Product Overview
This monthly handbook contains the following features:
- 6 activities: two each in reading, writing, and math
- A note about the theme and the skills it builds
- Picture book suggestions
- Skill-specific information for the teaching adult
- A planning box for each activity
- Note pages for planning and reflection
About the Books
50 Wacky Things Pets Do
Have you ever wondered why your dog chases its tail or how your cat manages to land on its feet every time?50 Wacky Things Pets Do takes an up-close look at all the weird and funny things our pets do, from dogs snacking on poop and guppies jumping out of tanks, to cats meowing and ferrets dancing happily.Paired with equally...
I Found a Kitty
Lucky dog Arfy has a home. When he discovers a homeless kitten, Arfy hopes Scamper can come live with him, but--achoo!--his person is allergic to cats! So, Arfy writes persuasive letters to prospective owners about what a great pet Scamper would make. But somehow these matches aren't made in heaven. If Scamper can't live with any of them, where...
How to Teach Your Cat a Trick In Five Easy Steps
In this hilarious and clever follow-up to How to Give Your Cat a Bath, a boy, a dog and a know-it-all narrator are thwarted by a cat who refuses to learn a trick. The perfect read-aloud for fans of Interrupting Chicken.Step one: Decide on a trickStep two: Get some treats readyStep three: Hold the treat in your hand and ask your cat to do the...
Fancy Nancy: Oodles of Kittens by Jane O’Connor, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
It’s raining, and Nancy hears a strange sound coming from outside. Nancy and Bree decide to investigate, and what do they find? Lo and behold! It’s oodles of adorable kittens! (Oodles is fancy for a lot.)After finding some of the kittens good homes, Nancy and Bree each get to keep one for themselves. That’s until Nancy’s new kitten meets her...
Dear Stray
A prickly kitten and the child who chooses it revel in being kindred spirits while they both learn how to live with their wild side.When a little girl adopts a tigerish stray kitten from the shelter, her family isn't sure about her choice. But she can see that she and the kitten have lots in common as they both have a tendency to lash out when...
Can I Be Your Dog?
A heart-tugging dog adoption story told through letters--deeply sincere and almost desperate pleas for a forever home--from the dog, himself!This picture book shares the tale of Arfy, a homeless mutt who lives in a box in an alley. Arfy writes to every person on Butternut Street about what a great pet he'd make. His letters to prospective owners...
Barnaby
A vain blue budgie flies the coop only to find that there's no place like home.Barnaby is a blue budgie who’s got it all: a golden cage, bells to jingle-jangle, and an owner who gives him all the snacks and attention he wants. Until his owner brings home a “friend” for Barnaby: a little yellow canary.Barnaby is not happy. When his tantrums don’t...
All Cats Welcome
In this sweet and affirming picture book, two cats discover they don’t need to share a language to become friends.Leonard adores his human. “Stay! Let’s play!” he says when it’s time to leave for work. His human just hears “Meow.”Sometimes Leonard gets lonely. So does Mariposa, who is new in town. Maybe they could keep each other company?...
Why Do Dogs Sniff Butts?
A humorous children’s book featuring delightful illustrations that answer questions about what makes dogs so unique.Why Do Dogs Sniff Butts? is the first in a new series of natural history books for children that answer curious questions about their favorite pets. This book highlights the qualities of different types of dogs, from herding and...
Why Do Cats Meow?
Charming and educational, Why Do Cats Meow? will teach you everything you’ve always wanted to know about your furry feline companion.In this new addition to the Curious Questions About Your Favorite Pets series, children will learn everything they’ve always wanted to know about their cats. This book answers questions like, “How long have people...
Why Can’t Horses Burp?
Humorous and informative, Why Can’t Horses Burp? is full of fun facts and little-known tidbits about your favorite equine companions.Find answers to everything you’ve ever wondered about horses in this latest addition to the Curious Questions About Your Favorite Pets series. Can all horses be racehorses? Why do horses wear shoes? And what’s the...
Truman
An NPR Favorite Book of 2019A New York Times Best Children’s book of 2019A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2019A School Library Journal Best Picture Book of 2019"An enchanting tale of bravery, heroism, and undying devotion." —The New York Times Book ReviewAfter his best friend Sarah leaves for her first day of school, a tortoise named Truman...
The Welcome Home
“The gorgeous illustrations and lovely storyline make this an instant classic.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)From the creator of The Big Umbrella comes another poetic and lushly illustrated picture book about the joy of companionship and there always being room for one more in this tale about the search for the perfect pet.Mr. and Mrs....
The Kitten Story: A Mostly True Tale
When a cat-loving family decides to bring home a pet, their quest reveals the highs and lows of everyday family life in this heartwarming story—perfect for kitten lovers and everyone who’s ever longed for a pet.Finally, it's time for this family to adopt a pet of their own! But big decisions remain to be made. The two children, Tulip and Rosie,...
Star: The Bird Who Inspired Mozart
A chance encounter with a starling inspires Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in this picture book based on a true story.Star: The Bird Who Inspired Mozart is based on the true story of how Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of the world's most remarkable musicians, was inspired by one of the world's most unremarkable birds: a starling.In this charming picture...
Spencer’s New Pet
From the creator of Not Quite Narwhal comes a classic tale of a boy and his dog—except in this unique story, one of them is a balloon!When Spencer gets a new pet, he’s excited to do all the things that pets do—taking walks in the park, going to the vet, and attending parties together.There’s just one hitch: Spencer’s new pet is a balloon.And...
Remembering
A family remembers their beloved pet dog through the traditions of Día de Muertos in this “gorgeous, deeply touching exploration of grief and remembrance” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) from Pura Belpré Honor–winning team Xelena González and Adriana M. Garcia.A child and their family observe the customs of Día de los Angelitos, one of the...
Pets and Their Famous Humans
Did you know that Mozart's pet starling was the inspiration for his Piano Concerto No. 17? Or that writer Dorothy Parker loved animals so much she let a pair of alligators swim in her bathtub? These are just a couple of the stories in this delightful and surprising collection that profiles the strong bond between humans and their pets. Some...
Ollie and Augustus
Ollie and his dog, Augustus, do almost everything together: painting, riding bikes, digging (Ollie’s favorite), and collecting sticks (Augustus’s favorite). So as Ollie is getting ready to start school, he’s a little worried. Won’t Augustus be lonely during the day? Ollie has just the idea: a sign that reads Wanted: Friend for Augustus. But good...
My Tiny Pet
Living in a tiny house has one huge drawback--no space for pets. So when a little girl's parents announce that it's time for the family to simplify, downsizing from a huge home in the city to a tiny house in the woods, it's quite a blow--after all, she's grown quite fond of her pet poodles, cats, tarantula, snake, hedgehogs, mice, birds, fish,...
My Pet Goldfish
Follow Richard the growing goldfish from an indoor tank to an outdoor pond in a story filled with gorgeous multilayered illustrations and sprinkled with fascinating facts.When I was four, I got my first pet: a fish no bigger than my hand, with red and orange scales. My very own goldfish!In his big tank in the kitchen, Richard the goldfish...
My Cat Does Ballet
A boy shares his love of ballet with his cat in this adorable picture book that leaps and glides through ballet terms, famous dancers, and the special bond between a young dancer and his pet.Some cats pounce, snooze, or climb up the curtains. But one boy has a pet cat that does ballet, jumping after flies in perfect grands jetés and gliding...
Memoirs of a Tortoise
Oliver the tortoise has had his human, Ike, for a very, very long time now. In fact, they're the same age--80 years old--and practically twins. They both enjoy the slowness of the garden, cool water from the hose on a hot day, and a nice slice of honeydew melon. But when Ike stops visiting the garden, Oliver wonders why his pet has left him so...
Madeline Finn and the Shelter Dog
Madeline Finn finds a new way to help more dogs and read more stories, in this latest book from award-winning author-illustrator Lisa Papp.After Madeline Finn meets library dog Bonnie, she asks her mother for a puppy of her own every single day. Finally, Mom says yes, and Madeline Finn chooses Star, one of Bonnie's puppies.Then Bonnie's owner,...
Luna’s Green Pet
Luna longs for a pet but the apartment building where she and her family live has a very strict NO PETS! policy. Not even goldfish are allowed. While her friends try to help with alternate pet suggestions, none interest Luna. Almost ready to give up, Luna spies in the trash something small, something green, something someone has discarded--a...
