Ever since two mischievous siblings were led on a romp by a cat with a very tall hat, storybook characters have drawn children into the magic of reading. Today’s first graders are captivated by tales of mermaids, monkeys, Pete the Cat, Pinkalicious, and Gerald & Piggie. Old favorites and new were all represented in the lively parade of costumed characters as Mrs. Turnbull’s first grade class toured the school to share best-loved books with their fellow students.
Like all good stories, this activity began once upon a time … in a first grade classroom with bookshelves full of attractively displayed books, book covers decorating the walls and an inviting school library. Next came a simple assignment to choose one book and write about a favorite character. An opportunity to tell the name of the chosen character and answer questions gave the students oral communications experience. Finally, each first grader huddled with his or her fifth grade buddy to read their books together. And yet this story doesn’t have an ending, because with their imaginations so engaged, these students will be reading happily ever after.
