer

Feature feathers over fur.

Ask –

•        Does the bird like being named after a cow?  Why not?

To work on negative structures, state what the cow doesn’t seem to like very much.  Ask –

•        What doesn’t it like about being named after a cow?

Begin with sentence starters such as –

•        Cowbird doesn’t like _______.
•        Maybe it doesn’t want  _______
•        I don’t think it wants to ________ (be called a cowbird).

To work in vocabulary and attributes, talk about the word feature as used in this context. Then reword the text, as in –

•        I like it when feathers are featured rather than fur.
•        I like having feathers, not fur.

Define the word, as in to highlight something, a special part of something.

Encourage its use by modeling a sentence and providing a sentence starter such as –

•        A special feature of Cow is its ________.
•        A special feature of our room is ________.

Ask –

•        What are the special features of the cow.
•        What are the special features of the bird?

Of Interest: Cowbirds got their name, not because they look like cows, but from their need to feed on insects that get stirred up from those bovines on the move!

Attributes, Compare and Contrast

On a page turn, show Rhinoceros with Rhinoceros Beetle on its nose as you read the fun verse.

To work on attributes, name the features of Rhinoceros.

•        What special feature does it have?
•        How else can Rhinoceros be described? (large, big, brown, wrinkly, one-horned)
•        What special feature does Rhinoceros beetle have? (a big horn)

To work on compare and contrast, ask questions about the animals’ likenesses and differences as shown in prior sections.

N + V agreement, Syntax formation, Prepositions,
Advanced syntax structures, Attributes, Compare and contrast

On a page turn, see Elephant and Elephant Seal swimming alongside each other.

To work on N + V agreement and syntax formation, prompt descriptions that elicit various formations such as –

•        The elephant is swimming.
•        The seal is swimming.
•        They are swimming

Also ask what is special about elephants and elephant seals. Shape responses such as –

•        Seals can swim
•        Elephants can swim
•        They both can swim.

Expand sentences with prepositions to create phrases and advanced syntactic structures by describing where and how the creatures swim, as in –

•      The elephant is swimming  ___ (in the water, under the water, next to the seal).
•      The seal is swimming ___ (beneath, under, through the water; next to the elephant).

To work on attributes, talk about the special features of each, such as Elephant’s trunk and tusks and Elephant Seal’s long nose.

To work on compare and contrast, ask about the animals’ likenesses and differences as shown in prior sections.

Of Interest: Yes! Elephants are excellent swimmers!

Attributes, Prepositions, Syntax Constructions,
Cause-and-effect relationships, Giving explanations

On a page turn, see Tiger and Tiger Shrimp look directly at each other. Prompt and scaffold specified language skills.

To work on attributes, talk about the special features of each, such as Tiger’s stripes and whiskers and Tiger Shrimp’s stripes and long antennae.

To work on prepositions, reread the text about how Shrimp swims backwards  –

 Being tiny is a blast

I swim backwards to go fast.

Talk about the way Shrimp swims in order to move fast. Model and scaffold sentences to connect backwards to other verbs such as –

•          The shrimp goes backwards.
•          The shrimp swims backwards.
•          The shrimp moves backwards.

To work on cause-effect relationships, scaffold constructions using connector words so and because. For example, ask –

• What causes Shrimp to swim fast? (It swims backwards)

Suggestions:

• Shrimp can swim fast because it swims backwards.
  Shrimp swims backwards so it can go fast.

To work on giving explanations, scaffold responses when asking –

• How did Shrimp get its name?

Suggestions –

• Shrimp has stripes like Tiger, so they called it Tiger Shrimp.
  They named Tiger Shrimp after Tiger because it looks like Tiger
  It looks like Tiger because it has stripes.

Attributes, Answering Why questions

On a page turn, see Alligator with Alligator Lizard on top of its head. Scaffold expressive language skills in the following ways:

To work on attributes, talking about Alligator’s special features, like its teeth and scales.

To work on answering Why questions, ask  –

•          Why did Lizard steal the Alligator’s name?

 Scaffold language constructs such as

•        Lizard stole Alligator’s name because it wanted to bite like Alligator.

   Ask-

•        Why do you think Lizard wanted to bite like Alligator?

 Scaffold language constructs such as –

•       Because it is easier to get food and different types of food (prey) with sharp teeth.

Special Note: Alligator lizards are endangered species. It is estimated that only about. 2,500 remain worldwide. And yes, they bite!

Early utterances, Syntax Constructions,
Nonverbal communication, Vocabulary, Compare and contrast

On a page turn, see Spider Monkey incredulously watching Spider.

To work on two- and three-word utterances, use the rhythmic verse to encourage repetition of certain portions, such as –

Skinny elbows, skinny knees,

Swinging freely from the trees

To work on tense constructions, talk about what Spider does. (dangles from a silk thread, hangs upside down from its thread, makes/spins a web, and so on.).

To work on nonverbal communication and vocabulary, read with intonation of voice (i.e., questioning, wondering, incredulous, astounded, perplexed) as you imply how Monkey feels about being named after Spider.

• “Is that why….?”

Look for visual clues in the illustration as Monkey studies the delicate creature. Brainstorm words that describe how he feels.  Ask –

• How is it that we understand how Monkey is feeling?

To work on compare and contrast, talk about the animals’ likenesses and differences as shown in prior sections.

Syntax construction, Homonyms

On a page turn, see that Bull dove under water to look at Bull Trout.

To work on syntax formations, support sentence constructions about Bull diving underwater to check out the fish that’s using its name.

To work on homonyms, read the last line of verse –

I’m the biggest in my school!

Discuss the different meanings for the word school, such as a group of fish that travel together, and a place to learn. Model and scaffold sentences using each meaning.

Of Interest:  Bull trout are not actually trout! The species was originally named after the bull due to the size of its head and mouth. Scientists later learned it is really from a species called a char, that have light spots on a dark background, just like the illustration! The biggest difference between the two is that char have light spots and trout have black spots!

Early utterances, Negative syntax structures,
Compare and contrast, Giving explanations.

On a page turn, see the huge face of Cat intent on watching Catfish in front of its beautiful eyes. Cat wonders how Catfish got its name. After all, fish don’t meow, purr, or have paws or fur!

To work on early utterances and negative syntax formations, talk about Cat. Use the story’s verse, either through repetition or by constructing novel sentences

To work on compare and contrast, ask questions about the animals’ likenesses and differences as shown in prior sections.

To work on giving explanations, ask how it is possible that Cat could be so close to Catfish. After all, Fish is a water creature and Cat, well…… it’s been said they do not like water!

Negative syntax structures, Prepositions, Idioms

 

On a page turn, see Dog sitting in front of Shark, watching it go by. The text reads –

My bark is way worse than my bite –

compared to you I know that’s right.

You don’t wag and you don’t bark.

You’re no dog! You’re a shark!

To work on negative structures, encourage repetition of the applicable verse. Ask what the shark doesn’t do. Begin with sentence starters such as –

•        The shark doesn’t           (wag its tail, bark).
•        It’s not a    (shark).

To work on prepositions, describe where and how the creatures are positioned and performing their actions. For example –

•        Dog sits in front of the fish.
•        Shark swims through the water.

To work on idioms, talk about what it means to say,  “My bark is worse than my bite.” Use Dog for an example, explaining that even though Dog can bite, he really just barks a lot, so he’s not as scary as he seems.  When people use the term, it means they are not as scary or unpleasant as they seem.

 

Prepositions, Attributes, Answering Why questions

On a page turn, show Turkey standing unsuspectingly in front of the imposing Vulture, its wings spread as though to pounce. Turkey wonders why in the world Vulture had to steal its name, considering all the other birds’ names it could have chosen.

To work on prepositions, describe where and how the birds are positioned and performing their actions.

To work on attributes, talk about the special features of Vulture (its long beak and large wings) and Turkey (its pointed beak, red neck, etc.).

To work on answering Why questions, scaffold responses with connector words so and because. Questions may include  –

•      Why does Turkey Vulture have its wings spread out behind Turkey?
•      Why is the vulture called a Turkey Vulture?

Attributes, Compare and contrast

On a page turn, see Mule walking alongside Mule Deer, who is hidden, but for its legs and antlers.

To work on attributes, name the special features of Mule (big ears) and Mule Deer (big antlers).

To work on compare and contrast, talk about how the two animals are alike and different. See how working on this skill goes more smoothly after naming the attributes of each!

Note: Find more ideas for Book Talk under the Fluency heading below.

Concepts of Print, Vocabulary, Homonyms,
Idioms, Answering Why questions,
Naming Attributes, Compare and contrast

On the last page, see Zebra biting its tail as little Zebra Finch perches closely on the end of it.

To work on concepts of print, re-read the verse that tells how Zebra saw Zebra Finch’s name at the tail end of the alphabet. Have fun with the play on words and ask –

•      What’s the beginning sound in the word Zebra?.
•      What’s the beginning sound in the word Zebra Finch?
•      What letter of the alphabet represents the Z sound?
•      What is the very last letter in the alphabet? At the tail end?

To work on vocabulary, homonyms, talk about the word tail, the hindmost end of an animal.

The Zebra Finch is on the Zebra’s tail at the end.

To work on idioms, talk about what tail end means. Give examples, such as at the tail end of the line.  Ask children to give more examples.

•      Where is the tail end of the alphabet?
•      What letter is at the tail end of the alphabet?
•      Where is the Zebra Finch perched?
•      Zebra Finch is at the tail end of the Zebra, and its name starts with the letter at the tail end of the alphabet.

After the read-aloud, ask children to recall their favorite page. Turn back, review how the animal got its name. Then create more possibilities to work on skills, like  –

Discussion, Relating personal experiences

All the animals in this story see an element of themselves in the other. They have something in common. Review some of the characters and talk about how they enjoyed sharing their name with another, such as –

• Kangaroo is happy to share its name with Kangaroo Rat.
• Rhinoceros likes Beetle’s horn and thinks it’s a “mini me,” He’s happy when Beetle likes his name and decides to “make it mine.”
• Elephant is eager to go to the ocean and discover a Seal “who’s named after me.”

Discuss what it means to share. Talk about how sharing means owning something together or using something (even if only temporarily) along with someone else. Talk about the rules for sharing. Ask for examples of sharing and allow children to relate their own experiences about something that belongs to them that they share. Then ask –

• How did it make you feel to share something with someone else?
• Point out that telling stories is also a way of sharing with each other.

Nonverbal communication

While there is plenty of linguistic content on each page of our story, there are also communicative behaviors that convey emotion and intention. Two of those behaviors are tone of voice and facials expressions. Each is an important aspect of nonverbal communication and conveys a great deal about the speaker’s message.

To work on the auditory cues of nonverbal communication, start with Kangaroo.  The verse reads –

You stole my name but I don’t mind.

•          What is the tone of the kangaroo when talking to the rat?
•          Is it mad? Or kind?
•          Why is tone important? What does it tell us in addition to the words ?

When Kangaroo says to Kangaroo Rat that they are “two of a kind,”

•          What is the tone of the kangaroo?
•          What might have happened if Kangaroo said the words with a stern tone?
•          A mad tone? A mocking tone?

On each page, whether it features Chicken, Elephant, or any other character, its tone of voice helps us understand its message more than just the words alone.

To work on visual cues of nonverbal communication, look at the illustrations for clues. For example, look at Cat looking at Catfish. Its colorful eyes stare intently, and it appears dangerously close to Catfish.

• What does that expression say?

Whether you’re looking for visual cues in the characters’ expressions or auditory cues in the tone of voice, these are important aspects to teach for children’s understanding and appreciation of the story.

Fluency

To work on fluency techniques, use any page with a featured animal. The Mule Deer is especially good. It reads –

We get teased about their size

but ears like ours deserve a prize.

Taking the part of the mule deer, demonstrate a technique, such as easy start, on the initial word We. The child can practice the technique by repeating the rhythmic line. Continue the specified technique on the remaining lines  –

I barely whisper in your ear

and you hear me loud and clear.

Using the specified technique, transition to question responses about the story’s meaning. For example –

•    What’s unusual about the deer? (It has big ears.)
•    Why does it get teased? (Its ears are big like a mule’s/donkey’s.)
•    Does the deer like its ears anyway? Why?

Assign a gender to the Mule Deer. Then have the child describe it, starting with the chosen pronoun while using the specified technique, as in –

• He/She ______ (e.g., has big ears).
• He/She______ (e.g., gets teased about them).
• He/She _______ (e.g., likes them because he/she can hear others better).

To work on healthy self-perceptions, discuss the Mule Deer’s attitude. While it could have focused on being teased for its big ears, instead it sees the situation as positive. The ability to hear well makes it a better listener!

•          What was important to the deer?
•          Hiding its ears? Avoiding being seen?
•          Or, being grateful that it can hear well with them?

Then segue to the child’s own self-acceptance. Consider asking –

•          In what way was the deer an effective communicator?
•          in what ways are you an effective communicator?

Possible responses –

•             He/She didn’t avoid speaking to the mule.
•             He/She was a good listener.
•             He/She believed in himself/herself.

For any child, no matter what the focused objective, addressing teasing is an opportunity to remind the child that others’ opinions of you don’t define you. Speaking with confidence and believing in yourself is what is important.

Articulation

To work on production of back sounds K and G, look for opportunities on every page of the text and illustration –

To work on auditory awareness, auditory bombardment, and production at sound, syllable, or one-word level, the featured creatures are all you need! Show pages for the: Kangaroo, Chicken and Chicken Hawk, Cowbird, Tiger Shrimp, Alligator Lizard, Monkey, Cat and Catfish, Dogfish, andTurkey Vulture.

Portions of the rhyming verse are ideal for phrase or sentence\ levels. They include –

…we’re two of a kind

…I even look like you.

…I do not walk

when I see a chicken hawk.

Can you tell me why or how

I was named for a cow?

Goodbye circus, goodbye zoo.

looky there, I made you blink!

…I’m the biggest in my school

You don’t wag and you don’t bark

You’re no dog! You’re a shark!

To work on transitioning to conversational speech, use the images to further describe the creatures, such as

• The alligator with its scales
• The lizard with its claws.
• The chicken that runs from the hawk.
• The parrot which its sharp beak that flies in the sky
• The cowbird’s many colors.
• The elephant’s trunk

Phonological Awareness

Playing PA games with You Stole My Name is fun and easy! The short verses rhyme consistently, the creature names are familiar, and each is supported by a fantastic illustration. Depending on where the child’s abilities fall on the PA spectrum, you may wish to start with the games provided here at some of the beginning levels, Rhyming Awareness and Syllable (and Compound Word) Awareness.

 NOTE: The full spectrum of PA is not within the scope of this book treatment. For book treatments that encompass the full range of PA, look through book treatments in the PA Catalog of Books Are for Talking, Too! (Fourth edition), where you’ll find the full range of activities to use with easy-to-find picture books.

 NOTICE: ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The following phonological awareness games are copyrighted material from the 3rd and 4th editions of Books Are for Talking, Too!  They are the intellectual property of the author/publisher. They are used here in Book Talk by the author/publisher for educational purposes only. Duplication of this material for commercial use is prohibited without explicit permission from author/publisher.

Rhyming Awareness level

 Play: Finish-the-Rhyme. Return to the beginning page of the Kangaroo Rat. Explain that you will reread the story and leave out a word for the child to fill in. For example, read –

“You stole my name, but I don’t mind

 after all, we’re two of a _____ (kind).

I like to jump and you do too.

They say I even look like _____ (you).

Continue to do the same on the next page, as you read –

I always run I do not walk

When I see a chicken _____ (hawk).

Every day I play this game

with the one who stole my _____ (name).

Once the child is successful, move up to the next level and –

Play: Say-It-Again. After ending the rhyming verse in Finish the Rhyme, highlight the rhyming words again, repeating the first word in the rhyme set to have the child supply the second word. For example, Say,

• That’s right.
• Game rhymes with (n)____ . (name)

Play these games using all the pages of the text. If the child can complete the rhyming text and identify the rhyming word, move up to the next level and –

Play: Do-They-Rhyme? The child identifies whether or not word pairs rhyme.

• Using the first page, say –
• Mind, kind
• Do they rhyme? (Yes)
• Kind, jump
• Do they rhyme? (No)

Continue using the rhyming words on each page until the child is successful in identifying rhyming pairs. Then move to the next game in the Rhyming Awareness level.

Play: Which-One-Rhymes? Children select a rhyming word from a word string that matches the target word presented. For example, after rereading the text from the ParrotFish page, say –

• Which word rhymes with sky?
• Fish, Fly (fly)
• That’s right. Fly rhymes with sky .

In another example, after re-reading the Rhinoceros Beetle page, say –

• Which word rhymes with me?
• Agree, mine (agree)
• That’s right!  Me rhymes with agree.

Choose words from the page of text for your word strings. If the child is successful with two words in the string, advance to three words from which to choose the rhyming word. If the child is successful at this level, then move to the next game.

Play: Make-a-Rhyme. Children supply another rhyming word, either after a rhyming word from the story is presented or after a set of two rhyming words is presented. For example, read the verses from Tiger Shrimp page that say –

Being tiny is a blast

I swim backwards to go fast.

Quicker than you’d ever think

looky there, I made you blink!

Say –

• think, blink
• Do they rhyme? (Yes.)
• What’s another word that rhymes with think and blink? (i.e., sink, link, link, pink, rink, stink, wink, etc.)

Syllable (and Compound Word) Awareness Level

If the child has achieved all increments in the Rhyming Awareness level, proceed to the next level on the Phonological Awareness spectrum, the Syllable level.

Play: Clap-and-Count. Children clap to, and then count, the number of syllables in a word. Use the compound words of the story first, as they are easier to identify.  Then move to the two-syllables animal words and show the page with their image to make it fun. And then try the three- and four-syllable words.

• Say and clap –
• Rainbow
• How many parts in the word rainbow? Clap it out.
• (two)
• Rain–bow. One, two.

Other compound words in the story are:

• Good – bye
• Back – wards
• Cat – fish

The creatures pictured that have two-syllables are:

• Chi – cken
• Pa – rrot
• Bee – tle
• Ti – ger
• Li – zard
• Mon – key
• Vul – ture
• Ze – bra

Continue with the three-syllable words –

• Kan – ga – roo
• E – le – phant
• A l- pha – bet

Continue with the four-syllable words  –

• Rhi – no – cer- ous
• All-i -ga-tor

Play: What’s-the-Word? In this game, children synthesize syllables or little words into words or compound words. Say the word parts with a clear pause between them. Then have the child say the syllables quickly until the word is identified. For example, say –

• Rain – bow
• What word did I say?
• Say it until you hear it. Rainnnn –  bow.
• Rainn – bow. Rain – bow.
• Rainbow is the word.

Once children can synthesize syllables of a word, move to the next increment in this level of PA with the following activity:

Play: Find-the-Little-Words. Children analyze words to hear each element in a. compound or two-syllable word (e.g., What little words do you hear in playground ? [play, ground]).

For example, say –

• Rainbow.
• Can you hear any little words in rainbow?
• That’s right. Rain is a little word in rainbow.

Then change the stress pattern. Say

• Let’s try it a different way.
• Rain – boooooow
• That’s right. Bow is another little word in
• Rainbow.

Continue to play the game with the other words in the story that contain little words –

• Goodbye (good, bye/buy)
• Backwards (back, words)
• Ti – ger (tie, grrrr)
• Chicken (chick)
• Beetle (bee, beet)
• Monkey (key)
• Skinny (skin, knee)
• Spider (spy)
• Alphabet (Al, bet)

Once children are able to synthesize and analyze words, continue on the hierarchy of PA levels. You can structure your own activities. It’s easy to make a list of suitable words and proceed with specified activities that focus on each level of the continuum until the child has achieved the final stages of phonemic awareness.

© SoundingYourBest.com. All rights reserved.
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Find literally hundreds of books covering these topics and more in the Topic Explorations Index of Books Are for Talking, Too! (Fourth Edition).

See listings of readily available books ideal for targeting the skills addressed here and many more in the extensive Skills Index of Books Are for Talking, Too! (Fourth Edition).

Find titles cross-referenced in three age-related Catalogs and discover book treatments that provide you with methods, prompts, word lists, question sets, activities, and loads of ideas!

~ All in one resource! ~

Books Are for Talking, Too! (Fourth Edition)

•   *Best-practices aligned
•   *Based on academic research
•   *Backed by ASHA Guidelines

~ Engaging children in the language of stories since 1990 ~

Available on Amazon https://a.co/d/efcKFw6

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Additional books in this series include:

You Stole My Name Too: A Curious Case of Animals and Plants with Shared Names
You Stole My Name Tools: The Curious Case of Animals and Tools with Shared Names

Additional Digital Resources:

See and share with children the YouTube video of author/illustrator Dennis McGregor in the supermarket signing copies of You Stole My Name at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7fU5NgfV18

Check out the Sing Along of Dennis McGregor singing the You Stole My Name to a class of young children and get a sense of the rhythm and rhyme of this delightful book.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7fU5NgfV18

Check out the Paige Tate & Co. website at the heading: “Take a Look Inside” to page through an interactive except of the book and preview its pages and beautiful design at https://www.paigetate.com/products/you-stole-my-name?srsltid=AfmBOopCgIqP96Zi_ygoWxtQkbOBDGV22ZDsXIiqDNGzed7GjzN492KQ

© SoundingYourBest.com. All rights reserved.

Hope is the Thing with Feathers
by Emly Dickinson, illustrated by Tim Hopgood
London: Paw Prints Publishing, 2024.

Suggested Grade and Interest Level: Pre-K through 4* (and beyond for many learners)

Other editions: Paperback, eBook, and Kindle

Topics to Explore: Birds, Emotions and feelings, Famous people, Poetry, Self-esteem; Weather

Skills to Build:
Semantics: Vocabulary, Synonyms, Homonyms, Homophones, Metaphors, Prepositions
Morphological markers (suffixes)
Grammar and syntax:  Noun + Verb agreement, Plural forms of nouns, Present progressive tense structures, Irregular past tense structures, Negative structures, Advanced syntactic structures
Language literacy (a.k.a. Language discourse): Relating personal experiences, Sequencing events, Drawing inferences, Giving explanations, Answering Why questions, Discussion
Articulation: S, Z, and Th phonemes
Fluency
Voice

Synopsis: The classic poem by one of the world’s most beloved poets is beautifully illustrated with a story that children can relate to. In this pictorial adaptation, the audience follows a bird as it flies across the world and then home again, singing its song no matter what manner of storm it encounters. As the poem is read aloud, children connect its meaning to the illustrations, and in the process, learn about metaphors. It begins with a girl appearing wistful, looking out her window with head in hands. She is listening to the song. The bird takes off, flies through a storm, over a foreign land where people encounter hardships, still singing as it crosses the sea, and comes back to the branch  This time the girl regards the bird with contentment and a smile. Children can attach meaning to metaphors, as “the thing with feathers” provides comfort to all it encounters, even in the most difficult times.

Strategies: If your audience is younger and/or more characteristic of concrete language learners, consider a read-aloud by first pausing for Book Talk solely about the illustrations. Follow the bird flying through a storm while still singing, no matter what the conditions, and returning to the girl’s window. Support children in telling the story as you read the verse. Then go back to re-read the poem after its meaning can more easily be applied, using the suggested methods listed under Metaphors. 

Methods:
Before the read-aloud, share that you want to read a story that is a poem written by the one of the most famous poets of all time, Emily Dickinson. Point out the bird on the cover and build anticipation with an invitation to follow the bird throughout the story to see where it will go and what it will see. Then model, scaffold, and expand on child responses to work on –

Vocabulary, Relating personal experiences

Talk about the word hope. Hold a discussion about difficult times and unforeseen events, such as natural disasters or hardships that people often experience. Talk about the importance of hope for those affected by adversity. They can have hope and be encouraged that they will recover, rebuild, be OK, get well, and that things will work out.

Ask children to think about a time that they had hope that things would turn out OK. Ask them to share the event as you support them with scaffolding and feedback.

Also share that the poem was written long ago, when other words were common but aren’t so familiar to us today. Show that the book has a list of those words in the back material to help us understand their meanings.

Metaphors

 To work on metaphors, talk about how a word can be used in place of another more common word to show how they are alike.  Explain that a metaphor compares one thing to another. Give examples, such as –

• Blanket of snow (e.g., A blanket covers the bed just like snow covers the ground.)
• Heart of gold (e.g., Gold is a precious metal just like a heart is a precious part of you.)
• Life is a journey (e.g., A journey takes you to places along the road, just as life takes you to experiential places; it may not always be a smooth road, and there are challenges as well as rewards along the way.)

Show the title page and explain that in this story, the author uses the thing with feathers (i.e., a bird) to compare it to the word hope.

Point to Hope in the title and then the bird flying beneath the title for a visual representation.

 

During the read-aloud, scaffold targeted speech and language objectives using the illustrations to point out details that support the story’s meaning.

Present tense constructions, Drawing inferences, Metaphors

On the first page turn, see the girl with her head in her hands, looking out from her window. The poem begins –

Hope is the thing with feathers.

Point out the musical notes in the air and talk about what they represent. Draw inferences about how the girl appears to be feeling.

• Might she be worried?
• How do you think she feels about the bird?
• What might the words of the story imply about how she is feeling?

Support present tense constructions about what the girl sees, hears, and feels, such as –

• She sees _________ (e.g., bird perched on a branch).
• She hears ________ (e.g., a bird singing; the sounds of a bird singing).
• She feels _________ (e.g., worried about something, sad about something, etc.).

 To continue Book Talk about metaphors, again explain that the poet uses “the thing with feathers” – a bird – to compare it to the word hope.

Vocabulary, Giving explanations, Metaphors

On a page turn, see the closeup of the bird on the branch and the musical notes, implying that the bird is still singing. The poem reads –

That perches in the soul.

To work on vocabulary, talk about the word perch as a resting place, meaning settled in, as the bird perches in a tree in the illustration.

To work on giving explanations, ask for thoughts on the word soul. Talk about how soul is used to mean the whole person, including the spirit within your being. Ask questions that require explanations and support verbal expression, such as –

• How can hope perch in the soul?
• What is it like when hope perches in your soul?
• How do you feel when hope perches in your soul?

To continue Book Talk about metaphors, review that the metaphor of the “thing with feathers” is hope, and that we can have hope within our hearts.

Plural forms of nouns, N + Verb agreement, Prepositions,
Advanced sentence constructions, Metaphors

On a page turn, see the bird has taken off and the rain has come. People are outside with their umbrellas and look up to the bird, still singing. The poem reads –

And sings the tune without the words –

As children express what’s happening in the illustration, support the following skills:

Work on plural forms of nouns and N + V agreement , by asking children for descriptions of an individual and then the group of individuals shown in the illustration. For example –

•  The girl holds her umbrella.
•  They all hold (their) umbrellas.
•  The boy looks up at the bird.
•  The boy, his mom, and dad (they) look up at the bird.
•  The girl hears the bird singing.
•  They all hear the bird singing.
•  The girl wears a rain jacket.
•  The children wear rain jackets.

Work on prepositions with phrases that show where  –

• The bird flies _____
  …through the sky
  …in the rain.
  …over the umbrellas.
• The bird sits ______
  …on top of the umbrella.
• The girl walks _______
  …under the umbrella.

Work on advanced sentence constructions by supporting language that expresses what’s happening while something else happens at the same time. For example –

• The bird flies in the wind as it keeps singing.
• The boy points to the bird while the bird keeps singing.
• The girl holds her umbrella as the bird lands on it.
• The girl holds her umbrella and looks up at the bird.
• The bird lands on the umbrella and looks down at the girl.
• The bird flies through the sky while singing its song.

To continue Book Talk about metaphors, talk about how hope is still there for us, even though there seems to be no reason to be hopeful. It’s there even though there may be no words to explain why we are hopeful. Even though it is raining, and people pull out their umbrellas, “the thing with feathers” is still there, singing its song. The people look up at it and acknowledge it. There is optimism even when it’s a dreary day, when you’re feeling a little down.

Prepositions, Negative and Advanced syntactic structures, Metaphors

On a page turn, see the bird fly even higher, further away. It looks over its wings to see the city below, the homes, cars, and people with umbrellas.  The poem reads –

And never stops – at all –

As children express what’s happening in the illustration, support the following skills:

To work on prepositions and prepositional phrases, describe where the bird is looking and how it is looking. For example –

•   The bird flies over the city.
•   The bird flies up into the clouds.
•   The bird looks back over its wings.
•   The bird looks down at the city.

To work on negative syntactic structures by using the words of the poem, never stops, in expressing what the bird doesn’t do, as in –

•   The bird doesn’t stop.
•   The bird never stops.
•   The bird never stops singing.
•   The bird never fears the rain.

To work on advanced syntactic structures, use the verse of the poem for book talk about what’s happening below in the city as the bird keeps flying. Examples include –

• It’s raining in the city but the bird flies on.
• The bird looks back at the town while it still sings its song.
• It keeps on raining in the city as the day grows darker.

To continue Book Talk about metaphors, talk about how the bird is now out of view of the people in the city, the rain comes down in sheets, and its song becomes softer (not as many musical notes). Despite all of this, the bird doesn’t give up singing. “The thing with feathers” doesn’t stop when times change.

Vocabulary, Syntax structures, Metaphors

On a page turn, the bird now flies into a darkened sky. There is no city below, only a strong current of air and lightening in the distance, yet it still sings its song. The poem states –

And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –

To work on vocabulary words, describe the illustration and talk about the meaning of the word gale, a strong wind.

Use it in a variety of syntax constructions, as in –

•  The boat goes out to sea despite the strong gale.
•   A gale was blowing but the bird kept on singing.

Connect it to other words of the story as you talk such as  –

• Wind
• Lightning
• Storm
• Storm clouds
• Soar (The bird soars through the storm.)

To continue Book Talk about metaphors, describe “the thing with feathers” that still sings in the dark of a storm. Even in a gale, the strongest of winds, it sings a sweet song. Hope is there despite the hard times.

Vocabulary, Synonyms, Homonyms, Homophones,
Metaphors

On a page turn, see the storm worsen. The scene is dark, and the little bird is withstanding conditions, but looks sad and sorrowful. Yet it still sings. The poem reads –

And sore must be the storm –

To work on vocabulary, talk about the intended meaning of sore in the verse. The poet is saying that because of such a strong gale, it must be a very harsh storm.

To work on synonyms, brainstorm words that have similar meanings to sore, such as –

•  harsh
•  difficult
•  terrible
•  awful

Then use the synonyms in sentences, providing a carrier phrase for the child to fill in the words, such as –

• The storm is ________(harsh).
• The storm is ________(awful).
• The storm __________(hard).
• The storm is ________(terrible).

To work on homonyms, ask what other word sounds like sore, but has a different meaning. For example –

•  What is another meaning for the word sore? (e.g., something that hurts, etc.)

To work on homophones, ask for a word that sounds like sore but means something else.  For example –

•   If the little bird can fly high, it can soar.
•   It can soar through the air.

In this case, the word is spelled differently, so it’s called a homophone.

To continue Book Talk about metaphors, talk about the storm getting worse, harsher. Yet still “the thing with feathers” is there with its song. If the little bird feels embarrassed or self-conscious, it still sings, no matter what. There is still hope. Hope is insurmountable.

Vocabulary, Syntax structures, Metaphors

On a page turn, see the little bird fly over the mountains, rivers and cities as the dark clouds start to lift and a partial sun appears in the sky. The poem reads –

That could abash the little Bird

Continue to talk about the little bird singing in the sky, no matter what the conditions  Nothing will stop it from flying high and singing.

To work on vocabulary, talk about the word abash.  Go to the back pages where the unusual words are listed to see what meaning the book gives to the word. Talk about embarrassment as another meaning for abashed. Then create sentences within the context of the illustration, such as –

•    Even though the little bird was abashed to hear its voice so weak, it still kept on singing.

To continue Book Talk about metaphors, talk about “the thing with feathers” as another word for hope, and that hope is still there, even when you feel embarrassed.  Hope can make you feel it will be OK.

Noun + Verb agreement, Present tense, Metaphors

On a page turn, see the bird’s path as it moves across the earth, now flying over another part of the world.  The poem continues –

That kept so many warm –

To work on Noun + Verb agreement and present tense constructions, talk about the children running outside now that the sun begins to brighten in the sky. Discuss how they seem amazed at the sight of the bird.

•   The children run across the bridge.
•   The child runs across the bridge.
•   The child runs out of the house.
•   The children run out of their house.

To continue Book Talk about metaphors, talk about how “the thing with feathers” and how it “kept so many warm”  Talk about how hope comforts people across the whole wide world.

Vocabulary, Synonyms, Morphological units,
Syntax construction, Answering Why questions, Metaphors

On a page turn, see the bird fly above the workers as they shovel snow and clean up debris from the storm. See the people look up at the bird that still sings its beautiful song.

I’ve heard it in the chillest land –

To work on vocabulary and synonyms, discuss the word chill. Name synonyms such as –

•          cold
•          chilly
•          nippy
•          bleak

To work on morphological endings, attach the suffix –est to the word chill to make chillest. Demonstrate with the identified synonyms, as in –

•          coldest
•          iciest
•          bleakest
•          nippiest

To work on vocabulary in the context of the story while developing syntax structures, support the child by scaffolding sentences such as –

•    They are cleaning up in the chilliest weather.
•    They are working on one of the coldest days.
•    Even on the bleakest day, the bird still sings a song.
•    Even in places that are the coldest, the bird still sings.

To work on answering why questions, discuss the action taking place in the illustration and ask questions that require explanations using words because and so that.  For example –

•    Why are they all wearing hats on their heads? (They’re wearing hats because it is cold.)
•    Why is the woman looking up in the sky? (She’s looking up so she can to see the bird.  She’s looking up so she can see what is making the beautiful song.)
•    Why is the child have a snow shovel? (She has a snow shovel so she can pick up the fallen branches.)

To continue Book Talk on metaphors, talk about how “the thing with feathers” the metaphor hope is there, even in the coldest, “chillest”,  most difficult situations, even in faraway places, where people come together to deal with life’s “storms”, or difficult times.

Syntax construction, Morphological markers,
Synonyms, Metaphors,

On a page turn, see the bird continuing on its journey, flying over the village, past the fishing boats and out to sea, still singing.  The poem continues –

And on the strangest Sea –

To work on syntax constructions, encourage children to talk about what’s happening in the scene using full sentences such as –

•    The boy with the dog waves goodbye.
•    The people clean up the beach.
•    Fishing boats are moored in the bay.

To work on morphological endings, show how adding the suffix –est to the word strange makes strangest.

Demonstrate with other synonyms, as in –

• odd -est
• crazi -est
• weird -est
• funny -est

Then brainstorm other words with suffix -est  that can be used within the context of the story, such as –

•   The strangest thing about the sea was its waves.
•    The sea had the strangest colors.
•    The boy had the cutest dog.
•    The man with the shovel worked the fastest.

To continue Book Talk about metaphors, talk about “the strangest Sea” offering a comparison such as the oddest things in life, where things are uncertain and bewildering. Then draw the parallel to how “the thing with feathers” is always there when we find ourselves in strange conditions that leave us feeling bewildered, wondering how it happened and why.

Irregular past tense constructions, Vocabulary, Morphological markers

On a page turn, see the bird soaring past the sea and arriving above the familiar land of cars, tall buildings and trees under the warmth of sunshine – while still singing. The poem reads –

Yet – never- in Extremity,

To work on irregular past tense constructions, ask children to describe the path the little bird took. After leaving its former place over a faraway land, it arrives back to a place where its journey began. Some irregular past tense constructions to support may include –

•    The bird left the far-away land.
•    The bird flew over the ocean.
•    The bird sang its song across the sea.

To work on vocabulary, look up the word extremity listed in the back matter of the book. Share its meaning within the context of the poem. The book defines the word as a time of hardship.

Repeat the verse and exchange extremity for the words “in bad times”.

Work on morphological markers by talking about its root word, extreme, meaning drastic, unusual, or to a great or high degree of something. Show that by adding the suffix  -ity the word becomes extremity, or an extreme state

To continue Book Talk about metaphors, reread the verse, then reword with the meaning of extremity, as in –

•   Not even in the harshest, most difficult times –

and turn to the next page to finish the meaning of the verse.

Syntax constructions, Drawing inferences, Metaphors

On the last page of the poem, the bird arrives back where the story began, on the tree  branch outside the girl’s window.  Notice the girl’s expression has changed. She now looks at the little bird with a smile on her face, in awe and wonder. The poem’s last line of verse reads –

It asked a crumb – of me.

To work on drawing inferences, talk about how the scene with the girl in the window has changed from the first page where she is shown.

•    Has the girl changed?
•    In what way?
•    What makes you think so?
•    What has changed her?

To work on syntax constructions, scaffold sentence constructions about the girl in the scene. Constructions might include present, past, and future tenses, as well as complex constructions such as –

•   The bird has traveled around the world and still he is singing.

To continue Book Talk about metaphors, discuss that the poem’s meaning that even in the harshest, most difficult times, hope doesn’t ask for anything in return.  It’s just there, singing its song to comfort you.

Also talk about the word crumb. Ask questions about the metaphor, such as –

•    What do little birds eat?
•    How big is a crumb?
•    What does the bird represent? (Hope)
•    What did the poet mean when she wrote that “the thing with feathers” doesn’t ask for a crumb in return? (E.g., Hope does not require anything in order for you to believe in it, even in hard times.)

After the read-aloud, take a look at the back material.

Read the page about the poet, Emily Dickinson. Ask children to express their thoughts about her, such as –

•   What do you think is remarkable about her?
•   What do you think is extraordinary about her poetry?
•   What do you find most interesting about her?

 Sequencing Events

Now go back through the book to review the places the little bird flew over while still singing its song. Start with the first event and sequence what happens in the story using the words first, then, and then, and finally to connect the events and indicate a time sequence in the story.

Metaphors

If your strategy was to wait until the end of the story to begin work on metaphors, after the listener/s gathered meaning from linking words and illustrations, then return now to the beginning page. Discuss how “the thing with feathers”  is used as a comparison to hope, and how storms are used to compare them to the rough times people often go through. Refer to the Metaphors headings for suggested methods.

Articulation of S, Z, and Th

Use the bird’s song, represented by musical notes pictured in every scene, to practice S and Z phoneme at the child’s ability level.

Words with the S phoneme include: sing, sings, singing, stops, song, soul, sweetest, sore, city, must, storm, so, chillest, strangest, sea, extremity, and asked.
Words the Z phoneme in the poem and illustrations include: feathers, sings, perches, umbrellas, words, shovels, music, and musical.

To work on Th voiced phoneme, use the target word feathers, in the title of the book, and then repeatedly at each page during book talk.

If working on carryover of the Th phoneme, review what took place in the story as you support the use of the word then, to link the story parts.

Also use the word though to structure Book Talk about the story’s message, that hope endures even though times are tough, and life presents hardships.

Fluency

This particular poem is considered a lyric poem in ballad meter. This means it has a consistent and predictable rhythm, very good for talking about and building cadence for fluency. When exaggerating the beat as you read each line on a page, it has the effect of steady, predictable pacing.

The lines alternate between iambic tetrameter and iambic trimeter. This means it alternates between a six-syllable verse and an eight-syllable line.

Rhythm and rate: Demonstrate the rhythm as you tap it out with a pencil or a finger. Have the child repeat the verse on a selected page, then skip a page to read that verse with the same number of beats.  For example, the beats are the same in the following two lines –

That perches in the soul

And never stops – at all –

You can add other techniques when delivering the lines, such as easy onsets and light contacts.

Steady Breath Stream: The initial phoneme H in the word Hope is ideal for demonstrating how to initiate speech on a steady breath stream.  Practice with the title, progressing from the word Hope to saying the entire title on one easy breath stream.

Pausing: The poem is also ideal to teach the natural pause – as pausing is often easier to do in a line of poetic verse. Consider all the ways to pause in the following lines, one 8-syllable line and the other 6-syllables:

I’ve heard it in the chillest land.

That kept so many warm.

Underscore that pausing is natural in poetry, as well as in discourse, to encourage use of more pausing in ongoing speech.

Then move from the easy beat of the verse to giving short picture descriptions using the same natural pausing to build fluency. Include other techniques in the picture descriptions, such as easy starts and light contacts.

Becoming an Effective Communicator: Practicing techniques such as these are important for fluency training, however, fluency is typically not the only goal in stuttering therapy. Learning to be an effective communicator and having self-acceptance of one’s speech, regardless of stuttering, are usually the ultimate goals for these children.

By talking about the story’s depiction of life’s difficult times, we can acknowledge that stuttering has its challenges, and those who stutter may indeed go through rough patches. Despite the stuttering, holding on to a positive belief in yourself, a belief that you can communicate despite the dysfluencies, is like “the thing with feathers” in the poem. Hope is similar to positive thought. It is always there, and it asks nothing of you.

Voice

To work on voice quality, talk about the beautiful sounds that birds make with their songs. Demonstrate production of a musical note as shown in every illustration with steady airflow.  Have the child practice humming, then imitate the sound of the bird at optimum pitch and loudness levels. This can be done throughout the story at every page as the child discovers the bird and the musical notes representing its song.

Continue picture descriptions with optimum pitch and loudness in whatever way the child chooses to describe the scene. Go back to humming the musical notes pictured to get back on track with optimum pitch and loudness levels.

Discussion

As with any good book with a message, Book Talk can center around a children’s perception of the meaning and what is important to them. Open a discussion with a question such as –

•    What do you think the story is saying?
•    Why do you think the bird was able to keep on singing in the storm?
•    How did the girl in the window change from the first picture to the last picture.

Also talk about how hope can be translated to positive thoughts. It’s easy to ‘get down’ and think negatively about something when times get tough.  But when things get stormy, keeping positive thoughts is a lot like “the thing with feathers”.

For children who are more concrete language learners, questions might take the form of first talking about an illustration.

Also consider holding a discussion about those who, sadly, experience the destruction of natural disasters such as wildfires and hurricanes, or perhaps the devastation of war. Go back to the pages showing people cleaning up the debris after a storm. Ask thoughtful questions about how “the thing with feathers” helps them in dealing with the arduous tasks of cleanup and rebuilding. Ask thoughtful questions such as –

• How might these people feel after experiencing the storm?
• What may have happened in the storm?
• What is above them singing a song in the breeze?
• How do it think it makes them feel then?
• What can the people do for themselves and each other when they experience difficult situations?
• Where can they go to find “the thing with feathers”?

 

Extended Activity: Consider the suggested activity found on the last page of the book. Ask children what they would create in a drawing to represent hope.

Or take another concept such as kindness, or love, and create a metaphor for the word.

•    What thing could you draw to compare the word kindness (or another positive, meaningful concept)?
•    What would it look like and what would it do?
•    How would you illustrate it?

The book invites you to share these images on Instagram: @pawprintspublishing

© SoundingYourBest.com. All rights reserved.
___________ # # ____________

See more book treatments like this for picture books of poetry genre in Books Are for Talking, Too! (Fourth Edition).

You’ll find books ideal for targeting all the skills addressed here and many others in the extensive Skills Index.

Then see the book titles cross-referenced in three age-related Catalogs and discover literally hundreds of book treatments that provide you with methods, prompts, word lists, activities, and loads of ideas!

You’ll find lists of other picture books (easily obtainable in school and public libraries) that cover these topics and a whole lot more in the Topic Explorations Index.

All in One Resource!
Books Are for Talking, Too! (Fourth Edition)
 ~ Engaging children in the language of stories since 1990 ~

Available on Amazon at: https://a.co/d/efcKFw6

Additional Resources:
Books:
See another charmingly illustrated book for young children by the same title, Hope is the Thing with Feathers (Petite Poems), illustrated by Tatyana Feeney, available on Amazon at https://a.co/d/7dKrI6a

The poem can also be found in Hope is the Thing with Feathers: The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson. While not illustrated, it is available on Kindle and suitable for older children.

For an online printed poem and summary of the poet, visit Emily Dickinson, “‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers” (1891) – Shenandoah

Videos:
See an exquisite one-minute reading of the poem by renowned actress Helena Bonham Carter on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANcQYuUOknc

Another excellent short, animated video of a reading a by British narrator is found at: https://youtu.be/GNlAZ0XVi2Y?feature=shared

Also, Hope is the Thing, a different titled book and story about hope, written by Johanna Bell and illustrated by Erica Wagner, is read by a singer/songwriter at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDPEvo60r1E

Knight Owl
by Christopher Denise
New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2022.

Suggested Age and Interest Level: Pre-K through 3 (and beyond depending on the audience)

Awards: Caldecott Honor; ALSC Notable Children’s Book; New York Times Bestseller; Indie Next List Pick; Best Book of the Year: Kirkus Reviews, NPR; Best Children’s Book of the Year: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Washington Post; Best Kids’ Book of the Year: Good Housekeeping

Editions: Hardback, Paperback, Board Book, and eBook

Languages:  English, Chinese, Korean

Topics to Explore: Castles, Dragons, Owls, Friendship, Goal attainment, Long Ago and Far Away, Perspective-taking, Self-esteem

Skills to Build:
Concepts of print
Semantics: Vocabulary, Homonyms, Synonyms, Antonyms, Idioms, Metaphors, Adjectives, Prepositions, Associations
Morphological units
Grammar and syntax: Two-and-three-word utterances; Pronouns, Plural forms of nouns, Present progressive tense structures, Past tense structures, future tense, Conditional tense, Negative structures, Advanced syntactic structures
Language literacy (a.k.a. Language discourse): Predicting events, Problem solving, Drawing inferences, Verbal expression, Compare and contrast
Social Pragmatics: Making friends, Finding commonality, Topic initiation, Turn-taking,
Articulation: Phonemes W, S, Sh, Ch, and J
Fluency
Voice
Executive Functions: Initiation, Planning and Sequencing steps, and Flexibility

Synopsis: Little Owl yearns to be a brave and fearless knight. Everything he does is focused on knights. He reads about them, plays with wooden knights, even dreams about knights slaying dragons. Then he learns that real knights are going missing from his medieval town, so he applies to Knight School and is accepted. But training isn’t easy. Swords and shields are heavy, and training is a lot of work. After he graduates “with honor” his assignment is guarding the castle walls on Knight Night Watch. Then….Whooosh! He’s put to the test when he encounters an enormous dragon. Little Knight Owl not only shows his bravery, but with some clever thinking (which includes a pizza and good diplomacy) he turns the fearsome dragon into his friend. Then see what bravery and good social communication help to achieve in the form of new friends and peace in this medieval town.

Methods:

Before the read-aloud, present the book’s cover, read the title and author, and ask children to describe what they see. Scaffold utterances and fill in information about the medieval days of great castles and dragons.

Vocabulary, Present tense constructions

Discuss some of the vocabulary of the era to give more meaning to the story. For example, ask –

• What is a knight? (e.g., a horseback warrior, a warrior of the old days; soldier on horseback, rides on horseback, defends his country; wears armor, appointed by the king, and so on)
• What kind of person is a knight?  (e.g., brave, clever, behaves in a noble way, chivalrous, and so on)
• What does a knight do? (e.g., fights in battles, rides horses that are also in armor)
• Where do knights live? (e.g., in or near castles)

Introduce the main character and encourage descriptions. For example, ask –

• What kind of creature is in knight’s armor?
• How would you describe this owl?

Descriptions can also include his dress and what he holds, such as –

• Lance – very long wooden shaft with a pointed blade at the end, could be up to 12 feet. In today’s time called a spear.
• Helmet – metal protection for the head and face.
• Armor – weighed as much as 55 lbs., the average weight of 7-year old
• Shield – had family’s coat of arms

Then use the words in sentences to describe the scene. For example –

• Little Owl is dressed in armor.
• Owl wears a (warrior’s) helmet.
• Little Owl holds a lance (with his wing).

Homonyms, Vocabulary

Point out the homonyms knight and night both illustrated on the cover. Ask –

• What word sounds the same as knight but means something else?

Scaffold language at the child’s ability level using vocabulary within the context of the story. For example –

• What could you say about the knight on the book’s cover?
• What could you say about the night (time of day) on cover?

Include more talk about the setting to include words such as –

• Castle (fortified building, to protect it from invasion)
• Turret (a circular tower at the top of the castle)
• Battlements (architecture at the top of a castle built with low walls between head-height walls to serve as looking-out places)
• Ramparts (walls that surround a castle)

Then point out the creature flying overheard, the dragon barely seen in the night sky, foreshadowing events to come.

Concepts of Print

To help younger children develop print awareness, read the title as you run your finger under the words in the direction in which they are read. Explain that it is talk written down. Ask children to be on the lookout for those words again on an upcoming page.

More Vocabulary

Turn to the inside cover. Show the pattern in Old English design, called a family’s –

• heraldry.

Talk about symbols, objects used to stand for something else. Show the dragon and talk about how its use in heraldry means it represents –

• power
• strength
• courage, and
• ability to overcome challenges.

There is also the knight’s helmet, a symbol for his

• power,
• strength,
• valor, and
• might.

Ask children to identify the dragon and the helmet. Ask what they think each represents. What might each of these objects stand for?

Interesting Fact: While not shown in the story, owls are actually pictured on family heraldry.  They represent vigilance and wit.

 

During the read-aloud, scaffold targeted structures using the illustrations to point out details that support the story’s meaning.

Concepts of Print

On the inside title page, see Owl inside his home in the tree. See if children spot the words of the title as they appeared on the cover. Ask them what they say.

Describe Owl reading his book on knights. Point out the poster on the wall with the word, Knighthood, printed at the top. Share that they will see another poster in the story, tacked on walls showing the same word, Knighthood. Ask children to be on the lookout for it as you turn each page to see if they can tell you what it says.

Vocabulary, Two- and three-word utterances

On the inside title page, see Owl in his home in the tree. It’s a visual feast for describing all things Knighthood.  First talk about the setting.

• Does it take place in today’s time or long ago?
• Where do owls live? Sleep? Read?

Then talk about the little owl’s fascination with knights. Point out some of the paraphernalia he has collected. Include the following vocabulary to describe the scene:

• Posters
• Books
• Book on knights
• Armored knights
• Toy dragon
• Shield
• Wooden toys
• Wooden horse
• Drawings
• Sword
• Lance (Spear)

Ask children what they know about Owl. For example –

•           Is he big or little?
•          What does he like to do?  (read)
•          How does Owl know so much about knights?  (He reads.)
•          What is he interested in? (Knights.)

Scaffold early utterances using words, such as –

• Owl likes _________ (e.g., books, knights, posters, etc.).
• Owl reads ________ (e.g., about knights)
• Owl plays with _________ (e.g., dragons, swords, etc.)

Concepts of print:

Ask children to tell you what he is doing and to describe the book he is reading and what it’s about.

Verbal Expression

On a page turn, the text reads  –

Since the day he hatched,

Owl had one wish.

Clearly little Owl, dressed in his makeshift armor made from pots and pans and kitchen utensils, wishes to be a warrior.

To support verbal expression and story comprehension, ask questions that will draw  such as –

•  What is he pretending with the spoon in his hand?
•  What is belted across his chest?

Present tense constructions, Drawing inferences

To work on present tense structures, enjoy describing the unique happenings inside owl’s family home. Mama prepares a delicious platter of little mice for supper. Papa peers over his newspaper to observe Little Owl in his costume.

A closer look at papa owl’s paper, The Olden Times, reveals articles “Record Number of Knights Have Gone Missing” printed on the front page and “Report of Dragon Sightings” on the back page.   Infer what may be going on.

Verbs with which to craft sentences with various tense structures include –

• holding a tray of mice
• preparing a meal
• reading his newspaper
• sitting in his chair
• acting out being a knight
• playing his game of knights
• looking over his newspaper

Pronouns, Prepositions

Support pronoun (personal and possessive) usage with phrases include –

• She is preparing a tray of mice.
• She is looking at her little owl.
• He (little owl) is looking at his mama.
• He (Papa) is reading his newspaper.
• They are getting ready for their dinner.

Work on prepositions as you describe little owl’s makeshift costume, including prepositional phases such as –

•          …pan on his head for a helmet
•          …baking sheet belted across his waist for armor
•          …wooden spoon in his hand for a sword

Drawing inferences, Predicting events

Work on inferencing about what owl’s wish might be. Then ask for predictions about what might happen in the story.

Scaffold early utterances by setting up the beginning of a sentence, as in –

• Owl wants to be _________ (e.g., a knight).
• Owl is going to __________(e.g., be a knight)
• His wish is ______ (e.g., to be a knight).

Verbal expression, More vocabulary, Adjectives

On the next page turn, see the fearsome knights on their horses, both covered in armor. They loom large in the forest passing by the tiny Owl. Ask thoughtful questions about the scene, such a –

• What do you think Owl likes about them?
• What kind a person is a knight? (Strong, brave, powerful, etc.)

Marvel over the exceptional illustration of medieval knights in their plate armor. The artist gives us the details, inspiring a sense of awe in the craftsmanship and the imposing figures it creates.

Provide added background information about the setting of the story. Talk about armor used for by knights and their horses long ago. Some highlights include –

• Armor was forged from steel.
• It was made by armoursmiths or armorers.
• They were talented craftsmen.
• Today they are called Blacksmiths.
• They cut the steel into patterns for each body part.
• They heated the metal in firepits until it was pliable enough to form the shapes.
• Plate Armor now considered an historical art form.

Describe the knights using words already discussed from the title page along with others, including –

• Protective gear
• Lance (Spear)
• Helmet
• Armor
• Sword
• Metal
• Castle
• Forest
• Horse
• Strong
• Brave

Point out the flag carried by a knight with the castle seen in the background.

Tense structures (including conditional tense), Prepositions

On a page turn, see owl in his bed before sleep with fantasies of knighthood illustrated within the outline of the hollow in the tree. The text reads –

• Every morning before he drifted off to sleep,
• he imagined himself as a real knight.
• He would be brave. He would be clever.
• And he would have many friends.

It’s a good page to absorb meaning with all sorts of Book Talk as it gives insight into the story. After the read-aloud the child can come back to the page and sequence the events of how little owl’s dreams of knighthood materialized.

To work on present tense structures and prepositional phrases, describe what’s taking place in Owl’s imagination as you scaffold sentences such as-

• Knights are standing at the top of the turret.
• The dragon breathes fire at the knight.
• The knight lifts his sword toward the dragon.
• The dragon gets captured inside a net.
• The dragon is carried off in the wooden catapult machine.
• The knights sit inside the tent.
• They eat pizza together and celebrate at the table.

To work on conditional tense, encourage repetition of the text as you ask, for example –

• Q: What would he be if he were a knight?
• A: He would be brave.
• Q: What else would he be?
• A: He would be clever.

Then scaffold sentences with would to express an imaginary scenario like that of the little owl’s. For example –

•   Q: What kind of knight would you be?
•   A: I would be _________ (e.g., brave, clever, mighty, etc.)

Expand to sentences that require responses in first person, such as –

•   Q: What would you do if you were a knight?
•   A: I would ________ (slay a dragon, have lots of friends, live in a castle, and so on).

Compare and contrast

To continue working on story meaning, ask why the owl would go to bed on the morning – before going to sleep. Once established that owls are nocturnal (i.e., active at night and sleep during the day), compare owls to other birds and creatures in nature. For example, ask –

•          How are an owl and an eagle alike? (E.g., Both are birds, both fly, etc.)
•          How are an owl and an eagle different? (E.g., Owls fly at night, eagles, sea gulls, and crows fly during the day.)
•          How are an owl and a bat alike? (E.g., they both fly at night)
•          How are an owl and a bat different? (E.g., An owl is a bird, and a bat is a mammal)
•          How are owls like other birds? (E.g., Eagles, sea gulls, and crows fly during the day.)
•          How are an owl’s sounds different demo other birds? (E.g., Owls make a “whoooo” sound; Crows say, “caw, caw”;  Eagles make screeching sounds

Concepts of print, Vocabulary

On the next three page turns, Owl turns his dream into reality. First, he sees a notice tacked to the palace wall and discovers that –

Knights began disappearing from the castle.

To work on concepts of print, show how the sign is similar to his poster on the first page of the story. Point out that the word Knighthood is written the same way on both signs.

To work on vocabulary, talk about the word disappearing. Ask, for example –

•          What was happening?
•          How could a knight disappear?

Note: see under Morphological units heading below to work on the word parts of disappearing.

Since we saw Owl reading his book at the beginning of the story, we can assume he can read the sign on the wall. Owl understands that the palace needs knights – because many had disappeared. The sign states –

 Live a life of honor and adventure.

Talk about the word honor, (i.e., to hold in high regard, a quality that gives one respect). Then help children use the word in a sentence. For example,

•          Owl was always truthful to his friends, so they said he had honor.

Verbal expression, Idioms

Next, see Owl enrolled in “Knight” School, working arduously toward his goal. Support language structures as children express how he had a “tough time with the sword,” and heavy shield.

Help children develop an understanding of words having a figurative meaning as when the story states –

And he had a habit of nodding off during the day.

Discuss the meaning of the idiom “nodding off” (i.e., someone falls asleep during an activity) and ask why it was hard for Owl to stay awake during the day.

Prepositions

On the next two page turns, see the little owl, now a real knight, assigned to his first job of guarding the castle at the battlements. Support language that describes him and what he does, including the use of prepositions, such as –

• …watching out over the castle
• …standing with lance in hand
• …looking out from the castle.
• …looking out underneath the stars.
• …guarding the castle at night.
• …standing on a ladder to see over the top of the wall

Vocabulary, Associations

Use vocabulary that describes the parts of the castle such as –

•          -Tower (could be a storehouse for precious things)
•          -Turret
•          -Rampart
•          -Courtyard (at ground level)

Note:  See definitions under previous section, Before the read-aloud.

Use vocabulary typically associated with castles such as –

•          Fortified
•          Defense (castles were defense posts against enemy intruders)
•          Defense features (e.g., a moat, a wide body of water difficult to cross)
•          Battlement
•          Tiny windows (difficult for attackers to get through them)
•          Towers made of stone (stronger material )
•          Machines such as a catapult (to fling rocks etc. into castles during warfare.

Use vocabulary to describe the features of a castle:

•          High height
•          Strong
•          Protected with a moat and small windows
•          Chivalry (i.e., rules for everyday life, including manners and how to treat others)

Use vocabulary to describe the function of a castle:

• Homes for kings, queens, princes, princesses, lords and ladies
• Housed part of an army that went to war
• Housed a squire (a lord’s attendant who trained to be a knight)
• Housed servants (people who helped them)

Synonyms, Antonyms, Adjectives, Perspective-taking

On the next two page turns, see Owl’s huge eyes widen further when he hears a strange “Whoosh” in the night.

Then see him from another perspective, from the ground looking up at the top battlements against the starry, night sky, adding more meaning to his presence in the story.

To work on synonyms, antonyms and adjectives, play with the frequently used words in the story, linking them with other words such as  –

• Little, tiny (owl)
• Big (castle, night sky)

 

• Dark (sky)
• Light or bright (stars)

 

• Tall (castle walls, spear)
• Short (little owl)

 

• Wide (owl’s eyes)
• Narrow (opening in the helmet or armo

• Quiet (no sound at night on top of castle walls)
• Loud (sudden “whoosh” or flapping sounds in the night)

• Brave
• Scared

Advanced syntactic structures, Adjectives, Synonyms

On a page turn, see an immense dragon’s face bearing down on little Owl, his lance extended. The story says he is afraid, while he says bravely-

I am an owl and I am a knight of the Night Watch

Use the pages to talk about both the dragon and Owl in complex sentences.  Some starters to complete –

• Owl is scared of the dragon, but _______ (he is brave).
• The dragon said he is hungry and _______ (little Owl is scared).
• Little Owl is now a knight so he _______ (puffs out his feathers to be brave).

Continue to use the next two pages to talk about the dragon, far bigger than the castle walls, peering down at little Owl. To work on synonyms and adjectives, ask –

• What’s another word to describe the dragon?

Suggestions include –

• Big
• Huge
• Enormous
• Scary
• Intimidating

Drawing Inferences, Problem solving

On the next few page turns, see the owl use his cleverness, like that of characters in trickster tales, to convince the dragon he’d like something else for a tasty treat. Ask questions that support understanding, such as –

•          Does Owl ask the dragon not to eat him?
•          Does he show he’s scared?
•          What does he say to convince the dragon not to eat him?

• What is Owl’s problem?
• How did he prevent the dragon from turning him into a “midnight snack”?
• Why didn’t Owl use his lance to defend himself against the dragon?
• What was Owl’s solution?
• Why was offering the dragon a “tastier snack” such as a pizza a great idea?
• What other ways did Owl solve the problem?
• How did he make the dragon a friend? (e.g., finding what they had in common)

More Drawing inferences, Vocabulary

On a page turn, see Owl now strolling the castle battlements, looking happy and carefree. The text reads –

The following week, not a single knight disappeared.

Or the week after that.

To work on inferencing, first ask children to recall how knights were going missing at the beginning of the story. Also recall the sign on the castle wall, recruiting for knight school.

Then ask questions to help children draw inferences about the meaning of the story. Some suggestions –

•          I wonder why no more knights went missing?
•          What might have been happening to the knights?

The text continues  –

And every night, Owl patrolled the walls.

It was dark and very, very quiet.

But Owl didn’t mind, because he was brave,

and he was clever…

To work on vocabulary, review the meaning of the words patrolled the walls. Explain that officials, just like our present day guards such as policeman, patrol as they walk around a certain area. They observe and watch an area closely to keep it safe.

Use the word in a sentence such as –

•          Owl patrolled the area around the castle walls.
•          When Owl stood at the battlements, he was patrolling the area.

Continue working on drawing inferences by asking questions such as –

• Why didn’t Owl mind any more that it was dark and quiet on Knight Night Watch?
• Why is Owl looking happy now?

Social Pragmatics

On the last page, see Owl, now surrounded by his friends, big knights in body armor, a fearsome dragon, and his little dragons. Talk about how this came to be.

To work on using language effectively in social contexts, including making friends, finding commonality, and topic initiation, and turn-taking, consider beginning a discussion with questions such as –

• How could a dreaded foe and little armored knight come together and talk around a fire pit?
• What did Owl do to help everyone come together and be friends?
• What are some of the ways he might have gotten everyone to participate in a conversation?

Answers may include –

• Talking about what you have in common (such as the types of pizza you like, how they all once hatched from eggs, how being able to fly is hard to explain, and so on)
• Initiating a topic, like what it’s like to fly around a castle at night
• Taking turns in the discussion, such as letting someone else talk after you and join and share their opinions. Noticing someone hasn’t gotten a chance to express, for example, their favorite pizza
• Inviting all into the conversation, by asking what kind of pizza they liked

Articulation

 The text is heavily loaded with sibilants S, SH, CH, and J. Work at the child’s acquired ability level encouraging Book Talk throughout the story.

Words in the story with phoneme S: sleep, disappearing, castle, school, surprise, accepted, excellent, student, himself since, sword, smallest, assigned , strange, sound, sounded, knights, snack, something tastier, pizza, instead, explain.

Additional words found in the illustrations: stars, poster, mice, horses, books, stool, enormous, squires, roasted.

Words in the story containing Sh: wish, shield, whoosh (repeating)

Additional words found in the illustrations: swish (dragon’s tail)

Words in the story containing Ch: hatched (repeating), watch (repeating)

Additional words from the illustrations:  chair, adventure

Words in the story containing J:  imagined, just, graduated, graduation, job, huge,

Additional words found in the illustrations: soldier

The text also provides excellent opportunities for working on lip rounding and the production of phoneme W.  Consider using the frequently appearing words Whoosh and Whoooo.

Other words containing W in the story: wish, owl, work, worked, watch (Knight Watch) would (be brave, clever, etc.) wings, and week.

After the read aloud, go back to revisit places in the story that provide for added meaning and work on additional communication objectives.

More homonyms

Much of the charming and humorous word play may go unrealized on a younger audience, or those children who need added language support. You can easily use Book Talk to create better understanding and build vocabulary and sentence structure at the same time.

Review the earlier heading for work on homonyms –

•    Night
•    Knight

Draw attention to night in terms of how it is related to the owl by asking questions such as –

•    When are owls awake?  (Note: also use the word nocturnal in describing owls’ habits)
•    When do they typically sleep?
•    What does little Owl in the story want to become?

In order to become a knight, Owl had to go to Knight school. Knight and night sound the same. Ask children to give a definition of each.

Then ask children about more word plays such as –

•    When the story reads, Knight Night Watch, what does that sound like?  (Night-night Watch)
•    When else do we say Night-Night?

Can you think of another meaning for the word watch?

Metaphors

Another way to use the words night owl is in a metaphor. Talk about the use of metaphors in stories and in conversation. Explain that is a word or phrase that compares two things to one another in order to give added meaning to the first word. So, if we say the librarian is a night owl, we compare a librarian to an owl because she stays up all night, reading her favorite books.

In another example, if the mailman is an early bird, the expression is also a metaphor for the person who likes to wake up early in the morning.

Morphological units

Disappearing knights certainly would raise concern inside the palace walls. This lengthy, multisyllabic word describes a serious dilemma. But is it understood sufficiently?

Revisit the illustration of the poster on the palace wall and the text that states –

Knights began disappearing from the castle.

Discuss the meaning of disappear. Give synonyms, such as –

• No longer seen anywhere
• Doesn’t show up for dinner
• Doesn’t ride their horses
• Suddenly gone.
• Vanished.

Break up the word into syllables –

•      Dis – a -ppear – ing

Break up the word into its meaning parts –

•    Dis- appear – ing

Define the root word, appear. For example –

•    When you walk into the classroom you appear in the room.

Add the prefix dis- to make

•    Dis – appear

Explain that dis– in front of a word means the opposite of.

• It means not appear, as in –
• The knight did not appear.
• The knight disappeared.
• They didn’t arrive.
• It wasn’t around.
• Where did they go?

Brainstorm words beginning with dis– to show it changes the root word to mean the opposite of.  For example –

• dis- like
• dis – believe
• dis – honest
• dis – appoint
• dis – connect
• dis – continue
• dis – agreement
• dis – organized

and so on.

Problem solving

Review the pages where papa owl’s newspaper tells of the events going on the medieval town, as in knights going missing and dragon sightings increasing.

Turn to the page with the sign posted on the palace wall announcing applications for Knight school. Draw more inferences. Then talk about the problem in the story.

•          What is going on in this medieval town?
•          What does it mean when the story says, “knights began disappearing from the castle”?
•          Why do they need to advertise for applications for knight training?
•          How will this solve the problem?

Fluency

To work on fluency techniques such as easy start and speaking on a steady breath stream, return to pages showing Owl at knight school. Review the kinds of things that were tough for Owl to learn, such as –

•          lifting the sword,
•          holding on to the shield, and
•          staying awake during the day.

Have the child take the part of the narrator and begin a sentence with good breath support at the initiation of the first word, He.

First repeat the text, modeling the technique at the initiation of the sentence-

He was an excellent student

Then retell the story that even though Owl was a good student, things we are tough. Point to the pictures as the child starts each with He, such as –

• ….He ______ (e.g., couldn’t lift the sword).
• ….He  ______ (e.g., couldn’t hold on to the shield).
• ….He _______ (e.g., couldn’t keep awake during the day).

Also turn to the page where the dragon appears. While this dragon is not shown breathing fire, we can guess that it knows how. Since dragons that breath fire have got breath support, we can assume they use it when speaking, too. Ask the child to repeat words of the text with easy start and plenty of breath, as in repeating –

“Whooo, me?” said a deep voice.

Then take the part of Owl in the next line that reads –

“Who you?” asked Owl.

While practicing techniques is important, fluency isn’t usually the end goal in therapy. Learning to be an effective communicator and having self-acceptance are the ultimate goals for these children.

By talking about Owl’s disadvantages on entering knight school, such as his size and difficulty with tasks, you can segue to the child’s own self-acceptance. We are not perfect human beings any more than Owl was perfectly suited to be a knight. He had great disadvantages in being able to perform the tasks of a knight. But not only did Owl graduate with honors, he was successful because he believed in himself and could communicate an important message.

Ask the child –

     In what way was Owl an effective communicator?

•          He didn’t avoid speaking to the scary dragon.
•          He talked the dragon into a pizza instead of himself as a snack.
•          He talked about things they had in common.

Disregarding any disfluencies in the message, ask the child if the communication was effective.

•          What makes you think so?
•          What were you able to communicate?
•          Did I understand what you were communicating?

Voice

To work on voice quality, talk about the beautiful sounds that owls make in the night. Demonstrate production of an owl’s whoooinitiating the sound with steady airflow.  Have the child imitate the sound at optimum pitch and loudness levels throughout the story at intervals when Owl would likely utter the sound.

Then, when the dragon enters the story, Owl hears the sounds of –

Whoosh!!

And calls out-

“Whooooo”

The pages are ideal for demonstration and production of vocal techniques such as optimum pitch and loudness levels..

Use the features of Owl’s surrounding environment to extend the utterance maintaining good vocal techniques in sentences such as –

• Whooosh in the night.
• Whoosh went the dragon.
• Whoosh, whoosh, went the big dragon’s wings.
• Whooo is there?
• Whooo is making the sound?
• Whoo is that in the night?

Continue in whatever way the child chooses to describe the scene.

Executive Functions

Owl wanted to be a knight. Not only did Owl become a knight against seemingly impossible odds, he became a heroic knight! How did he do that? It didn’t just happen. It wasn’t just given to him. It took planning and hard work.

Revisit the pages showing Owl dreaming, initiating, planning, and sequencing steps toward his goal.

• What were Owl’s first steps in realizing his goal to become a knight? (e.g., reading about knights, learning about knights by getting involved with all things knights, dreaming and imagining himself as brave like a knight, and so on.)

Owl did not just wish and hope one day he would become a knight. He took an opportunity that many owls wouldn’t have even considered!

• What made Owl think he could enroll in Knight School when he saw the sign on the palace wall? (e.g., he believed in himself, he was knowledgeable about knights from what he read in his books, he knew what it would take, and so on.)
• What would he have had to do in order to apply?
• What plans did he have to put in place? (e.g., fill out an application, write about why he wanted to become a knight, give an interview, and so on.)

Th story says –

Owl was an excellent student.

It also shows that knight school wasn’t easy for him, by any means.

• What are some of the things that Owl had to do that were hard for him? (e.g., learning to use a sword, lifting a big shield as he was small, and staying awake during the day when he was used to sleeping during the day – because he was an owl!)
• How did he persist in his goal? (e.g., “he worked and worked” at what he had to do, he kept at it, etc.)

To work on flexibility, talk about Owl’s realization of his responsibilities on his job and how they changed when he met his challenge.

•          How did he change his perception of guarding the castle with just a lance when he met the dragon?
•          How did he show flexible thinking when he used his negotiation skills?
•          How did he show flexibility when he talked to the dragon about their commonalities?

Ask children what is involved with making judgments and flexible thinking.  For example, you might ask –

•          How did Owl talk to the dragon in a way that made him a friend?
•          Did Owl change his perception of what needed to be done?
•          How might he have talked his way through needing to change direction?

The Knight Owl shows us that we can realize our goals with focus, hard work, and often flexibility. He also shows us that the rewards of doing that are great.

© SoundingYourBest.com. All rights reserved.
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Special Note:

You’ll find other popular picture books that cover this book’s topics, such as castles and dragons under the heading Long Ago and Far Away, and more books under Friendship, Perspective-taking, Self-esteem, and a whole lot more in the Topic Explorations Index of Books Are for Talking, Too! (4th Edition).

See listings for literally hundreds of popular books ideal for targeting skills like those addressed here, and lots more in the extensive Skills Index of Books Are for Talking, Too! (4th Edition). Then find the book titles cross-referenced in three age-related Catalogs and discover book treatments that provide you with methods, prompts, word lists, activities, and loads of ideas!

All in one resource!

Books Are for Talking, Too! (Fourth Edition)

~ Engaging children in the language of stories since 1990 ~

Find  it on Amazon: https://a.co/d/efcKFw6

Additional resources:

Books:
Knights in Shining Armor by Gale Gibbos. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 1998.
Castles and Knights by Rupert Matthews. London: DK Readers, 2016
Check out the equally delightful sequel, Knight Owl and Early Birdy.

Extended Activities:
National Geographic Kids Knights and Castles Sticker Activity Book available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/diYOGuC

Find paper activities connected to Knight Owl on the Teachers Pay Teachers website: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/browse?search=knight%20owl

Video:
Watch an excellent, very entertaining read-aloud of the book on Booktopia Storytime by a fantastic UK narrator at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a5RBI9qasE