Sunday, February 5, 2012

Magical books!

I try very hard to introduce Maury students to great books that they will truly enjoy. I'm usually pretty successful. But every once in awhile, there is a book that captures student imaginations like no other.

Geraldine the Music Mouse by Leo Lionni is one such book. It's the story of a mouse who discovers music for the very first time. When I first read it to a Kindergarten class five years ago, a magical thing happened: every single child was completely engrossed in the book. No one fidgeted. No one asked to use the bathroom. Every child sat completely still until the story was finished, drinking it in with their eyes. This wasn't an isolated reaction. I've seen it happen over and over again. Every class has had the same reaction to this book. It's pretty amazing to watch.


Recently, I've found two more books that capture my students imagination in a similar way. George and the Dragon and its sequel, George, the Dragon and the Princess, both by Chris Wormell, have become hot commodities among the early childhood set. I read these books to them weeks ago, and since then they're always the first thing requested during book browsing time. Since I only have one copy of each book, the students do a great job of sharing so that all of their classmates have a chance to enjoy the book too.





Does your family have a favorite book that ignites your child's imagination? Share it in the comments!