Books for Boys

Whiting, S. (2008). The Firefighters. Singapore: Candlewick Press


ISBN # 978-0-7636-4019-4

This book explains how firefighters work in their field. There are three children and one teacher that are pretending to be firefighters. They were trying to extinguish a picture of a fire with hoses on the wall. While they were finishing up with their firefighter game, they heard real sirens of the fire engines. The Fire fighters make a visit to the children and they tell them stories on how they fight fires and rescue people from burning buildings. The firefighters pretend there a is fire so that the children learn how to respond to a fire and move fast if the situation were to come up.

I would choose this book for three to five year olds as they can learn how firefighters work and learn what their tasks and duties are. It also helps children realize the dangers and hazards of a fire and that it must be avoided at all times.

The illustrations are big in size so that children are able to see the pictures clearly and understand them better. The illustrator, Donna Rawlins uses water painting in this book which is familiar to children. The illustrations of this story are so colorful making it fun and exciting for children to look at while reading. Children can enjoy the illustrations because there are three little children illustrations on the book, this may make them feel like they are part of the story by imagining themselves to be the little children in the book.

A great way of provoking interest and building background before presenting this book, would be to make pictures of fire engines that could be shown to children and letting them know what fire engines do and also allowing them to draw or paint pictures of their curiosity of fire engines as well. Also, I would invite a firefighter to come show what his duties and tasks are as a firefighter, so children may be curious and may wonder about fire fighters and they may want to know what kind of person they are.

I would like to stop at page 17 of the book as there is the use of a lifelike sounding fire engine. So children may wonder if there is a real fire fighter coming up on the next page. I would like to ask children, “Do you think it is the real sound of an engine or are the three children just pretending to be like the real ones?


Three ways to present The Firefighters:

-I would use a felt board story. I would use felt to make a firefighter, three children dressed up like firefighters and a teacher. The felt story could be either purchased or making these pictures out of felt using the illustrations of the book would be another option. The felt story will help children see the story in a different view making it more interesting for them to learn more about firefighters.

-I can present this story by covering the illustration on the front cover so children can be curious and they can also guess what the book is about. This will help them to think for themselves and create their own story of what they think the book is about.

-It would be good and effective to practice the different character’s voices in the book so that children can enjoy the book while I am reading and it will make it easier for them to follow along and enjoy the book. They will also be able to develop their imagination and their thoughts on how the firefighters may look and sound like in real life.


Three possible extensions:

-Trying to find a short clip of a video about fire fighters so children can really see that what they are doing for us. Also, children can apply the picture of the books into the real life situations.

-Bringing in some items that sound like a fire engine so they can practice what they need to do when the fire alarm goes off. When they notice the sound of the fire engine, they can notice that some places are on fire. Also, the children can pretend to be and play like fire fighters when the bell rings.

-Arranging a field trip to a fire station where children would be able to explore, learn and understand better how firefighters work at the station and how they respond to emergencies.








London, J. (2010). I’m a truck driver. New York: Henry Holt and Company, LLC


ISBN # 978-0-8050-7989-0

This book shows the different kinds of trucks that we see on the streets. It explains what each truck does and how they function. Also, the book contains sounds of the trucks so children can learn different sounds and learn what kind of work trucks do. The font sizes of the words are big so that children can see the words clearly.

I would choose this book for 3-5 year olds as the words used in this book are very simple making it easier for children to understand and enjoy. They can learn about lots of different kinds of trucks and what they each can do. I think this book is especially good for boys because they love trucks.

The sizes of the illustrations are big so children can recognize what the pictures represent right away. Also, the pictures of the trucks are so colorful and bright that it makes it very interesting and fascinating for children to look at and wonder about.

Before reading the story, I would like to bring some toy trucks so that children can get interested in the trucks by moving and playing with them. This would help in building background information about the book and provoking interest in them. Children may have lots of questions about what the trucks do. Also, I would like to take them to a construction site so that they can see what the trucks do. They already may have knowledge of trucks before the story so they will have lots of questions and wonders.

I would like to stop at each page as each page introduces different kinds of trucks. I would like to ask children what kind of sounds they think each truck would make.


Three ways to present I’m a Truck Driver

-I would use a felt story board and I would need lots of pieces of felt trucks. I can draw out the trucks onto the felt using the illustrations of the trucks on the book. The illustrations are so big and clear that it would be easy to draw them out.

-Recording the different sounds of the trucks would be another way to provoke children’s interest in trucks. while I am reading the book the children would listen to the sounds of the trucks and they will be curious and have many wonders as to how the sounds relate to each truck.

-I can use a puppet that could be a truck driver or even anyone else, to recite the story of the trucks to the children. This will be another good way for children to understand the story in a different way.


Three possible extensions:

-Drawing or painting trucks activities. The children can draw their own truck and they can explain what these trucks do.

-I would like to bring some pictures of trucks and I could ask the children what they think these trucks are doing and what kind of sounds do they each have.

-Acting out the trucks activities. For example, children could pretend to be a garbage truck driver or a forklift driver and they can act out what each truck does and the sounds each make.








Yolen, J. (2000). How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?:An Imprint of Scholastic Inc. New York: Scholastic.



ISBN # 0-590-31681-8


This story is about how dinosaurs say good night to their mother and father. In the story there is a mother and a father who are human and who are dinosaurs. When the father and mother enter the room where the dinosaurs are staying, they try turning off the light to see how the Dinosaurs sleep.

I would choose this book for 3-5 year olds as the words are easy to understand and the size of the font is big making it fun and exciting for children to look at. The illustrations are great so that children can have fun looking at them while the story is being read. Children love being curious about dinosaurs and this book definitely helps them to be imaginative. There are lots of different kinds of dinosaurs in the book, so children may think about what kinds of dinosaurs are in the book and that they like most.

The illustrations are done by water colors which give the pictures a very different and unique effect. The illustrations are big and colorful so that children may pay close attention to the story and enjoy the story while it’s being read. The illustrations of the dinosaurs on each page are very different, this will help children in being more curious about what the next dinosaur is going to look like.

Before reading the story, I would like to bring some dinosaur toys to the classroom so children can become familiar with the dinosaurs and they’ll be able to play with them. Also, I like to show real dinosaur pictures so that children may be able to enjoy and become more aware about the story that’s about to be read.

While I am reading this book to children, I would like to stop at questions such as how does a dinosaur say good night when papa and mama come in to turn of the light? (p1, p12) I would like to use a wondering voice so that children may become curious as to how Dinosaurs say good night.

Three ways to present How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?

-I would like to do felt board story because children would like to see dinosaurs in felt pieces as a clearer and bigger visual. I would need different kinds of dinosaur pieces that could either be hand drawn and cut out or bought at stores.

-I would like to show a short movie or video clip so that children may really want to know about the dinosaurs even after reading the story more than once.

-I could bring some Dinosaur puppets or dolls so while I read the story, I could use the puppets or dolls this will give the children a more lifelike experience of the story.


Three possible extensions:

-I would allow the children to draw pictures of dinosaurs so that they can be creative with their drawings and that will allow them to think about the story more.

-I would like to have a discussion with the children on how they would respond or react if they saw a real life dinosaur. This will help them in being imaginative and also being able to express themselves and their thoughts on the story.

-The children can also pretend to be the dinosaurs, when I ask them what will happen if I turned off some lights in the room. They could act like the dinosaurs in the book and create shadows with the lights.

Books for Boys

Garcia, E (2010) Tap Tap Bang Bang. New York: Boxer books.


ISBN # 978-1-907152-00-9


“Tap Tap Bang Bang” by Emma Garcia is a book for little helpers to learn about different tools, their functions, and the fun sounds they make. It’s a great way to introduce tools to children who are curious about woodworking or just as a way of showing how different things can be made by using these tools. The googly eyes on each tool make them come to life as they show off their skills hard at work. I would choose this book for 3-5 year olds as the large, clear pictures of each tool would be very amusing and exciting for young children to look at and learn about. They would be able to experience how these tools are used in real life and may even be able to make connections to where they might have seen some of these tools before.


To present this book and provoke interest and knowledge in children for this story “Tap Tap Bang Bang”, I would bring in a box of tools that include a Saw, Chisel, Hammer, Nails, Drill, Screw Driver, Bolts, Nuts, Pliers, Glue Gun, Wrench, Vise, Level, Tape Measure, Mallet, Jack, Sander, and a Paintbrush. The children would be able to touch and feel the different sizes of the tools and compare how heavy or light they are. They will also be able to wonder about how each tool functions. To provoke interest in the book when reading it for the first time I would show them the first page of the book which asks “Look at all these tools! What can we do with them?” I would let them wonder about each tool letting them think about how each tool works, what they might sound like and what they could make with each tool or tools combined.


I would stop at the first page for the children to wonder about how they might think each tool functions as it’s important to see the different perspectives of each child. I would ask them what else these tools can do. Have you seen these tools before? What can we make with these tools?


  Three ways to present Tap Tap Bang Bang

-I would have the tool box with all the necessary tools in the box and while reading the book show them to the children allowing them to be curious and wonder about them.

-I would set up a felt story with the 18 separate tools made by felt and I would present it to the children while reading the book giving them an opportunity to look and understand the story in a different aspect.

-I would ask each child to be the tool that I read out and engage them in role play so that while reading the book they can act out how each tool looks like, what sounds they make, and how they move. This will give each child the opportunity to act out their favorite tool allowing them to be creative and imaginative.


              Three possible extensions


-Have a carpenter come in and show the different tools and talk about his job as a carpenter giving the children an opportunity to see how these tools are used in a day by day lifestyle.

-Organize field trips to construction sites, hardware stores, or woodworking shops where children will be able to see the tools at work and be able to explore more options and ideas that wouldn’t be available in the classroom setting.

-Let the children draw or paint their favorite tools on paper and use them during story time allowing them to be creative and being able to express themselves and their thoughts.



 
Mitton, T., & Parker, A.(2005).Tough Trucks (Amazing Machines).
            New York: Kingfisher. (Original work published 2003)

ISBN # 978-07534-5600-2


“Tough Trucks” by Tony Mitton and Ant Parker is a fun rhyming book about different trucks that we see on the roads every day. It shows the different functions of trucks such a big rig with a semitrailer, a garbage truck, a concrete mixer, dump truck, a tanker, and a forklift. It’s a great book for children interested in the different parts of a truck and how they function together. The characters used in this book are all of different animals driving the trucks which make the book very unique and exciting for children.

I would use this book for 3-5 year olds as this is the stage when they begin to be curious about their surroundings and there are always different trucks on the roads that spark their interest. The book also uses very interesting, colorful and clear images to show how the trucks work that children would be easily able to look at and understand clearly as to what’s happening and how each truck works, while the story is being read.

To present this book and provoke interest in the children for “Tough Trucks”, I would take the children for a walk on a nice day and see if they can point out any trucks they see on the roads that they are curious about. I would set up puzzles of different trucks that children can put together and this would help them with visually understanding the different parts of a truck by joining pieces together.


I would stop at the page that states that “driving trucks is tiring, but you need to be awake” and ask the children why they think it’s important that drivers take a break from driving all day? This will also show them the safety aspects of driving and working and help them to be curious about different things related to driving.


Three ways to present Tough Trucks:

-I would use a magnetic board and attach pictures of the different trucks onto little magnets and move them around while reading out the book as this would give the children a visual and be more exciting for them as they would be able to see the trucks move.

-I would stop at each page and ask the children if they know the names of each truck giving them an opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings.

-I would use a felt board to present the story as this will give them a better visual as to what the truck looks like and how it functions.


Three possible extensions

-I would set up an activity for the children to make their own trucks with recyclable boxes, milk cartons, and cardboard for the wheels and straws for exhaust pipes.

-I would teach the children to sing the song named “Toot Toot Beep Beep” by Madeline L Pots which shows how driving and fixing trucks is much more exciting than other means of transportation. The rhythm is very upbeat and great for children to dance to as well.

-I would let the children draw or paint their favorite truck after reading the book, allowing them to be creative and imaginative.






Niemann, C. (2007). The Police Cloud. New York City: Schwartz & Wade.


ISBN # 978-0-375-83963-4

“The Police Cloud” by Christoph Niemann is about a cloud that wants to be a police officer and so he asks the police department if he could join them in helping people in the city. They accept him and make him a policeman but the cloud soon realizes that he’s not much use as a policeman. For instance when trying to catch a burglar he runs right through the cloud, and when he’s assigned to direct traffic at a busy intersection the vehicles go right through him. The cloud gets very upset as all he’s ever wanted to be was a police cloud and he realizes he’s not any use as one. While moving along the city he begins to cry so hard that he doesn’t realize a house on fire and his tears unknowingly wash away the fire. The cloud saves the day and he is accepted as a fire fighter.


The illustrations are very simple, clear and colorful making the book very interesting to look at and read along. Children would enjoy this book as the story evokes different moods and feelings and the illustrations depict these moods very clearly.

To present this book and provoke interest about the book for children, I would show them a book or get resources about policemen and firefighters and how they work each day to protect the city. I would invite anyone that has any books on policemen and firefighters to bring them in as well. To provoke interest on this topic for children it would be good to find songs or rhymes with actions that involve the occupation of police and firefighters.

I would stop at the page where the burglar runs right through the cloud. I would ask the children why they think the burglar could run through the cloud. Where do clouds come from? Allowing them to wonder about these questions.


Three ways to present The Police Cloud:

-Setting up a felt board story with the characters of the cloud, policemen, firefighters, a burglar, and a few other people would be a great way to present the story.

-Setting up a magnetic story on a 4 sided cookie can would be good in showing the different emotions the cloud feels and by showing the different time of day on each sides of the can.

-After reading out the story a couple times and presenting it in other ways I would involve the children in the story and have them take on the roles of the cloud, the policemen, firefighters, the burglar, and people in cars. This would deepen their understanding of what each person does.



Three possible extensions:

-Allowing children to make clouds out of wool and drawing or painting the clouds on a sunny day, clouds on a rainy day, etc. It would help to take the children out on these days and ask them how they see the clouds in the sky.

-Arranging a field trip to a police station or museum where children can explore and learn more about the duties and tasks of a policeman.

-Taking children for a walk to an area where there is a fire extinguisher and show them how firefighters require them in order to get rid of a fire.

Books for Boys

 

 Cyrus, K. (2008). Tadpole Rex. New York: Harcourt.

 ISBN: 978-0-15-205990-3

In a deep, dark swamp long ago, a polliwog was born – his name was Rex. This little tadpole was stuck living in a large dinosaur’s footprint filled with water and mud, but Rex knew one day he would grow and unleash his inner tyrannosaur.  After dodging many hungry dinosaurs and eating until his heart was content, patience led Rex to grow until finally, he had arms and legs. Rex came out of hiding and let out his inner tyrannosaur, jumping and bouncing, giving his best ribbet roars. As time went by the dinosaurs were swept away, but frogs alike Rex survived, each with their own inner tyrannosaur.

I would choose this book for three to five-year olds because it is quite simple but has a consistent rhyming scheme along with well chosen onomatopoeias throughout the book. There are a lot of questions that can be asked while reading this book such as, “how many dinosaurs do you know?” or “what are frogs like?” both of these questions lead to interest and a broadening of their knowledge.

The illustrations are originally drawn in scratchboard and then digitally coloured. The details within this book are enjoyable and realistic, almost as if you could experience what mud felt like or how rough skinned the dinosaurs were just through the pictures. I enjoyed these illustrations, as I believe children would, because they are colourful and sometimes a little frightening, especially with how large the insects are drawn or how sharp the teeth are of some of the dinosaurs.

A great way of provoking interest and building background on the book before presenting it would be to introduce the children to dinosaurs or different types of frogs and tell them how long ago they lived. If they were learning about different types of animals within the animal kingdom, I would bring in a frog to have as a ‘class pet’ on the day they learn about amphibians to provoke interest at the start of the day. Also, one of the pictures in the book of Rex the frog could be photocopied and placed on the board for the children to see and ask questions about which would lead to reading the book.

At the end of page 14 in the book when Rex is growing in size, it gives a sense of anticipation and suspense which is when I would stop and ask the children what they think would happen to Rex, would he grow to be a dinosaur? On page 18, right before Rex is about to ‘roar’, I would ask the children to roar in a way that they think Rex would roar because it would be humorous afterwards when I flip the page and simply say, ‘ribbet’.

            Three ways to present Tadpole Rex:

-Small toy dinosaurs that were presented in the book could be brought in and shown while reading the book. For example, when Rex grows into a frog he leaps about and dinosaurs such as duckbills, alamosauruses, and triceratops are introduced and as they are introduced they can be brought out and shown howlarge they are in relation to the size of the frog (also as a toy).

- A felt story could be provided during the reading of this story - pieces are not available so they would have to be made. The different stages of the tadpole’s growth should be presented in felt, and as the story is read each stage of the tadpole should be placed on the board to show the transition.

-In order to keep the children interactive with the story, I would have them join in with sound effects while reading. For example, on page 3, the story reads,“Stomp! went the dinosaur. Squish! went the goop. Up came the bubbles – Bloop.Bloop. Bloop.” As I read the onomatopoeias, I would invite the children to join me as I stomp my feet, squish my hands together, and have a glass of water nearby to blow bubbles in.

                 Three possible extensions:

-The children could be brought outside to explore a pond or lake to see if they can find any frogs or tadpoles and while outside they could stomp around in the mud like the dinosaurs.

-Discussion about dinosaurs (how they lived long ago, and how many types of ‘basic’ dinosaurs there were) could be brought up and if the story was presented using the dinosaur toys, other types of dinosaurs not mentioned in the book could be brought out for them to see and play with.

-The children could draw frogs or dinosaurs and be asked which dinosaur they would want to be so they could paint a dinosaur footprint the same size as their own feet,pretending that the footprint was their own.

Low, W. (2009). Machines go to work. New York: Henry Holt and

         Company.

 
ISBN: 987-0-8050-8759-8 

Big, medium, and large machines alike, I wonder how they work and what they do? This book illustrates backhoes digging, firefighters saving kittens, and freight trains clickety-clacking just to say a few. Children have the chance to interact with the book through the use of onomatopoeia and by answering the questions posed by the author about the possible scenarios that the machines might be at work in. Included are fold-out pages that introduce children to machines such as backhoes, fire trucks, news helicopters, cement mixers, tow trucks, pickup trucks, tugboats, container ships, and freight trains. At the very end of the book, children are able to explore each machine as well as a breakdown of each part of the machines, and how they are used day to day.

I would use this book for three to five-year olds because it’s interactive for the children through the author’s questions. The fold-outs of each page are well worn and a great technique to catch the attention of the readers. Also, the paintings and choice of colours for each page are vibrant, eye-catching, and quite detailed. The illustrations are made through Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and Corel Painter. Children would enjoy the pictures because the paintings are colourful and the brush, or strokes, used give each image texture.

I would provoke interest in the children toward the book by introducing toy machines that are in the book during play time. In a play area setting inside, a road play mat could be set up (a mat with roads in a small town or neighbourhood with railroad tracks) for the children to play with fire trucks, helicopters, and freight trains. If there were a play area setting outside, construction toys could be used in dirt or sand. After play time I would have the machines set up inside in the same order they appear in the book and while reading I would introduce the machines one by one.

On each fold-out page, there is a question posed by the author, these are great areas of the book to stop and wonder with the children to keep them interactive and interested in the book. For example, on the fold-out page of page four, we are to ask the children if the “backhoe is digging up the flowers”. After asking the question to the children, ask them what they think before flipping open the page to reveal the answer. Also, within the last fold-out pages, it shows all of the machines in a “Where’s Waldo?” affect and the children could be asked to find all of the machines in the book.

            Three ways to present Machines go to work:

                   

-The first way to present this book would be to have the children guess what each machine is doing before giving the answer, allowing the children to be constantly interacting with the book.

- A second way to present this book is to have a recording of the sound effects used in the book for each machine, and while the book is being read each sound can be played according to the machine being displayed.

-Another way to present this book would be through the usage of the toy machines that the children were able to play with during their play time. As each machine is being introduced, I would bring out that toy and make the sound effects for it as a demonstration.

              Three possible extensions:

-Each child could pick their favourite machine in the book and draw or paint their own. To make it easier for the children, an outline of the machine could be given to them to colour in.

-A great sing-along book that could be read after Machines go to work is a book with a music CD called ‘We all go travelling by’ by Sheena Roberts. This book is a good musical extension that sings about different types of transportation, each with their own colour, size, and example of how they sound.

-If circle or reading time is before their play time, it would be a good opportunity for the children to play indoors or outdoors with the toy machines, such as how they were used as a provocation. The road play mat could be used indoors and the construction machine toys could be outside in a sand box or dirt.

 

Wheeler, L. (2008). Boogie knights. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

ISBN: 978-0-689-87639-4

In a castle, late at night, rascals hold a Madcap Monster Ball. Werewolves, zombies, mummies, and witches are just a few of the guests that join in to the jiving and singing while one by one the seven knights awaken and eventually join the party. At dawn the party ends and the seven knights along with the prince go back to sleep and dream of the next year’s ball.

Boogie Knights is a book full of new vocabulary and introduces a number of spooky characters, making a great read for children around the time of Halloween. Also, the book is interactive in a sense that the children are able to practice counting how many knights are left sleeping before being awoken by the party.

The illustrations are playful and become increasingly colourful as the story continues. I was attracted to the pictures because they are drawn in pencil and show a number of different types of characters that could be found in a spooky castle. The illustrations were made using charcoal, pierre noire pencil, and Photoshop.

A provocation I would use for this book would be to have a picture of the seven knights lined up at the front of the class, and each time the children have a break or leave the room and come back I would remove one knight. Another way of provoking interest to the book would be to create a list of the types of characters found in the castle and asking the children where they think these characters could be found.

I would assume that this book has a lot of new vocabulary that children may not know which gives a chance to really dissect the book. Again, having it be read around Halloween would be ideal because the theme of Halloween would make it appropriate to take each day to introduce a new character and by the end of the week when the story is read the children will not be overwhelmed. While reading the book, every time it says ‘while upstairs, unawares ...’ I would ask the children how many knights were still sleeping because it gives them a chance to practice their memory and counting.

            Three ways to present Boogie Knights:

-I would use finger puppets, each cut out and made to look like the seven knights. At the beginning of the story I would show the seven puppets on each finger and slowly, as the knights joined in with the party, I would remove the puppets and after asking the children how many knights were left sleeping I would show them on my fingers to help them count.

-A felt story would be an effective way to help the children count and keep up with the book. Pieces for this book are not sold so they would have to be pre-made. Each of the seven knights would be cut out and used as the main theme (counting) and other characters such as the witches and monsters could be optional to make. As the story continues and the knights are awoken to join the party they could be removed from the felt board or moved to a lower area of the board where the Madcap Monster Ball is being held.

-Another fun way to present the book would be to use a shoebox (placed on its side to expose the opening of the box) as the knight’s chamber and have drawn out figures on popsicle sticks that can be stood up in holes cut into the side of the shoebox. Another shoe box could be used as the living room where the party is being held. As the story is being read, the knights from their ‘chamber’ would be moved into the ‘living room’ to join the party.

                      Three possible extensions:

-As a counting activity for an extension, a book called ‘10 Trick-or-Treaters’, by Janet Schulman, could be read and would continue with the Halloween theme. Alike Boogie Knights, ‘10 Trick-or-Treaters’ is filled with spooky characters which would lead to the next extension.

-After learning about all the types of creatures that can be found in a castle, the children could be asked to draw or paint their favourite spooky character and give it a name.

-Another counting extension could be presented in the form of a song or rhyme, ‘Five Little Pumpkins’ in particular. The rhyme is as follows:

                        Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate.
                        The first one said, “Oh, my it's getting late!”                  The second one said,

                         "There are witches in the air.”
                        The third one said, "But we don't care.”
                        The fourth one said, "Let's run, let's run!”
                        The fifth one said, "Isn't Halloween fun?”

                        Then Woooooo went the wind,
                        And OUT went the lights.

                        And five little pumpkins rolled out of sight.