Picture Books - My Life as a Chicken and Papa, please get the moon for me

What better way to beat the 98-degree temperature than to pop into the library for a story and books. We went yesterday, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to do it again today. With the wee one being a very, very active girl we are fortunate to have a home with a few unused rooms (i.e. dining room). So, between reading, coloring, and other stationary activities we have set up a portable soccer goal in one of the rooms for her to kick the balls in. Being that she is only 2 1/2 years there isn’t too much danger (knock on wood) of breaking things so far. Boy, I sure can’t wait until the weather is much cooler and her indoor soccer class starts. We miss hanging out in the backyard (which has no shade) and going for walks in the neighborhood and I miss a calmer wee one.

However, we are finding some fun books to read and re-read from the library of late. Two of the recent entertaining ones are My Life as a Chicken by Ellen A. Kelley and illustrated by Michael Slack 2007 and Papa, please get the moon for me by Eric Carle 1986. My Life as a Chicken would be a so fun to read aloud in a dramatic voice to a group of 2nd and 3rd graders. It is the story of a chicken that is on the run (after hearing the farmer read a recipe for chicken pie) and the adventures and perils she encounters. The story is told in a “chicken” biography style with opportunities for some hilarious sound effects. (I pictured Anne of Green Gables reading it in the dramatic voice she uses while reciting the Highwayman, but with a clucky accent.)

The other book Papa, please get the moon for me is an oldie, but goodie. As Monica looks upon a beautiful full moon one night the desire to play with it over takes her, but alas she can’t reach it. So, of course like all little girls she asks her Papa for the moon. Like most fathers he does his best to get it for her. With large and some unusual size pages for illustrating the task Papa undertakes, the reader gets a feel for how the moon goes through its phases and goes from big to small to big again. Only caution here is with letting the little ones turn the unusual pages they tend to rip. Nice book for preschool on up.