Picture Book Challenge- Week One

I feel like I am a bit behind in this, since I am starting in April, not January.  However, I think that I will still be able to reach my goal of 200 books this year, and have fun doing it!  Today I picked two of our favorite picture books to tell you about, and then I will let you know what we read this week.

One of our favorite books from last week was The Usborne Big Book of Things to Spot.

  This book is a compilation of four books:  1001 Animals to Spot, 1001 Things to Spot on the Farm, 1001 Things to Spot in Town, And 1001 Things to Spot Long Ago.  All three of the kids like this book.  Baby Girl just spends time looking at the pictures, and she will point out the different animals and things when i ask her.  Bop and CJ enjoy hunting for the different things hiding in the pictures.  This book has double spread lay-outs, with a large picture in the middle.  Around the edges are things to ‘spot’, with numbers and simple words for beginning readers.  There may be 7 cows, 10 calves, and 3 dogs to spot on the farm animal pages, along with others. 

 

While this book isn’t one that you will sit down and read to your child, there is still a lot of educational value here.  First, the pages show different animals in their habitats, different community places and what is going on there, what things looked like in the past, and so on.  Second, this is great for developing visual memory skills and visual discernment, both of which are very important precursors to fluent reading.  Lastly, but most important, this book is simply a lot of fun to sit down with your child and peruse together!  And what is better then sitting on the couch and laughing over a book with your little ones?

 

Another one of the books that we enjoyed was an old book called The Biggest Bear.

  This book was the Caldecott Medal winner for 1952.  This is  a charming story about a boy and a bear.  The little boy was always ashamed because his barn never had a great bear hide hanging on it, like all the other barns in the valley.  One day he decided that he was going to set off and find the biggest bear, so he could have a hide too.  He did find a bear, but it wasn’t the biggest.  he brought the baby bear home and they because great friends.  However, the neighbors didn't really like having a bear in their valley, and they decide that the bear has to go.  What happens to the little boy’s friend?  Well, read the book and find out!  It has a great ending.  The kids all loved this book.

 

 

Here are the other picture books that we read this week:

Freight Train

The Snowy Day

How do I feel? /Como me siento?

Mouse Count

Taking a Walk/ Caminando – A Book in Two Languages

A House Is a House for Me

The Giving Tree

“I Can’t” Said the Ant

The Rain Came Down

Penguins

Then and Now

Cats

Volcanoes

I am sure there were a few more… but I can’t remember them all.  I will try to do better next week.  :)

 

Countdown:  15 down, 185 left to do!