Author: mcve0034

Lost and Found – Oliver Jeffers

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‘Lost and Found’ by Oliver Jeffers (author and illustrator) is a great story book for children ages 3-5. It encourages literacy and language through new vocabulary. It furthers critical thinking skills using prediction cues. It promotes emotional health; teaching children about compassion and friendship. ‘Lost and Found’ is more than these developmentally cognitive skillsets though. This is an imaginative adventure from start to finish. It is fun and whimsical, playful and heart-warming. This book really has it all.

When telling this story to children, it’s important to employ good storytelling techniques. You’ll want to begin the book with a motivational technique. For ‘Lost and Found’ a great way to do that is to begin with questions about the illustration on the cover page. For example, ‘this book is called ‘Lost and Found’, have you ever lost anything? Did you find it again?’. Another great question is ‘what kind of animal is that with the boy? Do you think they are friends?’. Once you’ve properly framed an introduction to the story, the child(ren) will be ready and receptive.

During the story is when the child(ren) will be exposed to the cognitive skills previously mentioned. Immediately the reader is introduced to a boy who will do anything to help a lost penguin. This teaches children about compassion and problem solving. You can get their minds turning by asking questions like ‘where do you think the penguin came from?’ or ‘what would you do if you found a penguin on your doorstep?’. You could also point out some of the ‘new’ words to the child(ren). Words like ‘harbour’, ‘mountains’ and ‘delightful’. The climax of the story shows the boy and penguin looking for each other and narrowly missing each other, but let’s the reader in on it. In doing this, the author creates the perfect prediction cue for the storyteller and child(ren) to explore. The story follows the ‘home and away’ narrative arc, with the boy returning home at the end with his new penguin friend in tow.

Upon completion of reading the story it is important to reinforce the skills that you’ve been working on. You could ask more questions, ‘what did you like about the story?’ or ‘would you become friends with a penguin?’. You could also keep the story fresh in their mind by doing an activity; paint a picture of you and a friend, walk around like a penguin with your knees locked and feet together. Keep it fun but make it memorable.

‘Lost and Found’ is a great book to use for a proper ‘story time’. It’s equally interesting for adults and children with its blend of quality story development and outlandish adventure.  

The Feelings Book – For Early Readers

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The Feelings Book by Todd Parr is a great book for early readers around 3 years of age. The Feelings Book features bright colours and simple yet eye-catching illustrations. These illustrations are of many people of many genders and skin colours making the book diverse and inclusive. Each page features simple text that always begins with “Sometimes I feel…”. This repetition is engaging for early readers as it promotes phonological sensitivity and awareness. The Feelings Book also promotes development of expressive vocabulary as it talks about emotions, feeling cranky or crying for instance, and more simple thoughts like enjoying bath time.

The Feelings Book would be considered a ‘complex concept’ book as it deals with emotions; this gives parents and care takers the opportunity to discuss the child’s feelings and ask them both open-ended and specific questions. “Sometimes I feel like trying something new”, is a great way to ask children if they like trying new things and what kind of new things they like to try. “Sometimes I feel lonely”, is a place to ask a child ‘why do you think the fish feels lonely?’ or ‘do you ever feel lonely?’. The Feelings Book also encourages movement and interaction. “Sometimes I feel like dancing” is an opportunity to dance around for a minute with the child. “Sometimes I feel like yelling really loud” gives the child a free pass on shouting with glee for a moment.

The Feelings Book does an excellent job of engaging early readers through its appearance, subject matter, vocabulary and the way it fosters open discussion with young children. This makes The Feelings Book a great choice for a parent or care taker to read to young children.