The Boy of the Three-Year Nap

1. Why do people call Taro “The Boy of the Three-Year Nap”? (It was “said that if no one woke him, Taro would sleep three years at a stretch.”)

2. When Taro’s mother complains to him that the roof leaks, the walls are crumbling, and they are running low on food, he says that she should not worry because he has a “plan.”  Describe exactly what his plan is.  (Convincing the rich merchant to marry his daughter to Taro—ask the young child to give more details about the plan.)

3. Taro’s mother is puzzled by his plan.  What does she think he might be planning to do? (become a priest)

4. Describe how Taro’s plan works.

5. When Taro’s mother realizes how effective his plan has been, she comes up with a plan of her own.  Describe her plan. 

6. What are the results of Taro’s mother’s plan? (better house for her and a job for Taro)

7. What about his mother’s plan most surprises Taro? (the job).  How do you think he feels when he realizes that she has outsmarted him?

8. Look at the last picture in the book.  How do you think Taro feels by that point?  Why?

The House in the Night

1. Study the pictures on the covers of the book and ask the child: Can you find a little dog on the front cover? What is he doing? Can you spy a bird, a car, a fox and a swing on the back cover?

2. Discuss the fact that the little girl in the story dreams that she is flying. Ask the child where she went, what she rode on and what she saw.

3. This story is built on a nursery tale form known as a cumulative tale. The child is probably familiar with related patterns of such stories. Ask the child to sing other cumulative tales with you such as “The Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly” and “Old MacDonald had a Farm.”

How to Paint a Portrait of a Bird

1. Why did the little boy want to draw a portrait of a bird? Could the bird be a symbol for the urge to create?

2. Can you find the only picture that does not include the bird?

3. What did the little boy draw/place in the cage to coax the bird inside?

4. From the pictures how can you tell the little boy was very patient?

The Story of Cherry the Pig

1. What would make you think that all pigs love to eat?

2. What was Cherry’s favorite kind of food? (dessert)

3. How would you feel if you made a special dessert and suddenly found some mice eating it?  What would you do?

4. Name as many of the animals as you can remember who were present at the Harvest Festival.

5. Can you describe the process that Cherry followed in baking her cake at the Harvest Festival?

6. When Cherry won first prize, what did she receive?  (a golden whisk)  What is the meaning of this particular item?  If you don’t know, try to find out its use.

7. How was Cherry able to figure out the mystery of her confusion about the mice’s original comments regarding how “incredible” her apple cake was?

8. What made Cherry decide to open her bakery?  Why do you think she made a special treat for the mouse family?

THE MAN WHO WALKED BETWEEN THE TOWERS

1. Why was the aerialist Philippe Petit arrested when he finally came in off the wire? What did the judge sentence him to do instead of going to jail? Do you think it was a good idea on the judge’s part?

2. Study the two fold out sections. How do they differ in perspective and point of view?  How does the artist help you feel you are very high up in one fold out illustration and on the ground in the other?

3. A short animated film was adapted from this book in 2005.  Try to find it at a local video store or on the web. Contrast and compare it to the picture book version. Which version do you like best? Why?

Slow Loris

1. Did you ever find out what Slow Loris’s real name was?  Why was he called Slow Loris? (That is the type of animal he is.)  Why don’t you make up a name for him that you think suits him and explain why you think it suits him well.

2. Give a few examples of how we know how slow Slow Loris is. (10 minutes to eat a Satsuma, 20 minutes to get from one end of his branch to the other, an hour to scratch his bottom)

3. When you first heard that Slow Loris had a secret, what did you think it might be?

4. How does the book’s illustrator first show us Slow Loris acting fast? (The picture seems to be a photograph blurred because of his fast movement.)

5. Describe some of the things that Slow Loris does during his nighttime activities. (wears a fancy hat, climbs quickly, bangs on pans)

6. How do you think the other animals look when they are able to join Slow Loris the first night in his evening activities?  Then how do you think they all look the next day?

THE COMPOSER IS DEAD

1. Out of all of the instruments questioned by the Inspector which one had the best alibi? Why? Which one had the weakest alibi?  Why?

2. Play the CD that accompanies this book. Listen for the trumpets? What is the role of the trumpets? How does their sound make you feel?

3. Lemony Snicket is a pseudonym. The author’s real name is Daniel Handler. If you could use another name rather than the one you have what would it be?      

Kali and the Rat Snake

1. Why do you think Kali is walking so slowly on his way to school?  When you look at his face, how do you think he feels?  Why?

2. On the first day of school, what was something about his family that made Kali very proud—something that he was very eager to share with the other students? (his father’s status as one of the most famous snake catchers)  How did the other children respond?  How did that make Kali feel?

3. What is something about your family that you would be very proud to share with others?  What if people giggled about your news the way they did about Kali’s father?  How would that make you feel?

4. Do you think that Kali was actually frightened of the rat snake in his classroom?  Why or why not?  Why do you think he decided to save his classmates even though they had been mean to him?

5. Do you think the teacher had really been scared of the rat snake?  Why or why not?  Why do you think the children start grinning after the teacher turns around at the end of the book?

6. How do you think Kali’s life at school will be changed after his encounter with the rat snake?

We Are the Ship

1.Where does the title of this book come from and what does it mean?

2. How did the games played in the Negro League differ from how the Major League   ball games looked? Refer to the books 2nd Inning Chapter.

3. Jackie Robinson was the first player from the Negro League to be signed by a Major League team in 1945. What team signed him? Who was the owner of that team? How did the fans treat Jackie Robinson?  Refer to the book’s Ninth Inning Chapter.

4. Which of the extraordinary oil paintings by Kadir Nelson is particularly appealing to you? Why? Please discuss what the painting tells you and how the painting makes you feel.

On My Way to Buy Eggs

1. Describe some of the imaginary adventures that Shau-yu has on her way to buy eggs for her father. (follows the cat’s shadow, barks at the sleeping dog, views the world through a blue marble, crunches through the drying leaves, finds a pair of glasses that she feels make her look like her mother)

2. What does Shau-yu particularly think of herself as a fish swimming in the blue sea she imagines through her blue marble world? (because her name Shau-yu means “little fish”)

3. When Shau-yu goes into the shop wearing the glasses that she imagines make her look like her mother, do you think the shopkeeper really believes she is an adult?  Why or why not?  What does he give her? (chewing gum)

4. As Shau-yu returns home, she says, “Hello!  I’ve had such a busy day.”  Do you think her busy day has been a “busy” day of physical activity or imaginary activity or a combination of the two?  Describe your thoughts on this.

5. Does Shau-yu’s dog Harry seem happy to have her home?  How can you tell?  What has she shared with him? (the glasses she found—he is now wearing them)

A RIVER OF WORDS: The Story of William Carlos Williams

1. How many poems can you find written inside the silhouette of William Carlos Williams which appears on the front cover of this book?

2. There are nine poems printed on the front and back endpapers of this book. Which ones do you enjoy the most? Why?

3. What does the title of the book mean? How did the river influence the poet?

4. From the story, the illustrations, the poetry and the author’s and illustrator’s notes what do you know about the subject matter that this author was most interested in exploring?

Tales From Outer Suburbia

1. In “Why Not Make Your Own Pet” what object does the man select to act as a seed to grow into his pet? How does he plant, water and nurture the seed? What is the author really saying about the environment?

2. In “Wake” what are the non- violent tactics the dogs use to respond to the cruel death of one of their own? Is there an analogy for this story to any situation in history?

3. What is the function of the contraption in the story about the amnesia machine?

4.Explain how the beings in” Stick Figures” represent “the other”. Why do the boys fear these beings who are different?

Close Your Eyes

1. What does mother tiger keep saying to her little tiger? (close your eyes)

2. What are some of the excuses that little tiger finds for not closing his eyes? (He can’t see the sky, the tree, the bird with the blue feathers, and he is afraid of the dark.)

3. What are some reassurances his mother gives him in response to each of these concerns? (He can even float in the sky, see many trees and play among them, and see many colors of birds and perhaps fly with them.  The dark is the other side of light—something that happens before dreams.)

4. What does little tiger’s mother encourage him to do with his dreams? (dream about big things such as mountains, the desert, and the ocean)

5. What do you think is the main problem for little tiger about closing his eyes? (He doesn’t want to sleep.)

6. How do you think mother tiger tries to make her little tiger feel very secure? (snuggles up to him as he falls asleep)

7. Do you ever have trouble falling asleep?  If so, what do you do to help yourself go to sleep?

8. Describe some interesting dreams you have had.

Pippo the Fool

The illustrations are drawn with great detail. Study them and find:
  a cat creeping up on a bird
  a donkey laughing
  a monkey walking on a ledge
  Pippo being carried in a chair
  a woman walking with a cane
  a mouse and a cat staring at each other
  a boy picking his nose
  a boar
  a man walking with a knapsack
  a chicken with four baby chicks

In this story why do the townspeople call Brunelleschi by the name Pippo the Fool? How does Pippo’s friend Donatello persuade him to work on the building of the dome even though Lorenzo has been assigned to work with him?

The text tells us that Pippo had to get marble from a quarry to the top of the cathedral. What did he design to accomplish this?

A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever

1. Have you ever gone to a “nature camp” or summer camp?  If so, did you enjoy it?  What were some things you took with you?  What did James bring with him to “nature camp”?  Why do you think he brought so much with him?

2. What did Bill most want to do with the boys at “nature camp”? (talk about trips he and Pam had taken, especially to Antarctica)

3. What did Pam want most to do for the boys? (fix lots of fun food for them, such as banana waffles, ice cream, and peanut butter-and-honey sandwiches)

4. How could you tell that James and Eamon enjoyed their basement room? (jumped around and had all of the things James had brought with him)

5. Why did the boys start calling each other “Jamon”?  What did this mean? (They were practically becoming one person.)

6. What did the two Jamons call their “nature camp” that indicated where they most liked to spend their time? (“Sit-Around Camp)  Why do you think they preferred to be inside?

7. What was the big surprise they made for Bill? (an Antarctic scene made with sea shells)

8. Do you think the boys will be back at “nature camp” next summer?  Why or why not?

Amiri and Odette

1. Review the illustrations. There are three pictures of Big Red in this book. How does the artist let us know where he is and what he stands for in this story? Look at his face, his hands and his jewelry.

2. What is the evil spell that is cast over Odette? How is it broken?

3. What does Amiri’s mother fear? What does the poem say about mean streets?

4. From the words of the poet and the images of the artist how do you think Odette resembles a swan?

My Friend Rabbit

1. Who is telling this story? (Mouse—Rabbit’s friend)

2. How would you describe Mouse’s outlook on life? (He is very optimistic—he is always looking on the bright side of things, even when his friend Rabbit causes many problems.)

3. How would you describe Rabbit in a sentence or two? (He means well, but he always seems to cause some sort of problem with what he does—with the plans he makes, especially the solutions he comes up with.)

4. Every time Rabbit has an “idea,” what should you expect? (a problem or problems)

5. Why does Mouse excuse Rabbit’s mistakes? (because he “means well” and he is Mouse’s “friend”)  Do you think you would be so accepting of a friend?  Why or why not?  Do you think you might have helped Rabbit to change his behavior in any ways?

Maritcha: A Nineteenth-Century American Girl

1. Looking at the illustrations of the downtown streets, what are some things that you notice are very different from downtown streets today?  (wooden sidewalks, unpaved streets, wagons, no automobiles)

2. What were some of the major obstacles that Maritcha encountered when she had to leave New York City with her family and relocate to Rhode Island? (She was not allowed to attend high school, treated unfairly.)

3. How many years did Maritcha work as an educator? (almost fifty)  Can you imagine working that long with students such as yourself?  How would it make you feel?

4. Page twenty-seven shows a newspaper description of the race riots in New York City.  What newspaper is this? (The New York Times)  Is it still published today?  Where could you buy a copy?  See if you can find one.

5. How did it make you feel to actually look at photographs of “keepsakes” that had been Maritcha’s very own as well as photographs and drawings from the time?  Did it help to give you a better sense of the events portrayed in the book?  Why or why not?

HEART TO HEART: New Poems inspired by 20th Century American Art

1. Read Deborah Pope’s poem about Lichtenstein’s picture of the bananas and grapefruit aloud. Can you hear the rhyming pairs? What does the painting taste like according to the poet? Can you identify what the poet is describing in the following images: fruit suit, goo canoe, gulp pulp and sweet part?

2. Study Faith Ringgold’s picture entitled “Tar Beach”. What is the significance of this title? Compare this painting with Thomas Hart Benton’s “Down by the Riverside”. How are the settings different in these two pictures? How are the settings alike? Who is speaking in the poem inspired by “Down by the Riverside” written by Dave Etter? Who is speaking in “Tar Beach”?

3. Read Janine Pommy Vega’s poem “The Poppy of Georgia O’Keefe”. Can you feel the poet’s flamenco dancer when you look at Georgia O’Keefe’s “Poppy”?

Martin's Big Words

1. What are the kinds of words that made Martin feel bad?  (words such as those on White Only signs)  Why do you think they made him feel bad?  (He felt excluded, isolated, of less value than others.)

2.  How did his mother try to encourage him?  (She reminded him that he was “as good as anyone.”)

3.  What was something else that made him feel good?  (the big words he heard his father use when he preached)

4.  Martin grew up to be like his father in many different ways.  Name a few.  (He was a preacher.  He used big words when he preached and when he read from the Bible.)

5.  Was Martin’s goal one of bringing people together in peace and unity or in conflict and battle?  How can you tell? 

6.  Describe some of the hardships of the Montgomery bus boycott.  How long did it last?  Do you think you could have continued under such harsh situations?  Why or why not?  What was the ultimate victory achieved by those involved?

7.  Martin won the Nobel Peace Prize.  Why did he win it?  See if you can find out more information about this important prize.

8.  Although Martin died, the author says that “his big words are alive for us today.”  How can words be “alive”?  Many of his actual words appear in this book.  How can you tell which words are his own?  (They are in very large bold, colorful print.)

Free To Be You and Me

1. A hyperbole is the use of an exaggeration to make a point.  What exaggeration is Shel Silverstein using in “Ladies First” and what point is he making?

2. In Judy Blume’s pair of poems “The Pain and the Great One” siblings give an account of how hard it is to live under the same roof.  Do you have a sibling?  If so, do you think you are “the pain” or “the great one”?  Please explain.

3. What does the title of this book mean to you?

Singing Shijimi Clams

1. This story starts off with the words, “Once upon a time, there lived a witch.”  What kind of story does that make you think it is is going to be? (fairy tale)  Were you surprised at the kind of story it turned out to be? Why or why not?

2. What do you think it means that the witch is older and “her sparks were gone”?  How had she changed?

3. When it is time to put the shijimi clams into the boiling miso soup, the witch and her cat disagree in their responses.  What is the witch’s perspective, and what is that of her cat?  With whom do you agree and why?

4. Do you think the cat has changed in his feelings about the clams when it is time to take them back?  What makes you think he might have?

5. What has caused the witch and her cat Toraji to change and to want to stay by the sea by the end of the story?  What do you think their lives will be like?

Mary Engelbreit's Nursery Tales: A Treasury of Children's Classics

1. As a young boy and an adult Darwin loved collecting. Have you ever collected things from the natural world?

2. What does the title of this book have to do with Darwin’s observations and thoughts? Why are there so many roots in Sis’ gatefold spread (the four-page picture that opens out like a gate)?

3. Can you draw your family’s tree of life?

4. There are 24 small pictures that make up the back inside cover end papers. Do you see how these relate to one another?

Hen Hears Gossip

1. What is one thing that Hen loves? (gossip)

2. What exactly is “gossip”?

3. How does the message that Hen hears at the beginning change as it is passed from animal to animal?

4. How does the final message become something that actually hurts Hen’s feelings? (It becomes the message that Hen is “lazy, fat, and ate all the corn!”)

5. How does Hen respond to this message? (She tries to find out what each animal has actually said.)

6. Does Hen finally learn the real message?  What was it? (Cow’s “baby calf was born.”)

7. Do you think that Hen has finally learned her lesson about gossiping?  Why or why not?

8. Go back in the book and look at the illustrations.  Can you tell how they have been constructed?  Try to describe them, and then you might also try to make some of your own illustrations.