Read to me challenge 9: Hop! Plop!

A couple of months back I won the book Me Want Pet by Tammi Sauer after visiting Corey Rosen Schwartz's blog. A month later Corey sent me her own book, HOP! PLOP! So I am paying it forward and sharing her book with you. Enjoy!!

http://www.coreyrosenschwartz.com/HOP!_PLOP!.html

Why I liked this book:

Corey didn't know it, but her book came during a time I was having an observation done by my principal. I had chosen to do a Math lesson on balanced equations using a balanced scale. I love to sneak in a  reading a book whenever I can, with that said, I couldn't find a book. Then HOP! PLOP! arrived.  I read the book, yes during my math observation, focusing on the beginning of the book. The kids immediately made real world math connections. The important theme of the book is friendship but it was a great read aloud for my Math lesson.  And I have to say my principal loved it!!!!!

Critique from 502:

First of all, my class loved the characters. The first thing they noticed was the title. Ok, when 8 year olds say," Look Mrs. Velasquez those are vivid verbs, I was beaming just a little bit. For some reason they had thought that Elephants are afraid of mice... and could never be friend. They loved the fact that they had to work together to overcome challenges. The book is simple but the theme of Friendship is HUGE! I ask my students, "whats was your favorite part of the book."  They replied, "when Elephant uses his trunk as a slide for Mouse, he was showing compassion."  My second graders are so insightful! HOP! PLOP! gets a thumbs up all around.

P.S. The very next day my students were using vivid verbs in their writing... thanks Corey!

Corey also has a new blog co- hosted with Tiffany Strelitz Haber called Meter Maids. If rhyming is your passion, even if you are not good at it... like me, please be sure to stop by.  http://www.themetermaids.blogspot.com/   LOOK for her new book coming out soon SEPT. 2012!! The Three Ninja Pigs

Happy reading and writing!

Read to me challenge #8 :Me Want Pet

Wow! It feels good to be back on track with my Read to me challenge book #8.  My picture book this week is Me Want Pet by Tammi Sauer and illustrated by Bob Shea.

Synoposis: Taken from the book jacket
Cave Boy had lots of things. Rocks. Sticks. A club. But no pet. Will Cave Boy ever find a pet the whole family can agree on!

Cave Boy gave Wooly a  hug. 

"Me wish you could stay, pal."

Then Cave Boy tried again.

He searched high and low until...

a saber-toothed tiger!

Cave Boy and Toothy raced home.

Me want pet!"

"Achoo-ga!" sneezed Papa.

"Make me sneeze! No can stay."

Why I liked this book:
This adorable funny book was a gift to me by the gracious Corey Rosen Schwartz. At first I read the title and thought to myself, this is book will probably not  make the cut with my class but I will give it a try. What is that old saying? Don't judge a book by it's cover...oh so true! haha. The story line is so simple but the dialogue is hilarious. Truly a funny book that will tickle your funny bone and sure to make you laugh!

Stacy Velasquez

I passed this book on to my daughter Stacy Velasquez to share with her 2nd grade class. They loved it as well. So today's critique comes from some of her students.

Critique from Calhoon Magnet School
Delaynie writes:
" I like this book because it was funny when he talked like a baby. A text-to-self-connection that I made was when my sister wants something she will talks like the cave boy, me want pet, no can stay, make me sick!  My favorite part was when the granny said,"he no potty trained he no stay!"

Anthony writes:
"This book is about a little cave boy that has everything he needs but what he really wants is a pet. He tries a mammoth, too big. He tries a sabertooth tiger-makes dad sneeze, a dodo bird-not potty trained.
But when a stampede hurts his family the pets come to the rescue. He doesn't have one, he has three. I like this book because the kid gets what he wants. This book made me feel funny because when I was a trying to find out what pet I was going to get I was always told no but I finally got a dog."

And the whole class chanted," that's the way  uh huh...uh huh, we like it uh huh! "  ! This book gets double thumbs up from Calhoon Magnet  2nd graders!

Please stop by Corey Rosen Schwartz blog http://coreyschwartz.blogspot.com/

STAY TUNED FOR READ TO ME CHALLENGE BOOK#9 written by Cory.  HOP! PLOP!

Happy reading and writing :)