Book Talk

The Snail and the Whale
by Julia Donaldson
New York: Puffin Books, 2003.

Suggested age and interest level: Ages 3 to 7 years

Editions: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Large Print, Braille, and Magnetic Book. Also an Audio book available on iTunes.

Languages: English, Arabic, Chinese, German, Italian, Russian, and Turkish

Awards: Winner, 2004 Spoken Book gold award for best audiobook for ages 6 and under.

Topics to Explore: Animal rescue, Beaches and seashore, Friendship, Geography, Ocean creatures and habitats, Whales

Strategies for Book Talk: Consider pausing only minimally during the read-aloud so that the brilliant use of language crafted in rhythm and rhyme isn’t interrupted. However, pausing for children’s input and to define a word are always suggested. On a second read-though, target more specified skills you want to support.

Skills to Build:
Concepts of Print
Semantics: Vocabulary, Beginning Concepts (Part-Whole Relationships),  Homonyms, Synonyms, Associations, Adjectives, Attributes, Prepositions
Grammar and syntax: Two- and 3-word utterances, Noun + Verb agreement, Singular and Plural forms of nouns, Syntax structures (past, present and advanced)
Language literacy (a.k.a. Language discourse): Relating personal experiences, Sequencing events, Cause-and-effect relationships, Predictions, Problem solving, Drawing inferences, Verbal expression (Giving explanations), Compare and contrast, Answering Why questions, Discussion
Pragmatic social language:  Nonverbal communication, Being a friend
Fluency
Articulation, W, F and V
Phonological Awareness

Summary: A tiny snail with an “itchy foot” on a soot-filled rock overlooking a busy harbor has a wonderful dream. So, she advertises for a ride around the world. Her dreams come true when, after writing an ad with her silvery snail trail, she is invited to climb aboard the tail of a humpback whale. What a wonderful whale to take her to far off lands, to the South Pole’s icebergs with penguins and seals, and tropical islands with monkeys, palm trees, and spewing volcanoes. But when the whale gets pushed too close to land, he gets beached on an empty shore. Find out how the tiny snail saves the day with her courage and ingenious snail trail that rounds up the community. Together they all try to preserve the giant sea mammal until the tide comes in again and he’s heading back to port. Waiting for them is whole “flock on the rock” and they all climb aboard for a new adventure to end this endearing tale.

Before the read-aloud, encourage children to share what they know about the cover illustration, engaging in Book Talk as you support the following skills:

Vocabulary, Attributes, Discussion, Relating personal experiences

As you read the words of the title and author on the cover, encourage descriptions of the story’s setting, identifying the toucan perched on a palm tree, and parrot flying over the sea.

To work on vocabulary, talk about the whale and how it inhales air when it comes to the surface of the water using a blowhole, distinguishing it from fish. Describe how the whale blows a powerful burst of air from its blowhole, and that condensation from colder air outside creates the mist, making it look as if it is spewing water. After it has exhaled, then it inhales air and can swim under the water with this air until it is time to come back up again and repeat the process.

Name other attributes of this marine mammal, like its size, color, and special dorsal fin on his back (not visible in this illustration) that identifies him as a humpback. Then identify the tiny creature, barely seen at the tip of his tail – the snail.

As you discuss snails and their features, talk about how they leave a silvery, glistening snail trail behind them when they are on the move. This helps them navigate and propel their movement over rough, dry surfaces.

The snail trail is key to understanding the story. Ask children to relate their own experiences observing snails. Ask –

•  Where did you see the snail?
•  What do you notice about the snail?
•  Have you ever seen a snail trail but no snail?
•  What does its trail tell you?

Talk about the difference between a sea snail (like the one in the story) and a garden snail. For example, garden snails have lungs and sea snails have gills, so they can breathe under water.

During the read-aloud, model, scaffold, expand on, and recast language as you engage in children in Book Talk. Consider minimal interruptions in the flow of the rhyming verse on the first read-through, then pause for lengthier exchanges when you revisit the pages after the entire book has been read.

Perspective-taking, Vocabulary, Syntax structures, Idioms, Homonyms

On the first page turn, pause for talk about the setting.

To work on perspective-taking, point out the single tiny snail on the rock overlooking the harbor. Make the story come alive by asking –

• What can the snail see from the rock?
• How is her view different from those on the little boat coming into the harbor?
• How is it different from that of the seagull perched on top of the old pilings?

Vocabulary includes –

• Port
• Dock
• Cranes
• Tugboat
• Ships
• Anchor
• Seagulls
• Lichens (on rocks)
• Lighthouse
• Shore
• Buoy
• Metal barrels (oil drums)
• Pilings (providing a habitat for marine life)

To work on vocabulary and syntax formations, model use of the words in sentences and connect them to other words. Then scaffold and/or expand the child’s constructions, such as –

• Big ships are docked in the harbor.
• Cranes lift cargo (off the ships).
• Lichen grows on the rocks (and pilings).
• The seagull eats lichen (off the rock).

and so on.

To work on idioms and homonyms, talk about the expression itchy foot that is so important to the meaning of the story. Share that the expression means longing to travel or do something different. Ask yes/no questions to insure understanding. For example, ask –

• Does this expression mean the snail’s foot itches and she needs to scratch it?
• Does it mean she is itching to travel and see the world?
• Does the little snail long to set foot on other lands?

Share that a snail’s underside is called a foot. Which gives the idiom a homonym aspect. What does foot mean when referring to a sea snail? 

Concepts of print, Idioms

On a page turn, see lots of snails on the soot-covered rock in the harbor. Talk about the shells on their back. Point out and run your finger along the snail trail as you read the text –

• This is the trail
• Of the tiny snail,
• A silvery trail that looped and curled
• And said, “Ride wanted around the world.”

To work on concepts of print, show the rock on which the snail created a message with her silvery trail. Talk about how she formed the loopy lines of her snail trail into letters – perfect for handwriting. Explain how the loopy letters say something in writing. They are talk written down. Ask –

• What did the snail want to say to the ships’ captains?
• What did she want to ask them?
• How was this clever?

Encourage children to be on the lookout for another place in the story where they might see the snail use her trail to write a message.

To work on idioms, talk about the meaning of the words, hitch a ride, as in getting a ride from someone for free, especially since they’re going where you want to go. They are especially important words to the meaning of the story.

Encourage use of the idiom, both within the context of the story and within children’s own lives.

Part-Whole relationships, Prepositions

On a page turn, see the whale swimming under the nighttime stars. The center part of its body (its dorsal fin) is hidden, submerged under water. The tail appears separately above the water.

To work on part-whole relationships and prepositions, ask children to identify the whale’s parts. Then connect the parts by identifying where each is located. Use prepositions such as under, beneath, in, above, and on top of in relation to the water and context of the story.

In the sidebar illustration, identify the whale’s tail as it rests against the rock. As the tiny snail climbs on, ask where she is and where the rest of the whale’s “immensely” long body is located. Continue working on prepositions in relation to the tail, the rock, and snail that help children express meaning within the context of the story. 

Two- and 3-word utterances, Vocabulary (Adjectives and Verbs),
Plural forms of nouns,
Syntax formations (including advanced syntactic structures),
N+ V agreement, Prepositional phrases

On the next five page turns, see all the places the giant whale takes his tiny passenger. Look for opportunities to engage in the rich text of the rhyming verse to support a variety of communication skills.

To encourage early utterances, invite children to chime in on portions the verse with repeatable phrases, such as –

• tiny snail
• tail of the whale
• snail on his tail
• in the sea
• waves splash
• running a race
• close to shore

Then expand on the utterances to add more words, such as –

• the tiny snail on the rock
• the big tail of the whale
• the whale with a snail on his tail

and so on.

To work on vocabulary development, including adjectives and verbs, focus on the author’s great use of adjectives to describe the –

• towering icebergs
• fiery mountains
• golden sands

and the verbs that tell what the waves were doing as they –

• arched
• crashed
• foamed
• frolicked
• sprayed
• splashed….

…the tiny snail.

Encourage use of the word in ways that connect it to another word in the story, such as –

• The waves arched over the whale’s tail.
• The waves crashed on top of the whale.
• The waves foamed as they crashed on top of the water.

To work on syntax structures, talk about the action in the story as it is depicted in the images. Point out a favorite creature and combine it with the action taking place on the page.

• whale swimming
• whale carrying (the snail)
• penguins watching
• seals sliding
• dolphins playing
• fish swimming
• volcano spewing
• monkey climbing

Encourage advanced syntax structures by creating prepositional phrases, such as –

• The whale is swimming ____(e.g., alongside, in front of, between) the icebergs in the sea.
• The whale is carrying the snail ______ (e.g., on top of, on the tip of) his tail.
• The penguins are looking _____ (out, toward, across) the sea at the whale.

To work on N+V agreement, highlight the difference between pages where text begins with the same pattern, but grammatic constructions are determined by either the singular or plural subject. For example –

• This is the snail…
• This is the rock….
• These are the other snails….
• This is the sea…
• These are the waves….
• These are the caves…
• This is the sky…

Pause at the illustration showing the whale off the shore of the tropical island to work on singular and plural nouns and N+V agreement. For example –

For: Toucan/Toucans

• The toucan sits in the tree
• The toucans sit on the tree

For: Crab/Crabs

• The crab holds hands (pinchers) with the other crab.
• The crabs hold hands (pinchers)

For: Tree /Trees

• The tree stands on the shore
• The trees stand on the shore

For: Shell/Shells

• There is a shell on the beach.
• There are many shells on the beach.

Vocabulary, Sequencing events, Cause-and effect relationships, Verbal expression (Giving explanations), Answering Why questions

On the next two page turns, see enthusiastic boaters racing at sea, forcing the poor whale into shallower water.  And then –

 the whale lost his way.

As the whale now lies on shore, out of his element, he spews ocean water from his blowhole. But he is stuck!  Where will more water come from? The story reads –

This is the tide, slipping away.

On a page turn, read –

And this is the whale lying beached in a bay.

To work on vocabulary, invite Book Talk about the meaning of beached as it pertains to an aquatic animal. Encourage use of the word in descriptions of the whale’s predicament.

To work on sequencing events, consider that before children can express cause-and-effect relationships, they must be able to verbally sequence story events. Ask what happened in this part of the story, scaffolding with words first, and then.  For example –

• First the boaters got in his way.
• Then he had to swim closer to shore in shallow water.
• Then the waves went out to sea (the tide went out).
• And then the whale got stuck on the beach!

To structure cause-and effect relationships about the sequence of actions, ask children what caused the whale to become beached. Scaffold sentences with connector words so, that caused, and because to help construct the relationships of the events, such as in –

• The boats got in his way, so he got off course/had to in a different direction.
• The whale got beached because he had to swim too close to the shore.
• It was the tide going out that caused him to get beached on shore.

To work on giving explanations and answering Why questions, engage in Book Talk about the problem that develops in the story.

Talk about ocean tides and how they bring water toward the land during one stage. In the next stage the water goes back out to sea. Then encourage language formations that explain how whales need deep water to swim in. For example, ask –

• How could a whale end up on the beach?
• Why is it that he is not able to swim back out to sea?
• Why does the story say the water is “slipping away?”

Scaffold and expand on answers such as –

• The tide moves back toward the sea so there’s no water beneath him.
• When there’s no water beneath him, the whale’s belly touches the sand.
• His flippers can’t pull at the water to move him forward.

Concepts of print, Predictions

On a page turn, see how the courageous little snail attempts to solve the problem. After she exclaims, “I’ve got it!” she crawls to a schoolhouse where the children and teacher are surprised by –

A silvery trail saying “Save the whale.”

To work on concepts of print, point to the blackboard with the snail trail message. Ask children to recall how she wrote her last message on the soot-filled rock in the harbor. Show how she formed the loopy lines of her trail into handwriting (rather than printing). Explain how letters say something in writing.

To work on making predictions, ask children what might happen next. Based on what transpired after writing her last message on the rock, what might happen now? (E.g., People will read it.)

Social Pragmatics (Nonverbal communication), Sentence constructions

On a page turn, see the school children shocked and amazed at seeing the snail’s message on their blackboard.

To work on nonverbal communication, talk about the actions and expressions of the characters, including the teacher. Talk about what it says about their thoughts and feelings. For example –

• The girl is standing up out of her chair. She’s pointing. Her mouth is open. She dropped her crayon on the floor.  She must be –
•      startled
•     amazed
•     shocked
•     …thinking this can’t be true!
•     …thinking, no way!
•     …thinking, I can’t believe a snail wrote that!

On a page turn, see the children running toward the beach and the red emergency vehicles with their lights flashing. Support responses such as –

• The boy is running with his arms out and his mouth open.
• He’s probably saying “Hold on! We’re coming to rescue you.”
• The girl behind him is running with her hands up in the air.
• She is worried about the whale.
• She is hoping they will get there in time to save him.
• The boy behind her is holding the tiny snail as he runs with his schoolmates.
• He’s probably being careful not to hurt it.

On the opposite page, emergency crews and villagers help dig sand out from under the whale and hose him down to keep him cool. Support children in interpreting the actions and expressions of people trying to help, especially the little boy still holding the tiny snail.

To work on syntax constructions, use all the action taking place on shore to save the whale in targeting various syntactic structures.

Sequencing events, Part-whole relationships, Prepositions, Syntax constructions

On the last two page turns, see the happy whale, once again blowing bursts of air from his blowhole that turn to spray and mist as he swims back to the harbor with his tiny friend. There they tell their story to a flock of snails and invite them to come aboard for more adventures.

To work on sequencing events and syntax constructions, review the text that reads –

• And the whale and the snail
• Told their wonderful tale
• Of shimmering ice and coral caves,
• And shooting stars and enormous waves,
• And of how the snail, so small and frail,
• with her looping, curling, silvery tail,
• Saved the life of the humpback whale.

Ask children to tell the story the way the whale and snail would have told it, sequencing events with connector words first, next, and then. Help structure the story by asking –

• How did they start off?
• What happened first?
• What did they see?
• Where did they go next?

To work on part-whole relationships, see the sidebar illustration, as it appeared in the beginning page of the book – only this time, with lots of little snails climbing onto the whale’s tail! Ask children to identify the whale’s tail and locate where the rest of his body is. Predict how the whale will be seen differently in the next picture.

To work on prepositions and syntax formations, talk about the action taking place in relation to the whale’s tail, the rock, and snails that help express meaning within the context of the story.

 

After the read aloud, pause for your audience reflect on the story and ask general questions about their opinions, such as –

• What did you especially like about this story?
• What page did you especially enjoy looking at?
• Was there something you didn’t like about the story?

Revisit pages in the story that can provide added meaning and work on the skills previously outlined as well as additional communication objectives such as –

Discussion, Social pragmatics (Being a friend)

The message in this story is that no matter how small you may be, you can make a difference.  Talk about how the tiny snail overcame her initial thoughts of being “terribly small” and instead found a way to make a positive effect.

Consider holding a discussion on friendship. A whale and a snail are unlikely friends. But once the connection is made, they become steadfast companions. Ask thoughtful questions about how their friendship formed, as in –

• How did the whale initiate being a friend to the tiny snail?
• What did they share in common?
• What kinds of things might they have talked about on their travels?

Then ask how they showed friendship toward each other. For example  –

• What did tiny snail do to show her appreciation for her friend?
• What did the humpback whale do to show his appreciation for his friend?

Then ask children to apply the principals to their own lives. For example –

What are some good ways to make a friend? (E.g., Offer to do something for someone, offer to help if they have a problem, and so on.)

Sequencing events

In reviewing the pages of the story, support children in describing the events in sequential order, using connecting words first, next, then, after that, finally, and so on. For example,

• First the snail watched the boats in the harbor and wanted to travel with them.
• Then she wrote a message that she wanted a ride around the world.
• Next, a whale offered her a ride.
• Then she climbed on his tail.
• After that,….

and so on.

Problem solving

Review the pages where speedboats unintentionally push the whale into shallower water. Showing the page with the huge whale on the sand, ask,

•     What is the problem in the story? (The whale got beached.)
•     What needed to happen? (The whale needed to get off of the sand.)
•      How was the problem solved? (The snail wrote a message with its trail to save the whale.)

Continue Book Talk about how the whole community helped in solving the problem of saving the beached whale.

Answering Why questions, Giving explanations, Drawing inferences

Review the pages where the school children and emergency vehicles race to the scene of the beached whale. Excavators help dig the whale out of the sand and machines with extension ladders pump ocean water over him.

To work on answering Why questions, ask –

• Why are emergency vehicles racing to the beach?
• Why are excavators needed to help the whale?
• Why are the fireman hosing off the whale?

Expand and scaffold responses containing connector words such as so that and because.

To work on giving explanations and drawing inferences, ask questions such as –

•  How are the children helping the beached whale?
•  How did the rescue vehicles and excavators get on the scene?
•  How was the whale with the snail able to swim away?                            

Fluency

To work on fluency techniques, use the metaphor of the mist from the whale’s blowhole, his exhale of air, to work on breathing exercises and speaking on a steady airstream.

Talk about whales as mammals, that they breathe in and exhale air just like we do. Review the section in Before the read-aloud under the vocabulary heading for an explanation of how the whale’s exhalation is actually made up of air, not water.

Use the metaphor as well as the wonderful verse with great rhythm to demonstrate and practice easy starts, light contacts, speaking on a steady breath stream, and so on.

The repetitive story structure is ideal for initiating techniques with sentence starters. For example,

• This is the whale that ______.
• This is the sea that ________.
• This is the sky that ________.

As you turn the pages to revisit the story, point to the story features and model sentence starters with steady air flow as you begin –

• This is the ______
• These are the ____

To work on healthy self-perceptions, talk about what the tiny snail does to save the whale. The story shows that that no matter how small you are, you can make a difference.

A snail doesn’t speak, of course. But that doesn’t stop her from attempting to communicate her message. She draws on her courage and uses the abilities she has to call for the whale’s rescue.

While she could have focused her thoughts on being too “terribly small”, instead she sees herself as being able to make a positive effect.

By talking about the tiny snail’s courage and belief that she can be effective, you can segue to the child’s own self-acceptance. It isn’t necessary to speak perfectly. Even though you may be fearful of speaking in certain situations, believing in yourself that you can communicate your message, no matter how, is what matters

Ask what the snail might have said if she could have spoken words. Then segue to the child’s own self-acceptance. Consider asking –

• In what ways are you an effective communicator?

For any child, no matter what the objective, believing in yourself as an effective communicator, no matter how you speak, is what truly matters.

Articulation

Given the rich use of language in the text, the book offers opportunities to work on almost any phoneme! It is particularly useful for the lip rounding movements for W. The text is also well suited for working on fricatives F and V.

To work on W, demonstrate, model and practice production of the word whale on every page, along with -:
Words with W in the text: whale, water, waves, wanted, (ride wanted), world, wanted around the world, wide, world is wide, towering, who, wiggle, wonderful, wild, how, away and how.

Words with F in the text: foot, itchy foot, flock, sniffed, free, fiery, foamed, frolicked, free, filled, flashing, frightening, fail, fetching, firemen, safe, safely, wonderful, frail, and after.
Words with F to use with the illustrations: fun, and wharf

Words with V in the text: volcano, vast, villagers, and wave
Words with V to use in the illustrations: very, vessel, evening, travel, move, moving, over, and above.

Phonological Awareness

The superb rhyming text not only tells a complete story, its constituent words are ideal for PA activities, especially at the earlier levels.

Depending on where the child’s abilities fall on the PA spectrum, you may wish to start with the games provided here at the beginning levels, Initial Sound Awareness and Rhyming  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 the PA Catalog of Books Are for Talking, Too! (Fourth edition), where you’ll find activities across the entire  PA spectrum 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. Children supply the rhyming word left out at the end of a familiar verse. Provide the initial phoneme cue and picture prompts if needed.  Say –

This is the tale of the tiny ______ (snail).

And the great big, gray-blue humpback _______ (whale).

This is the tail

Of the humpback _____(whale).

He held it out of the starlit sea

And said to the snail, “Come sail with _____ (me).

Begin with shorter verses and more familiar pages until children are successful finishing the rhyme.

Play: Rhyme-It-Again. Children identify the rhyming word heard after a rhyming set is given. For example,

   After ending the rhyming verse, reiterate the rhyming word –

   Say –

• That’s right. Tail rhymes with w _____ (whale).
  That’s right. Sea rhymes with m _____ (e)

 Play: Do they Rhyme? Children determine if word sets rhyme or do not rhyme. For example,

    Say,

•      whale, snail
•      Do they rhyme? (Yes)

Say,

•  trail, sail
  Do they rhyme? (Yes)

   Say,

•  whale, sand
  Do they rhyme? (No)

Some rhyming word pairs from the text include –

•  soot, foot
•  rock, dock
•  sighed, wide
•  foot, put
•  curled, world
•  night, bright
•  long, song
•  caves, waves
•  sea, free
•  crashed, splashed
•  fins, grins
•  lightening, frightening
•  land, sand
•  all, small
•  race, place
• roar, shore

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. Accept any rhyming nonsense word. For example,

   Say.

• rock, dock
  Do they rhyme? (Yes)
  What’s another word that rhymes with rock? (e.g., sock clock, lock, knock, etc.)

Initial Sound Awareness Level – Alliteration

Play: Same-Sound. Children identify whether two words (or three-word strings) selected from the text begin with the same sound. For example –

Say,

• sea, sand
  Do they start with the same sound? (Yes)

Say,

• whale, world
  Do they start with the same sound? (Yes)

Say ,

• trail, snail
  Do they start with the same sound? (No)

Continue with word pairs and strings provided below. Intersperse a word from a matched set with one from another set to create a non-alliterative pair.

• whale, waves
• wiggle, wide
• snail, small
• foot, foamed,
• play, pool
• land, looping
• ride, ring, rock
• tiny, tide, travel
• cave, cool, curling
• wanted, world, whale
• stars, sunny, small,
• silvery, squirting, spraying
• looping, land, lightening
• shimmer, sharks, school
• blue, beached, big, board, bay
• frolicked, flashing, frightening, firemen

Play: Say-the-Sound. Children listen to a series of words taken from the text and produce the initial sound common to each word. For example –

Ask,

• What sound do you hear at the beginning of –
  tiny, tide, and travel?
  Hear it. Say it.
  That’s right. T is the sound at the beginning of tiny, tide, and travel

Continue the game with words of the text provided above, grouped according to their initial sound.

Once children are successful at these levels, continue to work on the next levels in the hierarchy of Phonological Awareness. Try structuring your own activities with suitable words from the text for all the specified PA levels. By focusing on each level of the continuum in this systematic way, the child will eventually achieve the final stages of phonemic awareness.

Note: For book treatments that encompass the full range of phonological awareness (PA) skills, check out the Phonological Awareness Catalog in Books Are for Talking, Too! (4^th Ed.). You’ll get tables showing the hierarchy in the development of PA, and a whole range of activities along with instructions and word lists to use with the easy-to-find picture books.

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Note: See other bestselling books by Julia Donaldson featured in the 4th edition of Books Are for Talking, Too!

• Browse through three age-related Catalogs featuring literally hundreds of quality books, readily accessible in school and public libraries or reasonably priced at online booksellers.
• Looking for books to target a special skill? Explore those listed under 75+ skill headings in the Skills index, where book titles are cross-referenced to the Catalogs.
• Thinking of doing a thematic unit? Find books that cover this book’s topics and a whole lot more in the Topic Explorations Index.
• Want to include PA training? Get explicit, systematic instructions for activities across the entire spectrum of Phonological Awareness for use with books in the PA Catalog — so each child can work at his or her appropriate level.
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• Best practices- aligned
• Based on academic research
• Backed by ASHA Guidelines

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Additional Resources for The Snail and the Whale:

• Videos:
  The Snail and the Whale Animated Read-Aloud Book at:
  https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=video+of+the+snail+and+the+whale&view=detail&mid=F467CE14832237B14124F467CE14832237B14124&FORM=VIRE&PC=APPL
• YouTube video: https://youtu.be/wfAsZdCtHOc?feature=shared
• Extended Activities:
  Paper Projects Snail on The Whale Sparkly Reusable Stickers:
  https://a.co/d/dPrwGsf
• The Snail and the Whale Sticker Book
  Available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/1rL6oWc
• Craft ideas and activities: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/383439355769544475/

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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.
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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 ~

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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