Reading Aloud with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory #1

EV and AA are now 9 and 7 years old respectively. They read independently, and it is very obvious that they love it. I love to see them sitting quietly by themselves as they immerse in the wonderful world of whatever book they are reading. And it’s nice to sit or lie next to them doing the same thing. 

Often, EV and AA will still ask me to read aloud to them. I seldom say no, unless it’s really way past their bedtime. I love having them next to me, hearing me try to dramatise the story to them. However, I do wonder: do I still need to read to them since they now can read independently?

Recently, I read an article that told me that my decision to continue reading to EV and AA was right - 'Want your kids’ vocab to improve? Read aloud to them'.

This was the part that caught my attention: “Children may continue to enjoy and benefit from being read to beyond the early years. You should keep reading with your children as long as they let you.”

Which echoed my thoughts exactly. If EV and AA still want me to read to them, why would I want to stop this fantastic chance for us to bond and just enjoy stories together?

So I’m sticking to my decision of continuing to read aloud to them, to have this shared reading experience with them every night, for as long as they let me. At the same time, I can also use this shared reading time to have story-based discussions with them. I can also ask questions to nudge their understanding of the story content and also how the author uses language to bring across a point.

So I started with the classic story by Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The version I have is a very old one, which I bought pre-loved. As I read aloud to the kids, I would use different types of voices and intonation to try and bring the characters to life. I would try to use some action too where possible. It’s like putting on a one-person theatre show with only two audiences. Well, that’s not bad. At least, my ‘performance’ will always be flawless. :)

In between my ‘performance’, I might stop and ask questions to see if EV and AA understand the content, or what the writer is trying to convey. I think this is helpful in EV’s and AA’s language development, and I think, in the long run, better prepare them to answer comprehension questions in school.

What I will try to do is to share areas of discussion that I had with EV and AA, here on my blog. Feel free to use them in your shared reading experiences with your kids.

To start, I will begin with Chapters 1 to 5 of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. (Note: As I’m using a different version, the page numbers might be different.)

Chapter 1: Here Comes Charlie

Page 17 - Why was it ‘pure torture’ for Charlie to ‘see other children taking bars of creamy chocolate out of their pockets and munching them greedily’?

In the earlier paragraphs, Roald Dahl elaborated how poor Charlie’s family was, and described how much, or how little, the family had to eat each day because they could not afford to buy food. It was also highlighted that Charlie ‘went about from morning till night with a horrible empty feeling’ in his tummy. Hence, when Charlie saw other children who had easy access to chocolate, one of his favourite foods, and eating it in front of him, it was very distressing to him. Not only could he not eat chocolate as and when he liked, he also had to tolerate a hungry stomach all the time. The discussion could also veer to focus on the real world, and the plight of many different people around the world.

Page 17 - When Charlie receives a small chocolate bar on his birthday, why does he ‘treasure it as though it were a bar of solid gold’?

As Charlie only receives one bar of chocolate a year on his birthday, the chocolate was extremely precious to him, and he wanted it to last as long as possible. There can also be some discussion about the literary technique used here - simile. The way Charlie treated his bar of chocolate was being compared to how people would treat a bar of gold.

Chapter 2: Mr Willy Wonka’s Factory

Page 19 - Charlie’s grandparents are described to be ‘as shrivelled as prunes’ and ‘as bony as skeletons’. What does this tell you about his grandparents’ physical appearance?

His grandparents’ skin are extremely wrinkled and they are also very thin. The literary technique of simile was used to compare his grandparents’ physical appearance with that of shrivelled prunes and skeletons.

Chapter 4: The Secret Workers

Page 29 - What was ‘one of the great mysteries of the chocolate-making world’?

The mystery is who Willy Wonka engaged as employees to run his factory and produce chocolates and sweets. In the earlier part of this dialogue between Charlie and Grandpa Joe, Grandpa Joe mentioned that nobody knows who Mr Wonka is using. So the great mystery that Grandpa Joe is referring to can be referenced to this.

So there.. Some ideas for your discussions as you read aloud Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with your kids. Hope this helps!

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Review: Great Escapes by Judy Dodge Cummings

I was actually searching for a book for myself at the library, when I came across this - Great Escapes: Real Tales of Harrowing Getaways (Mystery and Mayhem), by Judy Dodge Cummings.

Being a fan of history, mystery and espionage books, it immediately caught my attention. I didn't realise it was for young readers 9 to 13 until I laid my hands on it. Then thought: it'll be great for EV, though I held back a little, since she's never really been exposed to such books, or anything related to history. But then, this is a book of tales from history, written in a fictional way, so I thought: why not give it a try. 

So I brought it home, and just casually mentioned that I found a very interesting book, something I myself would like to read, and hence would like to share with her. I kept an open mind, knowing that she's a unique individual with her own personal preferences. I was perfectly fine if she turned around and said she didn't really like it. Lo and behold... she started reading it, and she couldn't put it down! Mission accomplished! Hahaha...

I definitely think a lot of it has to be due to how the author writes. Historical facts can be dry, but she was able to present it in a fictional, exciting way to keep young readers enticed. There are five stories: slaves William and Ellen Craft and their escape to freedom; explorer Douglas Mawson battling the icy Antarctic with only his determination; a twelve year old boy finding a way off a moving train bound for Nazi death camp Auschwitz; the disappearance of three inmates of the infamous Alcatraz and finally the escape of 57 East Germans from Communist controlled East Germany. 

Each tale also comes with a map and time line that shows where and when the event took place. This enables the learning of fun and significant facts of history and in doing so, makes history come alive for whoever is reading it. 

This book, I'm hoping, is the start of a lifelong journey of appreciating history for EV.

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Review + Giveaway: Jon Klassen books

This is probably going to be our last book review of the year, and it’s nice to end the festive period with books illustrated and authored by Jon Klassen. These titles are Extra Yarn, House Held by Trees and I Want My Hat Back.

Extra Yarn

This is a delightful heartwarming story about a little girl who has so much extra brightly coloured yarn that she is able to spread warmth and joy to everyone living in her cold, grey town. Upon discovering a box of yarn, little Annabelle begins knitting a jumper for herself, only to find that she still has some yarn left. She knits a jumper for her dog and still more yarn remains. The supply of yarn seems magically endless, such that she’s able to knit warm and cosy stuff for everyone in her town. Why is she able to do this? It’s because her kind innocent heart still believes in magic, and when the evil Archduke sets his eyes on the box of yarn, it doesn’t quite work for him.

The story is a simple, warm and cosy reminder of the importance of being good, and of a child’s ability to do magical and wonderful things if only he or she believes. The story may be by Mac Barnett, but it’s Jon Klassen’s beautiful yet simple illustration strokes that make the story come alive. I like how the yarn is drawn in subtly in bright colours, and yet it is balanced with how little Annabelle and her fellow town folks are drawn in grey. Some of the town folk’s facial expressions are rather funny too, wondering why this little girl keeps knitting and knitting. Jon Klassen’s illustrations are already very distinctive in this title, and he was awarded a Caldecott Honor award for his work. One will also see the appearance of a familiar-looking bear, which is the star in his debut picture book I Want My Hat Back. 

House Held by Trees

This is a touching, moving story about change, the passage of time, how children grow up and move on with their lives, but the house which they lived in remains. Again, Jon Klassen’s signature illustrations fill the pages, and I like the way his illustrations seem to put us, the readers, as the observers as the story progresses. We are observing from behind some young bushes, hiding in the secret place, as we see the happenings of the house. We are observing from above, as we see the house without a single tree to give shade to the young family. As time passes, the lawn without a tree remains that way, as the family clear their lawn of any plants that might grow. Then the children grew up and moved away, and eventually, so did the father. Empty and without any human being to remove them, seeds settle and plants grow. Jon Klassen brings our attention to the plants as they slowly grow bigger and bigger and nature begins to take over, so much so that the house becomes ‘held’ by the trees. Together with Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Ted Kooser, they tell a story about the power of nature, simply told and illustrated. This is such a powerful collaboration that the title is the first ever to win both the Kate Greenaway and Caldecott Medal award.

I Want My Hat Back

The keen observant reader will notice the familiar bear that appeared in Extra Yarn. The bear makes an appearance in Jon Klassen’s debut picture book, in an endearing way as he goes on a search for his missing hat. He does so patiently and politely, asking each and every animal he meets if they have seen it. Each animal replies in their own unique way that they have not, and this is where the lesson of empathy and understanding that every individual is unique can be taught. More importantly is the lesson of perseverance and determination. As the bear begins to lose hope and lies on his back in despair, a question asked by a certain animal triggers him, and he resumes his search with a renewed determination. It shows that when one gets frustrated searching for something, sometimes it is good to relax instead of being caught up in the frustration, because something will always trigger one’s thoughts to help in the search. It also shows, through a simple lost-and-found story, that as long as one perseveres, one will be able to succeed in the end.

Giveaway!!!

Pansing is sponsoring ONE set of three titles Extra Yarn, House Held by Trees and I Want My Hat Back for ONE winner. Just follow the Rafflecopter instructions below. Most are optional, but they do give you more chances to win. Good luck!

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Disclaimer:  We received two sets of three titles Extra Yarn, House Held by Trees and I Want My Hat Back for the purpose of this review and giveaway. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions and images are my own, unless otherwise indicated.

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Media Invite: Times new concept store @ Marina Square - 5 things you want to know

Times The Bookstore. For some of you, you may remember how this iconic bookstore looked like in the past. I still vaguely remember the blue logo of the past, and these are sweet memories. Sweet because Times was where I discovered the beautiful world of books. Times was where I discovered classics like Little Women and Jane Eyre (abridged versions) during my Primary school days. Thanks to a certain tuition teacher who went to the extent of bringing my mum and I to Times to recommend books for me to read, because my mum was Chinese educated and had no idea where to start when it came to improving my English. This tuition teacher was a retired teacher from the older generation, who spoke perfectly articulated English and had such beautiful cursive writing. I will never forget her and her cat, and of course, our trips to Times to discover books.

Times has definitely come a long way since then. I admit, I’ve not been to Times for years. I don’t know why, I guess I grew out of it, and I was attracted to more independent bookstores and online bookstores. Times, to me, was an experience from the past. I knew they had a revamp, but it still wasn’t enough to entice me to walk into the store.

So when I was invited to check out the new concept store at Marina Square last week, I decided to experience it again. A key question I asked Anna Leong, marketing manager of Times was: what’s the new concept about? Because, as you can see from this photo, Times at Marina Square doesn’t look all that different from its other outlets from the outside.

Photo: Times

Here are 5 things I gathered from my conversation with Anna and my two hours of discovery around the store.

1. There is a good selection of children’s books such as picture books and early readers. I was glad to discover a whole shelf of Shel Silverstein books, and even numerous titles by Leo Lionni. 

There are also several shelves devoted to picture books by local authors. About 30% of the store is dedicated to children’s books and other merchandise.

2. The new Times doesn’t just sell books any more. There is a good selection of educational toys and games. Think board games and even Lego. 

There are also word card games, games like ‘Vowel Owels’, Play Doh and also science kits. There are even plant pot kits to let kids develop a love for nature.

3. I think adults, especially Star Wars and Star Trek fans, will be attracted to Times not just for the books. They can also feast their eyes on memorabilia from Star Wars, Star Trek, Game of Thrones and even The Walking Dead. I even saw a little Alien on the shelf, just next to Batman. The folks at the store put these items right at the front of the shop. Smart move I say. Get the adults in, and the kids will follow.

4. I also saw quite a number of other items that are related to books, such as poetry magnets, adult colouring books and even these tempting tote bags that feature classic children’s and adults’ titles. I really love these tote bags, but they’re a tad too expensive for my taste, at $69.90 each. 

However, I found an alternative - these four tote bags featuring Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, Picture of Dorian Gray and Sherlock Holmes, at $12.90 each.

5. The 2,800 square feet store is extremely bright and cheerful, and the children’s section has pastel ‘clouds’ on the ceiling. The kids might not immediately notice these ‘clouds’, because they are just so focused on the books in that area, so it’s good that the decorative details are subtle. I like the even brightness of the store - it makes reading more conducive and is better for kids’ eyes. The alleys between shelves and displays are quite wide, so kids can sit and read, and store patrons, as well as prams, can still move around comfortably.

Photo: Times

I like the new Times bookstore, I’m sure I’ll be back really soon. Yet, I fear stepping into the store. Why? It means I’ll most probably, most certainly, buy even more books, even though I don’t read them fast enough. Yes, I buy books faster than I read them, but hey! I do need books all around me for those sneaky me-times that I can steal.

There’s another reason why I dread walking into Times at Marina Square.

A whole section devoted to Disney! Eh…. I’m not sure whether I should let EV see this…..

Can’t wait for the biggest, 7,300 square feet Times bookstore to open at Waterway Point in Punggol in January 2016. The only thing that might keep me away? Distance. I got to stay far far away.

Disclaimer: We were invited to the launch of the Times Bookstore at Marina Square. We received a complimentary card and a $50 voucher. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions and images are our own, unless otherwise stated.

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Book Review: Midnight Library & I Am An Artist

It’s been awhile since I last reviewed a book. The last time was when I shared some books about penguins, as part of a larger home learning theme. The last proper book review that I did was here. Coincidentally, it was also around the time when my grandmummy passed on. As you may have noticed, I have refrained from doing any product or book reviews of any kind during this mourning period. While I still miss her very much, I’m sure she would want me to continue doing what I like, sharing books that we enjoy reading.

So today, I’ll be sharing two books: The Midnight Library and I Am An Artist.

The Midnight Library

The Midnight Library is a little library that opens only at night, looked after by a little librarian and her three trusty owl assistants, helping each and every animal to find the perfect book. The usually quiet and peaceful library, however, keeps them busy one night when some animals stir up trouble, from a noisy squirrel band, an upset wolf and a slow-reading tortoise. 

This is a very beautifully illustrated book about the joy of reading. It also tells little minds aged between 2 to 4 about the importance of libraries, so much so that even animals take time to visit theirs. It can be quite an educational read too, imparting basic library etiquette of keeping quiet and being considerate towards others while at the library. It also tells them that is ok to read slow, as long as they read. 

I like it that the author Kazuno Kohara is able to bring to life these adorable and emotive illustrations just using two base colours - orange and black. This is testament to just how good she is at her art. After reading this, I'm really keen to check out her other books, including Ghosts in the House, which was a New York Times Best Illustrated Book.

I Am An Artist

I Am An Artist, for ages 2 to 4, is a very humorous look at a child's creativity, from a child's point of view. To the boy, it's all about art, even if it's messy art. Everything around him inspires him: nature, animals, shapes, colours, and even his fridge. His mother, however, is not so enthusiastic, and the boy had a great plan to bring a smile to his mum's place, with his finest creation yet. 

Reading this story, I can't help but be able to totally understand the boy's mother's exasperation at the 'art' he created. It shouts 'mess' and means lots of cleaning up. I'm also reminded too of the fact that what's mess to me is art to my kids. My kids' art may not seem a big deal sometimes, but to them, they've put their entire effort in creating it. It reminds me that I cannot always think from a mummy's perspective, but must always look at things from the kids' point of view too. It also reminds us that art is not just about painting on a piece of paper. Art is and can be everywhere, and this is shared in I Am An Artist in a very funny and silly way.

I think both stories are very appealing to young kids. The illustration style of each is vastly different, but that also gives the opportunity to explore the versatility of creativity and magic of storytelling together with the kids. It’s great to help them understand that despite the difference, the illustration in both books work perfectly with the text to create stories that captivate.

Both The Midnight Library and I Am An Artist are available at major bookstores, at a recommended retail price of $16.73 (without GST)

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Waddle waddle waddle belly slide! All about Penguins (Home Learning)

Before the June holidays, we did a home learning theme on penguins. It was triggered by a conversation we had about a trip we made to the bird park previously, and the kids shared how they liked the way the penguins waddle.

I tried to make the penguin theme as holistic as possible, injecting factual information, fiction stories and craft. For fiction books, I chose Oliver Jeffer's books - Up and Down and Lost and Found.

EV and AA loved the penguin inside the books, and repeatedly ask for both to be read to them. Very often, I would use our reading sessions to conduct a simple comprehension exercise to access their understanding of the print story and their inferences of the visuals they see. For example, when they see the visual of the penguin standing alone on the ice, away from the rest of the penguins, how did they think the penguin felt? I feel that such an activity can help EV and AA understand the stories on a deeper level, and also helps to build their visual literacy. 

Chinese books play an important part of our home learning journey, and of course, it was no exception for this penguin theme. We got books from the library shared facts and stories about penguins in Mandarin. There is also this heartwarming tale about how parent penguins love baby penguins from Flip for Joy that we enjoyed reading.

 

We engaged in simple comprehension activities in Mandarin, similar to what was being done during our English sessions, so that EV's and AA's narrative understanding and visual literacy can transcend different languages.

Besides narrative stories, I also introduced non-fiction books so EV and AA can learn various facts about penguins, such as their biology, living environment and so on. One of my favourites is this book by Miles Kelly. It is filled with very realistic pictures and information is presented in bite-size snippets, which are extremely easy for little kids to digest.

As a follow-up, we also had some whiteboard time, where we reviewed what we learnt about penguins.

I printed penguin-themed worksheets online, pegged at different levels to suit EV and AA.

I also designed worksheets for EV, focusing on comprehension of poems about penguins. It was something she found interesting to do, because some of the poems are sung to the tune of nursery rhymes that she is familiar with.

For our penguin craft, we recycled plastic bottles. The ones we used are the large ones from Watson’s, which are nicely curved to be able to pass off as penguins. I got the kids to paste paper all around the plastic, and when they dried, they painted their penguins.

 

EV decided to be different and painted her penguin red, with her fingers. AA decided to use his fist. Later, we added felt wings and beaks, and foam eyes. EV’s in a ‘red’ stage now, so her red penguin just has to have red wings. 

These penguins may not be able to head into the water, but they sure can keep the kids’ imagination going. 

What home learning activities are you doing? Do share!

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Book Box Thursday: Fun with origami and shine-a-light books

For this month's edition of Book Box Thursday, I'm going to share about three library books that we find to be extremely unique. Their content and design gives them a fun twist that makes it so much easier to engage kids.

Simply Sound: Science Adventures with Jasper the Origami Bat (JP524BRA)

Plants Parts Smarts: Science Adventures with Charlie the Origami Bee (JP571.3BRA)

Like the titles suggest, the first book investigates sound while the second, plants. What I like about these two titles is the way they take advantage of origami living things in the story line. The stories start off similarly, with a kid folding a bat or a bee, which then becomes 'alive' and starts interacting with other animals. 

Jasper the Bat goes around with Leo the dog to find out how sound vibrates and travels, how humans and animals hear, and why some animals have better hearing than others. While Charlie the Origami Bee brings his insect friends on a journey to find out how plants grow from seeds and how photosynthesis works. The science facts seem difficult to comprehend, but, it is written in simple language that makes the facts easy to understand. The illustrations are also animated and active, so even if the kids are not too interested in the words, the colourful pictures can be used to explain the science facts in a more visual way.

Another interesting feature of both stories is the way speech arrows and bubbles are used to indicate which animal or insect is speaking in a narrative. This can be further used to show that dialogue can be presented in many ways, and not just in straight lines, exposing kids to more narrative possibilities. There is also a glossary at the end to explain difficult words, a great help.

The stories can also come alive, literally. At the back of books, there are instructions how to make the origami bat and bee. EV made both, with some guidance, and we retold the stories making use of the origami bat and bee. EV and AA took turns to be the bat or the bee, or the other characters, and the stories were shared over and over again. Sometimes, we deviated from the original storyline, giving both opportunities to stretch their imagination with their own creation. Most importantly, we had fun. 

These two titles are written by the same author Eric Braun. He has also written other stories in the same series: Lookin' for light : science adventures with Manny the origami moth and Let's rock! : science adventures with Rudie the origami dinosaur. We can't wait to read these other titles too.

Secrets of the Apple Tree: A Shine-A-Light Book (JP577BRO)

A Shine-A-Light book? What's that? That got me curious too, that I simply had to borrow it and share its secrets with the kids. In terms of content, the story is rather straight forward. It tells the tale of an apple tree and the living beings that live around it. Well, specifically, environments such as a leaf pile and a bees' nest. While discovering the secrets behind these hidden habitats, the story investigates how a tree loses its leaves during winter, and what happens when an apple and its seeds fall out on to the ground.

So what's the secret? The magic happens when holding the book up to the light. What appears to be just green grass under a tree amazingly reveals a hidden picture of underground roots and worms in the soil that live beneath the tree. Turn the page and above the hidden picture is an explanation of the worms on the previous page. This innovative way of presenting a story and revealing hidden aspects is extremely interactive, and is a very kid-friendly way of introducing the theme of nature and ecosystems. We used this to teach about plants, flowers and seeds, amid squeals of delight when the hidden pictures appeared. There just something about the magic of light that kids love. We will borrow this book anything again to enjoy the magic.

Hope you will enjoy the books we shared today. Till next time, happy reading!!

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