Mrs. P's Reading is Cool blog

Mrs. P's Tips to Keep Kids Engaged in Reading & a New Video Story

Summer is coming before we know it. Studies have shown that children who don’t read over the summer can lose many months of reading progress. So I've put together my favorite tips because I didn’t want kids to lose the reading skills over the summer they worked so hard to develop in school last year. It's a perfect time before they get out of school to have these in your toolbox to share with them.

In addition to these tips I have a great new video called "Sally's Poor Brain", written by 8-year-old Andrea E. Langholff from Wisconsin, who was a finalist in my annual writing contest. I have chosen this story to share with kids because of its witty lesson about a brain that literally walks away in search of intellectual stimulation. Some important food for thought!

Here are a few ideas:

• Reading simple instructions for a task is a great way to improve comprehension skills.  Visit the Activities Page of my website, MrsP.com for fun things you and your child can make.  Fans of “Alice in Wonderland” will love the easy and clever homemade toys and games you can make with materials most people have sitting around the house. 

• Get a public library card. It’s FREE, and most libraries have fun summer and after-school activities (as well as books full of wonderful stories and ideas from the smartest people who ever lived.) You can also find good educational videos and audio books at the library.  I have a special place in her heart for librarians, so tell them Mrs. P sent you!

• Making handmade books out of your child’s story is a great way  to nurture a life-long love for books. You can create simple books in many ways, and the materials can usually be found around the house. I have put together a fun FREE bookmaking activity to help you get started.  Asking your child to tell you a story helps to develop an active mind. Kids are naturally creative; your job is to give them an environment that will let their imaginations flourish.

• Keep a Reading Log. Keep track of the books you've read with my Kind-Of-A-Big-Deal Official Mrs. P Reading Log. (hint: find it in my drop down menu and then print a few at a time) There's even a place to color. Reading logs recognize the value of reading every day and can act as a simple reminder. And remember, all reading counts, whether you are being read to, reading aloud, or just by yourself. 

• Download a free poster of Mrs. P or another one of your child’s favorite celebrities from Get Caught Reading   Hanging one of these colorful posters in your child’s room will remind them “Reading is cool and so are you!”

• Play a Reading Game. I've developed my FREE Mrs. P Reading Challenge Game. Kids who play the game will get to prove how well they comprehend and retain what they read.  I help them find the right answers with funny audio and visual messages.  And when players get a good score, they’ll be rewarded with a pot of gold!  (When I was a kid, we just got a cheap little gold star!)

• Encourage Writing. Reading and writing go hand-in-hand; developing skills for one always helps with the other.  Encouraging your child to make up and tell you a story can be an excellent work-out for the imagination – and also a fun way to spend time together.  And if you come up with an idea you really like, enter it in my next Be-A-Famous-Writer Contest. 

Enjoy "Sally's Poor Brain"

Mrs. P

 

Bullies: Once Upon a Classic & a Modern Tale

Bullies appear in many classic fairy tales. We all know the story of Snow White and her wicked stepmother and Cinderella and her cruel and jealous step-family. In both of these stories the main characters were victims of bullying.

Many popular fairy tale classics talk about bullying. Classic books have a truly defining characteristic in that their message stands the test of time.  A great classic has a message that spans the ages to be passed from generation to generation. One such tale is “The Three Little Pigs”.  They have a real bully situation on their hands in this story.  They take the stance to stand tall and send the message: "Don't mess with me."

Unfortunately bullies also appear in modern life. Bullying is a big problem that affects lots of kids. From name calling, to affecting reputations and relationships, or even physically hurting someone or their possessions. It can happen anywhere, and to anyone.

I like the modern take that a 5 year old shares in her story, “The Peanut Butter and Jelly Hotdog”. It was a finalist in my annual writing contest for kids.  It looks at the subject in such a wise a clever way and has some great advice on how to deal with a bully.

We can help kids understand bullying by talking to them about it and teaching them how to stand up to it safely.  Here is a resource link for parents and teachers  StopBullying.

Here is a classic & modern take on this very important subject  playlist. 

I also love this quote and think it goes well with this topic, so wanted to share it.
“It is our choices ... that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”  - J. K. Rowling (Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets)

A Classic and a Modern Tale 
 

Story Specific Study Questions:
 The Three Little Pigs by: The Brothers Grimm

• What are the problems the characters face?
• How do they solve these problems? 
• What lesson does this story teach you? 
• How would you have handled the big bad wolf?

 The Peanut Butter and Jelly Hotdog by Ivy Exum

• Why do bullies act that way? Share your thoughts
• What are things you can do to prevent a run-in with a bully? 
• What did they do in this story to stop the bully? 
• Have you heard the expression “kill them with kindness”? What does it mean? Does it apply to this story?

 

Timeless Fairytale Adventures Playlist & Story Questions

I just love a rollicking good tale of adventure. The kind of story that just sticks with you.
I have read a good many books, as you most certainly know, but some just remain ingrained in my mind. When I read them as a child they were exhilarating. I couldn’t wait to turn the pages to learn what happened next.

Nothing speaks to the heart like a good tale of adventure. Whether in the form of a bedtime story or a nail biting page turner that keeps you up at night, the adventure story is one genre of literature that stays with you for a lifetime. Here’s to adventure and wonder!

Enjoy my playlist of 4 Timeless Fairytale Adventures: 

     

Story Specific Study Questions:

Little Red Riding Hood  By: The Brothers Grimm

• Why do you think that Little Red Riding didn’t listen to her mother? Have you ever not listened? What happened?
• What lessons does this story teach you?
• Pretend that Little Red Riding Hood had listened to her mother and write a new story with a new ending
• The wolf in this story is given certain characteristics that make him not very trustworthy. What are they? Are there other animals from other stories that also have these traits? 
• Where do wolves usually live and what do they eat?

Hansel and Gretel  by: The Brothers Grimm

• What is the moral or theme of this story?
• Hansel and Gretel’s step mother wanted to get rid of them why? How do you think Hansel and Gretel felt about this?
• Hansel used bread crumbs so they could find their house? Why didn’t this work? What would you have done so you could have found your way back home?
• Write an alternate ending to this story
• Have you ever made a gingerbread house? Draw what yours would look like
• Have you ever tasted a gingerbread house? Describe what it tasted like

Tom Thumb  by: The Brothers Grimm

• What was unusual about Tom Thumb?
• What lesson does this story teach us?
• Have you ever felt “different”? write about it
• If you were to write another chapter of Tom Thumb’s life what would it be?

Puss in Boots   by: Charles Perrault

• What lessons does Puss in Boots teach us?
• Do you think Puss in Boots is smart? Why? 
• Why does Puss in Boots want boots? 
• Who is your favorite character in the story and why?
• What would be the next adventure of Puss in Boots? Write a new story about it.
• Have you ever owned a cat or known someone who has? What amazing thing have you seen a cat do? Write an adventure story about this cat

Happily Ever Afters that Mrs. P Loves - Playlist & Study Questions

I’m back to talk about Fairy Tales, after all my library is filled with them!  This playlist is about that fairy tale ending phrase we all know so well;  “happily ever after”.  These stories told through the ages, passed down from story-teller to story-teller, tap into our longing to overcome adversity and witness a dreamed being fulfilled. The happy ending fulfills our belief of that transformation that ordinary people can become something extraordinary.

The three stories in this playlist all take us on a journey often with magical elements of a classic fairy tale such as a witch, a fairy godmother, or a handsome prince. Along the way we witness the main characters kindness and courage as they triumph over greed, arrogance, and bullies. And they all have a happy ending and justice is served.

I don’t know about you, but I never grow tired of a story with the themes of compassion and generosity, and the words “and they lived happily ever after”.

Here are some theme questions to go with the playlist:

• Is there magic in these stories? When does this happen and how?
• Is there a happy ending and has anyone changed or been transformed? Who and how?

Story Specific Study Questions:

                                        

Rapunzel  by: The Brothers Grimm

• If you were writing a moral for this story what would it be?
• Who is your favorite character and why?    
• What lesson does this story teach you?
• How do you think the parent’s felt when their child was taken away?     
• Have you ever made a promise that you couldn’t keep. Write about it.  
• Write about what it would be like to live in a castle. 
• Do you know the names of any castles? what are they?

The Princess and the Pea  by: Hans Christian Andersen

• Does a Princess have magical powers? Why or why not?
• What lesson did you learn from this story?
• What qualities make for a “real” princess? 
• Write an alternate ending for this story
• Are there other stories that have a princess that you can think of? what are they?

Cinderella   by: Charles Perrault

• Have you heard the expression “It’s what’s inside that counts”?  Tell how this relates to this story
• Were they any characters in the story that acted like bullies? Who were they and why do you think they acted that way?
• Write the next chapter in Cinderella’s life
• Write or tell a story about something that happened to make you feel changed or different.
• If you were friends with the stepsisters, what advice would you give them?

Read Along with Mrs. P - How Do Children Learn New Words?

How do children learn new words? Either by hearing them or seeing them. For an early reader or a child who cannot yet read, hearing a word is a crucial part of learning that word. Hearing a new word through repetition is how we learn.

By reading aloud often enough to a child we expose them to more and more new words.  By providing them a rich vocabulary of words, when they are eventually ready to read on their own they will draw on this repository of words to make sense of what they have read. The richer the vocabulary a child has been exposed to, the better their listening and reading comprehension.

Kids have many different learning styles. Some are "visual" learners, other "auditory" learners and some "tactile" learners. With this playlist, you can hear the words, see the words, and also use my book with these same stories to “touch” the words "Mrs. P's Four Favorite Fairy Tales & Funny Stories".

I love to engage children at the beginning by looking at the book cover and asking them “What do you think this story is about?” And after reading to a child, asking them open-ended questions to encourage discussion and help them focus on the details of a book.  Relating to them on a personal level  “Have you ever felt like…” is another great way to aid in comprehension.  Have them take my free reading challenge quiz on these stories and “win a pot of gold”.

Here is my video playlist of these 4 stories that "show" the words.

My 4 Favorite Stories Learning Guide Questions:

Jack and the Beanstalk by Joseph Jacobs

• Who is your favorite character and why?   
• Why did Jack trade his family’s cow for some beans? Do you think it was a good trade?
• What character traits does Jack have?
• Is Jack honest with his mother? 
• Why did Jack steal from the ogre?  Is it ever OK to steal?
• Write an alternate ending to this story

The Emperor’s New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen

• How does the author make his point that vanity is foolish?
• The Emperor’s obsession (an unreasonable preoccupation with something) was clothes. If you could give him some advice about his obsession what would it be?
• Why do you think the emperor continued to walk even after he realized he was wearing nothing?
• The word magnificent is used in the story, can you write a sentence using this word and also think of other words that have a similar meaning? 
• How does the theme “Honesty is the best policy” fit the story?
• What is the moral of the story?

The Frog Prince by The Brother’s Grimm

• How did the Prince turn into a frog?
• How many nights did the frog sleep in the castle?
• Do you think the King was right in making the Princess keep the promise she made to the frog?
• Have you ever made a promise you couldn’t keep, write about it. 
• What can we learn from this story?

Sleeping Beauty by The Brother’s Grimm

• This version by the Brother’s Grimm is sometimes referred to as “Briar Rose”, why do you think that may be the case?
• Are there other fairy tales you can think of that have a similar theme?
• Have you heard other versions of this story? Why do stories ofter change over time? 
• Re-write the ending of the story.
• Write your own Fairy Tale. Use your own characters and include magic and struggles between good and evil.

Mrs. P's Tips to Celebrate Young Authors & New Playlist

March 2nd marks one of my favorite celebrations, Read Across America Day! This annual event was established by the National Education Association (NEA) to honor children’s author Dr. Seuss. By now you know I like to put my own twist on things, like I do on all the fairy tales I read. So I see this day as not only an opportunity for author’s like myself to read in schools (I’ll be at 2 schools in Los Angeles for the big event this year), but also to celebrate young author’s.

Last year I was very excited when I learned that one of my writing contest winners, Briana Beebe from Colorado, was one of the featured authors at her own school’s Read Across America program. It made me think about how we can celebrate a child’s story, not only on Read Across America Day, but any day of the year!

The following are a few simple suggestions for celebrating young authors and readers!

• Invite family members and friends for an author party: Host family members and friends so your child can share their story. Having a round of applause always makes for a big smile!
• Create a reading circle - to allow children the opportunity to read aloud and take turns reading aloud with family and friends. 
• Join the celebration by reading for 30 minutes each day during the month of March!
• Find your local library and check out a new batch of books and let your child read them to you.  
• Some other fun Seuss-gestions from the National Education Association website

(This is me as a young girl dressed up on Read Across America Day, reading from one of my favorites by Dr. Seuss!)

And remember just like the title of one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books, - “Oh the Place’s You Will Go” - this is what will happen when we encourage and celebrate young authors and readers.

Enjoy my young author playlist.  It features amazing young authors from my Be-A-Famous Writer Contest including this years contest winners. Their stories are debuting today! Enjoy Sarah Smale's The Treasure Decision, and Emma Stowe's Thinking Cap.

Animal Tales - From Fables to Fairy Tales

Handed down from generation to generation animal stories never go out of style.

What I love about Fairy Tales and Fables is they really are for all ages to enjoy and also can connect us with different cultures. Now add in an animal that has human characteristics and what’s not to love?

I am often asked what the difference is between a fable and a fairy tale, so I’ll tell you what I have learned over the years:

Fables illustrate a particular moral and teach us a lesson. The characters are usually animals who talk and act like people while they retain their animal traits.  By retaining the traits we associate with certain animals, for example that tortoise’s are slow, hare’s are quick, foxes are sly, it makes these stories especially entertaining and they are ofter quite humorous. The animals point out some aspect of human behavior that has a moral attached to it.  I have a particular fondness to many of Aesop’s fables. He was a Greek story teller, and from what I can tell, a very keen observer of both animal and human behavior.  Androcles and the Lion and The City Mouse and the Country Mouse are two of my favorites.

Fairy Tales usually have a once upon a time that starts the story and are often set in a castle, a forest, or a town. These tales are about ordinary people, from boys and girls to women and men, that find themselves caught up in a magical event. Often there is a strong difference between the good and evil characters. And we know it wouldn’t be a fairy tale unless good triumphs over evil and the problem in the story is solved.  Puss-in-Boots is a great example of a fairy tale that uses an animal in the same manner as a fable.

One thing that all of these stories have in common is that they touch our hearts and souls.

Questions to accompany my new playlist of Animal Tales:

1. What is your favorite fable or fairy tale with animals and why?
2. Which one teaches us a lesson - a fable or a fairy tale?
3. What is the moral of Androcles and the Lion?

 

My 3 Holiday Favorite Classics and why!

It’s that time of year when we are all gearing up to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or other traditions.  There are so many ways that we make the holidays special, from baking favorite cookies, to putting up the decorations. One of the most memorable for children can begin with a cherished story.

Some of my fondest Christmas memories were spent in front a of fire being read to from such classics as Dickens' A Christmas Carol. We share magic with a child when we read to them. Each time we sit down for story-time, we are encouraging a love of reading and are building a set of life long memories. Books are a window to the world that can teach us so many things.

I have multiple stories to share this season but want to call your attention to these 3 below, as they really embody the meaning of the season.  Although these storybook classics were written long ago, they all have a strong message about giving and what it is like to have to make sacrifices. Sharing these stories, I hope provide children and their families a message of hope and goodwill, and encourage the gift of giving from the heart this holiday season.

Inspiring your child's imagination and love of reading is what my FREE website is all about. So join me with these classics that come out once a year, and may they be the highlight of your holiday celebrations.

Here are my 3 Holiday Favorite Classics and why:

O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi provides a charitable lesson especially relevant in today’s troubled economy. Written more than a hundred years ago, in 1906, The Gift of the Magi follows a poor, young American couple trying to survive in a harsh economy. In order to give each other a gift for Christmas, they each sacrifice something they love, with ironic and unexpected results.

Although The Gift of the Magi is more than a hundred years old, the story is about the importance of sacrifice and giving, and is extremely meaningful in today’s turbulent economy.

During the early 1900s, when Magi was initially published, America was a place of great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few powerful industrialists, like J.P. Morgan and John D. Rockefeller, while millions of other Americans lived in poverty. A charismatic, young president, Teddy Roosevelt, was elected and immediately began instituting sweeping reforms and anti-trust laws to correct the imbalance.

I know many American families will be facing hard choices this holiday season, and thought it would be a nice gift to offer a story where the characters are facing these same issues. I love this story because it has a happy ending and a good message: that the most meaningful Christmas may not be the one where you spend the most money.

The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
This is a wonderful story about love and friendship, and reading it together will warm the hearts of the whole family. This is a timeless tale about a stuffed rabbit who discovers that love is a magic that can make dreams come true.

Also The Little Match Girl...Han Christian Andersen's tale about a little girl who's afraid to go home because she hasn't sold enough matches is a classic. The little girl, who is both barefoot and bareheaded, curls up in a corner, lighting match after match to warm herself. In the flames she sees visions; in the final one, her grandmother appears and lifts the little girl into heaven. I’ve always felt this story captures the mood of a snowy Victorian winter reminiscent of Dickens's “A Christmas Carol.” It makes us so appreciate everything we have.

And remember, they are always FREE and so is your local library!

Dare to be Scared! Spooktacular Stories For Halloween

It’s downright fun to be scared silly! A good scary story can be as wonderful as a carnival ride. You feel your heart beating faster, your adrenaline pumping away, your palms sweating, and when it’s over you feel exhilarated!  There’s even evidence from the experts that scary stories are a normal part of a child’s emotional education and can help them develop some of their important coping mechanisms, like overcoming fears. 

As a lot of you know I love Fairy Tales. My “Magic Library” is filled with them. Well, Fairy Tales are not only entertaining they can be scary too. Hansel and Gretel is a fine example of this, the fear of abandonment, I mean come on... this gets me breathing faster just thinking about those two young children fending for themselves. But by reading Hansel and Gretel it allows a child to explore their terror of being abandoned, while  also experiencing the thrill of taking care of themselves and coming out and finally emerging jubilant.

When I was young I always loved telling scary stories around the campfire, or even taking a sheet and making my own little tent in my bedroom and reading with a flashlight in the dark with a friend during a sleep over. Telling a spooky tale and clutching my friend’s arm while we both screamed, is something we still laugh about as adults.

From ghost stories to scary stories, to having some great entertainment at an upcoming Halloween party, telling stories aloud and discovering the joy of storytelling -- can make for a thrilling evening!  So come on - Dare to be scared!

Enjoy “The Tell Tale Heart” by the master of macabre, Edgar Allan Poe

  Enjoy Hansel & Gretal and be sure to see my post on Timeless Fairytale Adventures that has story questions for you on this adventure!

*you can also find audio versions to download and enjoy anywhere, anytime at Tales2Go and Audible Books.

 

Get Kids' Creative Juices Flowing for 3rd Annual Be-a-Famous Writer Contest

It's that time of year again when school is starting and many stories will shared about what happened over the summer. To celebrate the art of storytelling I am once again holding my annual writing contest for kids.

What an opportunity for a child to have their story read by the line up of this years judges: Bonny Becker best-selling author of the Bear and Mouse picture books, including “A Visitor for Bear” winner of the E.B. White Read Aloud Award; David L. Ulin book critic of the Los Angeles Times and author, most recently, of "The Lost Art of Reading: Why Books Matter in a Distracted Time"; and Renèe Watson author, educator and poet, her book “What Momma Left Me" debuted as the New Voice for 2010 in middle grade fiction by The Independent Children's Booksellers Association. Getting feedback from a panel of judges like this could change a child’s life and that’s why I love holding this contest every year!

I also know the important role teachers play in our writing contest so this year we have teamed up with Westcott, known for their excellence in classroom products, to provide supplies to classrooms and also one lucky school will win a one-year subscription to Tales2Go. We created a new teacher page  that has all the details.

One thing I have learned over the past few years is that everyone loves prizes. So this year I have  also teamed up with “Penelope the Purple Pirate” author Melissa Northway, and popular story time audio app company Tales2Go, to provide some incentives for entrants to get their stories submitted.  Sometimes we can all use a little push to get our creative juices flowing!

Mark you calendars for Sept 1 when the contest opens for entries. To find out more details go to the contest website.