Questions for William Shakespeare

1. Study the vocabulary list called Shakespearian Speak that is inside the envelope on the title page. How many of the 83 words do you know? Find at least 10 unfamiliar words in the text o this book. Study their definitions and understand how they are each used within a sentence.

2. Shakespeare was naturally left-handed but the practice of the day was to force children to use the right hand. What do you imagine was the result of this forced use of the right hand? Do you think being left handed caused his poor execution of motor skills needed to be a successful glove-maker? This is discussed in the "Learning, Leisure and Labor" section. How did Shakespeare's knowledge of Latin grammar help him to find useful employment?

3. Study Shakespeare's Family Tree in the "Husband, Wives and Family Ties" section. From the family tree what can you tell happened to Shakespeare's only son and when? How could this impact the family legally, socially and emotionally?

4. Discussion Topic: Would the rules of conduct at the theatre laid out in the Guide to Young Playgoers located in the "A Place for Plays" section be valid today? Which ones would stand the test of time? Which ones would need to be altered or dropped?

5. "The London Life and Roguish Strife" section calls London " one of the greatest of cities, so therefore she is the greatest nursery of thieves and rogues". What does this mean? Study the illustrative chart of these ruffians and con men. Can you copy the body stance, posture, facial expression and body shape of each of them? Try it after you read the description of each. Which ruffian/ con man tableau do you think you were closest to matching?

Questions for Tony Baloney

1. Have you ever misbehaved and then had to say “I’m sorry” to someone? Take a few minutes and write a short story about the day, the place, and the actions that required an apology.

2. Parents and teachers often help children understand the importance of an apology.  How did the person react when he/she received your apology?

3. What do you think is most important to remember about the words, “I’m sorry?”

4. Are there other ways to apologize without saying the words?  Discuss what you might do.

Questions for Odetta

1. The poem/text refers to Odetta as a little girl with "a birdcage in her mouth". What is this a symbol of in relation to Odetta's talent? What does the cage stand for in this example? What does the bird stand for here?

2. What did Odetta call her Guitar? Why?

3. What great singer was Odetta's role model and hero? How does the artist depict this hero in the illustration?

3. In the South when Odetta was a small girl there were ugly laws passed to keep people separated. They were called by the name of Jim Crow. The artist shows some of these laws in his illustrations. Can you find an example of Jim Crow in the book? Look at the illustrations of the drinking fountain and of the family being removed from a particular train car.

Questions for Eight Days: A Story of Haiti

1. Look up the work “earthquake.”   What does it mean?

2. How does an earthquake happen and what causes it?

3. There are many different disasters that are faced in the world: forest fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, tornados, and volcanoes.  Research how, where, and why these events occur. 
Create your own collage or diorama of one of these events and make up a narrative to tell its story.
 What can we do as good citizens to help others in the world who face these types of natural disasters?
 
4. Are there members of your community who need help? As your parents, friends, and teachers for ideas on what you can do to help others in need.

Questions for Shadow

1. The little girl in the story goes to the attic to experience imaginary play. Ask the child where they go to play out things all by themselves. Encourage them to talk about all kind of places including their bedrooms, tree houses, sandboxes, under special trees and etc.

2. Throughout the book objects are changed and transformed. Ask the child if they have ever made something new out of something old. Ask them to tell you what they could make out of a piece of plain paper, a  wool scarf , a frying pan, a coat hanger, a book bag or a pillow.

3. Ask the child why they think the artist designed this book to be opened from bottom to top. Depending on the age of the child, make sure he/she knows the difference between the well-lighted wall and the shadow wall.

4. There are only three words in this entire book, namely,  "click"  "dinners" and  "ready". Ask the child what other words he/she would add to the story if it were possible. For instance, ask what words or sounds could make the jungle come alive.

Questions for Ivy Loves to Give

1. Have you ever spent a day just “hanging out” with a parent, grandparent, or family member? What do you remember as the best part of the day?  Take a few minutes and write a short story about the day, the place, and the special time you had.

2. Parents and teachers often help children make a present or gift for someone special.  What is the best gift you ever made?  How did the person react when he/she received your gift?

3. The author presents her readers with some interesting gifts given by Ivy.  Which one was the funniest to you?

4. What holidays to you celebrate by giving gifts to others?

5. What do you think is most important to remember about giving or receiving gifts?

Questions for Ninth Ward

1. Throughout the book Lanesha is attracted to the power of words such as unfathomable, anxious, evacuate, and fortitude. Do you know the meaning of these words? What is the role of special words in this story?

2. Lanesha loves school and looks forward to becoming an engineer. In school she enjoys the subject of math. When does she use her math skills to solve problems in this story?

3. What do you think is the scariest thing Lanesha has to confront during the hurricane and flooding? Have you ever had to live through a frightening experience?

4. The cover of the book is very interesting. What does the picture say to you? Where is Lanesha going? How does she feel about herself?

Questions for How Rocket Learned to Read

1. Ask the child the following questions: Why did Rocket refuse to learn to read at the beginning of the story? Why did Rocket change his mind? Do you want to learn to read?

2. Are you starting to learn what the letters of the alphabet look like? What sounds do you think are funny? What sounds do you like best? What sounds are hard to say?

3. Study the illustrations with the child and ask the child to find the following details: the picture of the little bird holding a worm; Rocket’s tail sticking out from underneath a lilac bush; the letter “b” with a picture of a butterfly; Rocket’s nametag; Emma and Fred; the letters ABC written in the snow; Rocket being blown by the wind and a sign that says the word of the day is DOG.

4. Little bird says that words are built one letter at a time. Is she correct? Can you sound out a word by sounding out the letters? Give an example. Can you read any of the words in this book?

Questions for Grandma's Chocolate

1. Have you ever spent a summer day just “hanging out” with a parent, grandparent, or family member? What do you remember as the best part of the day? Take a few minutes and write a short story about the day, the place, and the special experience you had.

2. The author presents her readers with some interesting information about the Maya and Aztec cultures. Using the resources available to you, look up those cultures and find out more information to share with others.

3. The author has created a bilingual picture book. Look at both telling and find words that seem similar in both languages such as “chocolate.” What similarities do you find between the languages?

4. Most families have ancestral roots in another country or culture. Talk with your parents, grandparents, aunts, or uncles and learn about your own ancestral roots. Using the resources available to you, look up the countries and cultures that are part of your own ancestral heritage.

Questions for The 3 Little Dassies

1. Agama Man is very helpful to the dassies. Study the pictures on each side of the center illustrations with the child and discuss what this lizard actually does in the story. Ask the child to give Agama Man a name of their choice. Ask the child if he/she knows of someone in their life that is very helpful to them.

2. The illustrations show the dassies dressed in the traditional costume of the Herero women----long full skirts with many petticoats, beads, puffy trunk like sleeves in honor of the elephant, shawls and broad flat hats in honor of the buffalo. (There are pictures of actual Herero woman on Goggle that you can show to the child). Ask the child how hard it might be to walk around the desert in this clothing. Ask the child to compare this clothing with the clothing worn by women in his/her community.

3. Young children will enjoy an “I spy” game. Turn to the picture of the three dassies when they first arrive at their new home and meet Agama Man. (Make sure the child looks at the two side pictures, also). Ask the child to find: a turtle, a cooking pot, a straw hat, a polka dot hat, a purse, red suspenders, beads, a yellow and blue tie, the word “carapace”, small stones, yellow flowers and a gold button.

Questions for The Pout Pout Fish in the Big Dark

1. The author uses rhymes to add a sense of playfulness to his story. Think of other rhymes that you have heard or read and discuss what makes them funny to you.

2. Think about something that frightens you. Write down some words that describe the thing or event that is frightening. Now take those words and think about other words that rhyme. Using both sets of words, make up a silly poem about that scary thing or event.

3. With markers or crayons, illustrate the silly poem you just created. Does it make the scary stuff less scary?

4. What is the funniest image and set of rhymes in this book for you? Why do you think it is funny?

5. Look up Deborah Diesen and Dan Hanna and find out about other books they have written and illustrated. What would you like to read next?

Questions for Captain Sky Blue

1. Once Jack and Sky Blue go outside with the newly constructed airplane Jack’s hat is in nearly all of the illustrations. Study each picture with the child and see if he/she can spy Jack’s hat. Discuss what role the hat plays in the story.

2. Go to the list of words and phrases depicting pilot talk. Study them with the child and ask he/she to make up sentences using these examples. Start with the more familiar words such as “ROGER”, “WILCO”, “MAYDAY” and progress to some of the phrases. Be sure to give the child/children a BRAVO ZULU when they finish.

3. Ask the child if she/he has ever had a toy that they wished could come alive. Discuss the particulars. Ask them if they know of any other toy characters that have come alive in other children’s books. You can get things going with a reference to The Nutcracker and to Pinocchio.

Questions for The Graves Family

1. What are some of the unusual things about the Graves Family?

2. Why do people in the village fear them?

3. Mrs. Graves considers herself a gourmet cook. What does that mean?

4. If you were a gourmet cook, what would you fix for a special dish?

5. Use your imagination and draw a picture of a haunted house and create a story to go along with it that uses humor as Patricia Polacco has done in her book, The Graves Family.

Questions for Odius Ogre

1. In the story the ogre says, “I don’t like fighting. I prefer frightening.” What do you think this means? What is the difference between fighting with people and frightening people?

2. Have you ever know a bully? If so, how did that bully try to control others? How did the girl in the story tame the bully ogre? Discuss how she handled his threats and intimidations.

3. Examine the double page spread of the ogre’s temper tantrum. You can almost hear sound come out of his mouth. Practice some of the sounds that you think he is making during his bad behavior. Are they scary sounds or funny sounds?

4. Discuss the words the ogre uses to describe himself-----invincible, in surmountable, invulnerable and indefatigable. What does each word mean and how do these words come to life in the ogre’s behavior.

Questions for One Drowsy Dragon

1. Study the page with the nine musical dragons. Ask the child to identify all of the instruments being played. With the child vocally try out the word-sounds that are associated with each instrument-----the cymbal, the drum, the maraca, the guitar, the horn, the triangle, and the singing voice.

2. Read the story out loud again and encourage the child to take the part of the drowsy dragon in each rhyming couplet.

3. Ask the child if he/she has ever been very tired and could not sleep because there was too much noise. Ask them to describe the sounds that kept them awake. Also, discuss how the tables were turned in this story: what kept the little dragons awake once they were finished playing and wanted to go to bed.

4. Ask the child how she/he thinks the ten dragons and the drowsy dragon finally got to sleep. In other words, how would they finish the story.

Questions for Three Little Kittens

1. The author uses a Mother Goose rhyme and adds a sense of playfulness to his story through beautiful illustrations. Think of other rhymes that you have heard or read and discuss how they might be illustrated in new ways.

2. Try your hand at illustrating a well-know nursery rhyme.

3. The author changes the wording slightly from the original text, but keeps the story of the three little kittens true to the meaning. Take the rhyme of “Humpty Dumpty” and use different words to tell the same story.

4. Describe your favorite image of the kittens. 5. Look up Jerry Pinkney and find out about other books he has written and illustrated. What would you like to read next?

Questions for Walden

1. Study all of McCurdy’s wood engravings and make a list of the animals you see that lived in the woods with Thoreau. Put your thinking cap on and also make a list of the animals you cannot see directly but that you think would also be living in this woodland area near Concord, Massachusetts.

2. Go online and find a description of the 10’x15’ cabin that Thoreau built to live in during his two years near Walden Pond. Also look at the wood engravings by McCurdy showing the cabin and look at the artist’s description of how Thoreau dug a cellar, plastered the walls, shingled the cabin and built a chimney. The Source Notes refer to Thoreau’s text where Thoreau describes his building efforts. Also, try to find an illustration of the cabin online. From your research can you draw a blueprint or a picture of the cabin?

3. What does this quote by Thoreau mean to you? -------“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.”

Questions for Dave the Potter

1. The author uses poetry to describe elements of pottery and the life of Dave.  Discuss how this is an effective way to tell this story and why?

2. The illustrator makes a point of capturing the images of Dave and the process of creating a jar large enough to hold twenty gallons to forty gallons.  Just how big of a jar would that be?  Use your measuring knowledge and skills to estimate the size.

3. Which illustration is your favorite and why?

4. The author provides several resources at the end of the book to learn more about Dave.  Using some of these resources, research  more information about Dave and create a time line that will provide more information about the life of this important potter and why he is seen as a key figure for the region and time period.

Questions for Bones


1. The book discusses what bones are made of and what happens when a bone is bent too far. Have you ever broken a bone? If so, discuss how that came about, what you were doing and how long it took to heal.

2. Do you know a friend or family member who has broken a bone?

3. The book also has a drawing of your funny bone? Do you know where the funny bone is? Can you describe the feeling you experience when you bump your funny bone?

4. Study the double page illustration entitled Some Assembly Required. Find the following bones: the femur, the jaw, the rib cage, the backbone, the tailbone, the wrist bones, the skull and the forearm bone. Look at the lyrics of the song DRY BONES and sing through the skeletal structure: the toe bone connected to the foot bone, the foot bone connected to the ankle bone, the ankle bone connected to the leg bone and etc. (The lyrics are available on the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services website).

Questions for Joha Makes a Wish

1. Fairy and folktales often present readers with a lesson to be learned. What is the lesson of this tale?

2. This is a story about a “wise fool.” What does that mean?

3. Fairy and folktales cross all cultures. Use library or internet resources to find other tales that provide a similar lesson for readers and share these new stories with a friend or family member. What would you do if you found a wishing stick?

4. Try your hand at creating a new story that could be used to teach a lesson on appreciating something we often take for granted.

Questions for The Poetrees

1. Study the poem and picture for SEEDS. This poem is written in the shape of infinity. This shape is a symbol for a process that goes on and on and repeats itself over and over again. After reading the poem, why do you think the artist selected this shape in which to place the poem on the page? Do you see a connection between the words and the picture?

2. What do the markings on the Scribbly Gum Tree mean? Who made these marks on the bark of this tree and why? Study the poem for clues.

3. The Dragon Tree is shown with leaves in the shape of a dragon. The dragon tree is a real tree with dragon blood. Look in the Glossatree at the end of the book for an explanation.

Questions for The Hiccupotamus

1. The author uses rhymes to add a sense of playfulness to his story. Think of other rhymes that you have heard or read and discuss what makes them funny to you.

2. Try your hand at listing as many words that rhyme such as hat, bat, cat, rat fat, and so on. Once you have a list of words that rhyme, use them to create your own story.

3. The author makes up words that create new ways to rhyme such as “hippopotamus” and “bottomus.” Think of new words that you can create to rhyme with words you know and use them to create a phrase or two.

4. What is the funniest image and set of rhymes in this book for you? Why do you think it is funny?

5. Look up Aaron Zenz and find out about other books he has written and illustrated. What would you like to read next?

Questions for ALL THE WORLD

1. Study the picture of the children in the tree. The text reads, “ All the world is old and new”. What do you think that means? How does the illustrator show this concept of old and new?
   
   
2. Study the trees, the people and the dog. The picture of the farmer’s market is full of details. Find all the ways the people get to the market: a baby stroller, a tricycle, a motorcycle, a van and a pick up truck. Next, find a dog, a surfboard, a baby riding piggyback, a man hoeing, a farmer and a bicycle built for two. How does this picture make you feel?
   
   
3. Are there pictures and ideas in this book that remind you of your community? Look at the picture of the community garden, the picture of family and friends singing around a piano and the picture of the children playing on the beach. If you could give this book a title based on your own community, what would that title be?

The Hat That Wore Clara B

1. What special things do you do with your grandparents?
   
   
2. What did Clara B’s grandmother mean when she told people, “Honey, I’m not wearing this hat. This hat is wearing me!” ?
   
   
3. Should Clara B. have told her Grandmother about what she had done to the hat? Why or why not?
   
4. What do you think is the most important lesson learned in this story?
   
   
5. If you were to tell a story about your grandmother, what would you tell?
   
   
6. Write a letter to your grandmother and share a special story, poem, of memory with her.

My Garden

1. Have you ever planted a garden with your family? If so, what did you plant? Did the plants grow? Were the flowers pretty? Did you ever cut them and take them inside and place them in a vase? Did you also plant vegetables? Did they taste good?
   
   
2. Bunnies sometimes eat vegetables and flowers from family gardens. Did you have this trouble? What did your family do about these hungry rabbits? Did the little girl in the story have to keep rabbits out of her real garden? How did she solve this problem in her imaginary garden?
   
   
3. The little girl in the story planted sunflowers with polka dots, vines that sprouted keys, jelly bean bushes and umbrella tress. If you had an imaginary garden what would you plant?

Eleanor, Quiet No More: The Life of Eleanor Roosevelt

1. Do a search for Eleanor Roosevelt and focus on her accomplishments.What are some other important contributions she made during her lifetime?
   
   
2. Why was Eleanor Roosevelt considered a political activist?
   
   
3. What do you believe is her legacy?
   
   
4. If you were to describe and sum up the contributions of Eleanor Roosevelt, what would be the most important points you would make?
   
   
5. Research other women who have made significant contributions to society. Which one would you choose if you were going to write a biography and why?
   
   
6. Google both the author and the illustrator. What other books have each of them written or illustrated that you would like to read?

Jeremy Draws a Monster

1. The monster is Jeremy’s imaginary playmate. Why doesn’t Jeremy have any fun playing with the monster?
   
   
2. Why does Jeremy draw a one-way bus ticket and a suitcase?
   
   
3. There is a picture hanging over Jeremy’s bed. Who is it?
   
   
4. Have you ever had an imaginary playmate? If so, please describe it.
   
   
5. If you could give Jeremy’s monster a name what would it be and why?
   
   
6. Look at the end papers. Could you make up a story about the drawings found there?

Testing the Ice: A True Story about Jackie Robinson

1. Research more information about Jackie Robinson and his importance to baseball. What did the author mean when she talked of “breaking the color barrier”?
   
   
2. Based on your research, create a timeline of events in the life of Jackie Robinson.
   
   
3. What other sports were limited by a “color barrier”?
   
   
4. Can you describe a time when you were limited or not allowed to do something because of something beyond your control (like being too young or too small)? How did that make you feel? Tell your story of that time or event.
   
   
5. Describe a time when you or someone you know behaved in a courageous way.

1. Why do you think TREASURE ISLAND, first published as a book in 1883, has been so popular for so many years? What is it about the story, the characters and /or the theme that has made it so enduring?
   
   
2. Read “To the Hesitating Purchaser”----- a poem written by Robert Louis Stevenson that appears before the story begins. What is the author saying to the possible future reader?
   
   
3. Why is this adventure novel called a “coming of age” story?
   
   
4. Research how Stevenson came to draw a map and then write this story.

Wabi Sabi

1. Look up some examples of haiku and share them by reading them out loud.
   
   
2. What are the similarities and differences between haiku and other forms of poetry?
   
   
3. Try your hand at creating haiku poetry about things that are important to you.  Be sure to follow the form of 1st line of 5 syllables, 2nd line of 7 syllables, 3rd line of 5 syllables.
   
   
4. Create your own collection of haiku poems and provide illustrations of the images you have created within each haiku.

The Listeners

1. What information did the children hear when they were crouched beneath an open window at the house of the Master?  Why was this task of listening so important to Ella May’s family?
   
   
2. How does the picture of the White folk’s church differ from the picture of Ella May’s church? How are the pictures alike?
   
   
3. How does music play a role in everyone’s life in this story?

River of Dreams

1. Look up some of the other major rivers in the United States.
   
   
2. What are the similarities and differences between them and the Hudson River?
   
   
3. There are many different waterways is the U.S.  What are the major differences between the mighty rivers and the major lakes?
   
   
4. Create your own collage or diorama of one of these waterways and tell its particular story using historical facts about the waterway and the region.

1. Study Carol Thompson’s illustrations. Scooter the dog seems to be having the most fun as the storm approaches. What can you see him doing? Look at all of the pages and the cover.
   
   
2. How did the family work together to prepare for the thunder boomer? Have you ever helped your family get ready for a storm, a tornado, a  wild fire or any other fury of Mother Nature? Explain.
   
   
3. The children decide to name the little kitten who survives the storm Thunder Boomer. What other names would you suggest? Why?

Wings

1. In the story people make Ikarus feel sad by pointing at him, laughing at him and shouting mean things at him. Has anyone ever made fun of you? If so, how did it make you feel?
   
   
2. Have you heard children being teased by others because of the way they looked or because of the things they could or could not do? Explain.
   
   
3. Have you ever spoken up in support of the person being teased? 
   
   
4.  Do you know the myth of Icarus, the boy who flew too close to the sun and his wings melted?  If not, ask a family member to help you locate the story in the library or on the web.

1. Go to your library and find several different stories about Amelia Bedelia to read.  Which one is your favorite?
   
   
2. Amelia Bedelia sees the world in “literal” ways; what does that mean?
   
   
3. Can you think of other phrases and words that might confuse Amelia Bedelia?  Make a list to share with others.
   
   
4. Create your own game where each person must think of a word or phrase that can be confusing such “hare & hair”, or “I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.”  The person who can come up with the funniest or silliest list can be the winner!
   
   
5. Look at some of the examples of phrases that Amelia found confusing when she was decorating her valentine cards—such as “broken hearts,” “sealed with a kiss,” and “cutie pie.”  Can you some other phrases that could just as confusing and funny? 
   
   
6. With construction paper, markers, and glitter, create your own “Amelia Bedelia silly valentines” to share with your friends and family.

The Little Prince

1. Antoine De Saint-Exupéry was a pilot in real life and, in fact, disappeared over the Mediterranean one year after the publication of this story while on a reconnaissance mission for his French air squadron. Do some research on the life of this writer and discover the many autobiographical aspects drawn from his life that are inherent in the story of the narrator/aviator in The Little Prince.
   
   
2. What do the Little Prince and the narrator think of adults? Why do they think this? Do you agree with their assessment of grown-ups?
   
   
3. The nature of these pop ups are very intricate. Which pop-up creations do you think illustrate the storyline the best? Which ones do you think need more engineering?

January's Sparrow

1. Use a map to find Marshall, Michigan.
   
   
2. What is the history of Marshall, Michigan and the Underground Railroad?
   
   
3. Research the “special” houses in Marshall that were used to hide runaway slaves.
   
   
4. When was it safe for former slaves to return to the United States?  Why was it safe?
   
   
5. Create a map and the travel routes slaves would travel from Kentucky to Michigan.
   
   
6. Calculate how many miles people would need to travel on foot to reach Michigan.
   
   
7. How many days or weeks would it take someone to walk from Kentucky to Michigan?

Yummy

1. Little Red Riding Hood is taking a basket of food to her grandmother when she meets the wolf in the forest. What kind of food do you think is in the basket? What food would you want in the basket if someone were bringing it to you?
   
   
2. The inside of the covers are both sprinkled with delightful images from the stories. Can you find: a ladybug, a pair of socks, roller skates, a worm, a yellow pillow, a bell, a golden beak, a doorknob and whiskers? Can you remember which items are found in which story?
   
   
3. What is the main problem in THE ENORMOUS TURNIP? How is it solved?

Lousy Rotten, Stinkin’ Grapes

1. Why doesn’t Fox listen to the suggestions of others?
   
   
2. What do we learn from this story?
   
   
3. What is are Aesop’s Fables?
   
   
4. Explore other fables written by Aesop.
   
   
5. What are some of the lessons learned by reading fables?
   
   
6. Create your own fable that teaches an important lesson that you would like to share with others.