At this age, many children are still figuring out what “grumpy” really means. They can recognize the mood—they feel it, they see it—but they don’t always have the vocabulary or emotional awareness to name it in themselves. That’s what makes Jim such a lovable and relatable character. The children have no trouble spotting his grumpiness, … More GRUMPY MONKEY by Suzanne Lang, illustrated by Max Lang
Another Aesop fable! (If you are not familiar with Aesop, please see link at the end of the blog). This is a nice story to talk to preschoolers about the difference between the country and the city. I also liked this story because I could ask questions, and have the children really look and think. … More THE TOWN MOUSE AND THE COUNTRY MOUSE retold by Susanna Davidson, illustrated by Jacqueline East
We started our annual Dr. Seuss Week off with our parade — and the children always love it. It’s such a festive way to kick off the week. Dr. Seuss spirit fills the air! Every day has a different theme, which makes the week so much fun! The excitement really engages the children — and … More GREEN EGGS AND HAM…YUM! DR. SEUSS WEEK
The Three Little Pigs is one of my favorite stories to read to the children. This well-known tale helps them grow as early readers. The repeating text gives children confidence. They begin to anticipate the words, join in with the phrases, and quickly memorize key parts of the story. Before long, they aren’t just listening — … More THE THREE LITTLE PIGS by Mara Alperin, illustrated Ag Jatkowska
Jerry Pinkney is a Caldecott Award–winning author and illustrator, and his illustrations are stunning. His version of The Tortoise and the Hare is set in the desert, which allowed us to explore deserts and cacti. We also talked about the difference between a turtle and a tortoise, and a rabbit and a hare. I personally think we all … More THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE by Jerry Pinkney
Happy Lunar New Year! It is the year of the HORSE! We started our celebration at our preschool by taking a “flight to China”. We visited some famous sites and learned more about China. We also had a big parade to celebrate. The kindergarten class made this beautiful dragon, and the TK class made the … More THE TRUTH ABOUT DRAGONS by Julie Leung, Illustrated by Hanna Cha