Jessica Stockham- Matching Books Blog

The Bee Book By Charlotte Milner This illustrated non-fiction picture book takes you on an amazing journey through the world of bees.  Bees are incredibly industrious, brilliant at building, super social, and most importantly, along with other insects, they are responsible for a third of every mouthful of food you eat! The Bee Book is perfect to teach children age 5 and up all about our fuzzy little friends, how much they matter, why they are declining, and what we can do to help.  The Bee Book is absolutely packed full of information about the often misunderstood fuzzy little creatures. Did  you know that one teaspoon of honey is the lifetime's work of 12 honey bees? Or that 1 in 3 mouthfuls of food that you eat has been made thanks to pollinators such as bees? Do you know what a 'waggle dance' is? Or why it is better to think of the queen bee as a 'super mom' than a queen? You can find answers to all of these questions and so much more in this book...

Max, you wild thing! This Caldecott Medal winner is by Maurice Sendak and is a whimsical fantasy about a young boy whose imagination transports him far away from problems at home to a land where almost anything can happen. Max is looking for a little fun, so he dresses up in a comical wolf suit. His mother calls him "wild thing" and sends him to be without supper in his rom. His room then turns into a magical forest full of wild things. The wild things make Max their King! Teachers reading aloud this book can talk with their students about this natural clash of feelings, asking if anyone has had two feelings at the same time, or if feelings ever change. What were those feelings? What helped change one feeling into another? In the story, what helped Max move from anger to calm? How did the monsters feel when Max told them he was leaving? How did they handle their feelings? Does it remind readers of the way Max behaved earlier in the story with his mother? How do you think ...

All the jungle's got beat, but Gerald the Giraffe has four left feet!! Giraffes Can't Dance is by Giles Andrede and Guy Parker-Rees. At the beginning of the story, the reader is introduced to Gerald, a tall giraffe who has a long neck, thin legs, and crooked knees. One day, Gerald decides to go to the Jungle Dance, an annual dance festival. Unfortunately, when Gerald steps onto the dance floor, the other animals start laughing at him before he even starts dancing. Gerald feels embarrassed and sad, but is soon comforted by a cricket, who tells him to “dance to his own music.” After talking to the cricket, Gerald gains some confidence and is finally able to dance. The story ends with the other animals seeing Gerald’s newfound dancing skills and acting impressed. Reading this book aloud to your students us sure to spark their interest. book has a silly, rhyming text, with a rhythm your students will love! This a book is a fun way to introduce poetry to your students.