It’s been said that a dog is man’s best friend. And no wonder: they defend you, improve your mood, and feel your pain. They also lick your face, wag their tails, and jump up to greet you. Having a pet―no matter what it is―can also inspire some amazing stories. The following selections of pet tales are no exceptions. This week, I’ve also included links to Wonderopolis lessons for each title. Educators all over the country are using the award-winning website for content, critical thinking, STEM, and Common Core resources.
ADDERSON, Caroline. Norman, Speak! illus. by Qin Leng. Groundwood. 2014. ISBN 9781554983223. JLG Level: P : Primary (Grades K–1).
Adopting Norman from the pet shelter seems like the perfect solution to the family’s search for a dog. Surprisingly, Norman doesn’t understand a word they say. Finally they decide that he just isn’t very smart, but they love him anyway. In the park one day, Norman does an amazing thing. He comes when he’s called. He sits. He shakes his paw—all for a perfect stranger. Maybe Norman is smarter than they think.
Learn about the Canadian author’s background on her website. Of particular interest are her picture answers about commonly asked questions. Perhaps you can have the same activity with your patrons. You can follow the illustrator on his blog or Twitter. From listening to podcasts, playing language learning games, or using the Kids Learn Mandarin app, students can also learn Chinese (Mandarin). In Wonderopolis, kids can watch a video about why dogs wag their tails, read informational text, learn new vocabulary, and take a test. You might also use Is It Ever Too Late to Learn a New Language?
HARRISON, Hannah E. Extraordinary Jane. Dial. 2014. ISBN 9780803739147. JLG Level: PK : Pre-Kindergarten (Grades PreS-PreK).
“Jane was ordinary, in a world that was extraordinary.” She wasn’t graceful or mighty. She wasn’t daring or fearless. She didn’t seem to have any talent at all. What’s a circus dog supposed to do when she feels like a plain Jane?
The Oklahoma author/illustrator ‘s website features paintings, a biography, and contact information. Pinterest offers circus theme boards, while CircusWorks Education (Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey) provides an educational center with lesson plan ideas and related book titles. You may already have Olivia Saves the Circus (S. & S., 2001), so look at Scholastic’s lesson plans and YouTube for a video of the related title. The lesson at Wonderopolis, What Can You Find Under the Big Top?, gives a history of the circus in its informational text piece, in addition to a video of the Great Moscow Circus Big Top. The article can be digitally read aloud and related vocabulary is provided and defined.
OFFILL, Jenny. Sparky! illus. by Chris Appelhans. Random/Schwartz & Wade. 2014. ISBN 9780375970238. JLG Level: P : Primary (Grades K–1).
Her mom said she could have a pet as long as it doesn’t need to be walked or bathed or fed. She promised. So a young girl did what any smart child would ―she went to the school library to investigate which animal fit that criteria. She got a sloth which arrived by Express Mail. It was two days before her new pet woke up. Mary Potts bragged about all the tricks her cat could do. A Trained Sloth Extravaganza would show her. Now, if only Sparky could learn some tricks.
Watch a video trailer of the picture book. Kids may wonder about real sloths. Wonder of the Day #430 Are Sloths Lazy? tackles that question. Kids can find out what they eat, where they live, and what they do all day. Animal Planet Live has a Sloth Cam. Discover sloth facts at National Geographic Kids.
SCHNEIDER, Josh. Princess Sparkle-Heart Gets a Makeover. Clarion. 2014. ISBN 9780544142282. JLG Level: P : Primary (Grades K–1).
Amelia loves Princess Sparkle-Heart. Her dog does not. That doll gets to have tea parties, watch royal weddings, and keep secrets. The canine’s jealousy reaches the breaking point. A terrible accident occurs. Princess Sparkle-Heart will never be the same. What’s a girl to do?
Readers may want to know more about training their dogs. ASPCA has information on their website. In your library’s makerspace, you can post and put in practice some of the ideas found on a Rag Doll Making Pinterest board. Get more suggestions for dolls in children’s literature in an article by the New York Public Library. Does Your Pet Have a Personality? at Wonderopolis was inspired by a Nebraska boy who wondered “why his dog acts crazy when he comes home.”
SPIRES, Ashley. The Most Magnificent Thing. Kids Can. 2014. ISBN 9781554537044. JLG Level: P : Primary (Grades K–1).
A young girl and her best friend in the whole wide world, who happens to be her dog, decide to make the most magnificent thing. They gather supplies, hammer and measure, then step back to admire their work. Wrong. It’s not even okay. They start over. Yet no matter how much she fiddles, glues, and reconstructs, it just doesn’t work. Finally she gets mad―really mad. Her canine assistant suggests a walk. It’s amazing what can happen when you take the advice of a friend.
Creator of the graphic novel series, “Binky the Space Cat” (Kids Can), Spires includes a biography and illustrations on her website. You can follow her on Twitter. Vimeo has a book trailer, but beware, as careful observers will see a spoiler. JLG Booktalks to Go LiveBinder includes many links to kids as inventors. In the following Wonderopolis lesson, Can Kids Be Inventors, Too?, readers will learn about famous inventions created by kids.
Additional Resources
In an effort to organize these links, I have created a LiveBinder. All websites will be posted within the LiveBinder, along with the accompanying booktalk. As I write more columns, more books and their resources will be added. Simply go to JLG Booktalks to Go where you will see LiveBinder main tabs. Each tab is a book title. Under each color-coded tab are gray subtabs with links to media, websites, and other related documents. Everything you need to teach or share brand new, hot-off-the-press books is now all in one place. Please visit JLG’s new LiveBinder, JLG Booktalks to Go.
For library resources, tips, and ideas, please visit JLG’s Shelf Life Blog.
Junior Library Guild (JLG) is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com. (NOTE: JLG is owned by Media Source, Inc., SLJ’s parent company.)