Lindsey Cripe - 2nd Picture Book Review

Chaconas, Dori. Dancing With Katya. Atlanta: Peachtree Publishers, 2006. Print.

Anna is a girl with a younger sister named Katya who became sick with polio.  Since the polio weakened her muscles, she was unable to do her favorite thing with her sister which was to dance. After being taken away for over a month, Katya returned with braces on her legs which allowed her to slightly walk. She and Anna then realized that although she may not walk and dance perfectly, every day will get easier and easier. After reading this book, it was not what I thought it was going to be. Since the theme of my book review is on disabilities, I thought that this story was going to be about a little girl who was born with a disability. However, Katya experienced her disability at a later time. I felt that this book can show children that a life altering event can happen any moment of any do, such as Katya getting sick. However even though it can change things, it does not mean it has to be that way forever. It is always hard getting use to something at first (whether it’s something with you or a loved one) but with constant love, support, and patience, anything is possible.

Lang, Glenna. Looking Out for Sarah. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge Publishing, 2001. Print.

This is a story based on true events of a dog named Perry who helps guide his owner Sarah who is blind. The book explains how Perry takes directions from Sarah and helps her find her way all over town (they even walked from Boston to New York!). I feel that reading this story to children will allow them to see that no matter what happens in life whether you have an accident or a disability, that you will always have options for mobility. Sarah may not be able to see, but how amazing is it that a dog can be trained to be her eyes for her? I feel that this book would be great for children because it incorporates an animal, but also because they could very well see this in everyday life.

Lewis, Beverly. In Jesse's Shoes. Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 2007. Print.

This is an amazing story about a girl named Allie who has an older brother, Jesse, with a disability.  While she doesn’t get why she has to help her brother since she is the youngest and why other kids laugh at him, she notices how he gets easily intrigued and distracted by everything. Allie’s parents always told her that God made her brother special and she never really understood until she started looking at things from Jesse’s point of view. I really enjoyed this book because it gave great detail about what some kids go through when dealing with a disability. On Jesse’s side, it explained how he interprets his surroundings while his sister Allie always feels laughed at. I feel that this story will allow children to actually take a walk in Jesse’s shoes. It will give them reassurance that everyone, including themselves, are different and that there is nothing wrong with that.  I believe that it is important for children to know this because in school they will most likely see and have to interact with children who have disabilities and they should understand that they are in many ways just like they are.

Petrillo, Genevieve. Keep Your Ear on the Ball. Gardiner: Tilbury House Publishers, 2009. Print.

Davey was a new kid in school who happened to be blind. His new friends tried to do anything and everything to help Davey out, especially when it came to kick ball. Although Davey did well getting around on his own, he made his team lose in kick ball. However, his friends had a plan to help him use more of his hearing to guide him which helped him be more successful in the game. This book some what reminded me of Looking Out for Sarah because it does deal with both of the main characters being blind, is written in brail, but also discusses how they maneuver around their environment. I really enjoyed how the book shared that even if someone has a disability, they can still be independent and do things for themselves. I also liked how it showed the character using his other senses of touch and hearing to show that all of your senses are helpful and important. This would be great to read to children to show how everyone can work together into making anything possible.

Robb, Diane Burton. The Alphabet War: A Story About Dyslexia. Morton Grove: Albert Whitman & Company, 2004. Print.

Adam is a little boy who goes through school struggling to read because he has dyslexia. He later realizes that although he might not be able to read or write well, there are still so many things that he excels at. This would be a great book to read to children because it shows them that not everyone has the same talents. While one student may be an all-star athlete but can only draw stick figures, another student could be a fantastic artist who can’t shoot a free throw. I really enjoyed this book and feel like if someone wanted to use it in a class activity, you can go around and have each student share what his or her strengths are and even possibly demonstrate them to the rest of the class.

Jill N. Book Review #2

Numeroff, Laura. (2002). Laura Numeroff’s 10-Step Guide to Living with Your Monster. New York: Laura


Geringer Books.

Do you want a monster? Well this book tells you everything you need to know about bringing home your pet monster! From choosing your monster to tucking him in at night, you will be a well-informed monster owner after reading this book!

I thought this book was a very clever way to make monsters into something relatable and familiar—Numeroff makes taking care of a monster seem like taking care of a pet, which makes them seem less intimidating. I also enjoyed the “step” aspect of the story—it uses counting without being a math book.

An activity that you could do with this book would be to have each child create a “monster” using various art supplies, like tissue paper, pompoms, glitter, paint, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, etc. Then, they could go through the ten steps with their monster. In the classroom, you could set up stations for each step and do them each separately (or maybe two per day). It would be easy to set up a pretend vet’s office, have the kids name their monsters, make monster food, make a monster obstacle course, a pretend gas station, training camp, music center, bath time, and a bedtime station. The students would love to do these activities, and they would hopefully be less intimidated by the idea of monsters!

Stein, David Ezra. (2007). Monster Hug. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

Two monsters wake up and start their day together. They play baseball, hide-and-seek, they splash and make art, they play games, eat and make music, and then their parents send them to bed! In a day full of adventure, these monsters don’t miss a thing!

This would be a really fun opportunity to have students write their own stories. They could start with waking up in the morning, and then draw and write all the things they would like to do during the day. It would help increase literacy and text to illustration connections, and the kids would have to draw pictures to help elaborate on their text. Then, the class could have a story sharing event, where the parents are invited to listen to the students share their work. It would be a wonderful unit that would build confidence and help the students practice their communication skills through writing and speaking.

Regan, Dian Curtis. (2009). Monster Baby. New York: Clarion Books.

When the Olivers find a basket on their doorstep, they decide to take in the baby and adopt it. Then they find out that the baby is a monster! Olly grows very quickly and learns some important life lessons, and he and his family meet some new neighbors whose daughter is a perfect match for Olly!

One fun activity for students to do after reading this book would be to write a tall tale. The story could be included as part of a larger tall tale unit, and the students could each write a tall tale, making themselves into monsters or any unbelievable character. Goals for this unit would be to use proper grammatical structure, conventions of storytelling, and telling a tall tale as though it is true. It would also be fun to act the stories out, creating costumes and props, to help the students more completely portray their ideas. Students could take inspiration from Olly and other tall tale characters that they study during the unit. The plays could be recorded and then turned into a class DVD of tall tale plays.

Emberley, Rebecca, Adrian and Ed. (2009). There Was an Old Monster. New York: Orchard Books.

This story is modeled on There Was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly. It is a fun new interpretation of a classic children’s story. A monster decides to eat some pretty disgusting things, and in the end, there is a surprise. It is set to music on www.scholastic.com/oldmonster and the song is performed by the author’s daughter.

The first activity that students can do with this book involves music. You could bring in instruments like wood blocks, maracas, castanets, and other rhythm instruments for the kids to use to play along with the song. Also, you could bring in old coffee containers and make them into big “feet” and the students can use them to stomp around during the song. This would get the kids up and moving during the story and allow them to express themselves freely. Second, you could do a story retelling activity, in which you provide a paper with all of the animals in the story, but they are out of order. The students could color and cut out the pictures, and then glue them on construction paper in order. Again, this story makes monsters something fun and non-threatening for kids to interact with.

Willems, Mo. (2005). Leonardo the Terrible Monster. New York: Hyperion Books.

Leonardo is a monster, but the other monsters are so much better than him. He can’t scare anyone, not even the most pitiful, sad kid around. Then, Leonardo comes up with another plan: he won’t be a terrible monster anymore. He’ll try something new.

A great activity to use with this book is to do a lesson on friendship. You can read the story as an introduction, and then do some video modeling where the kids watch appropriate friendship strategies. Then, as a class, they can generate a chart, with one side for good friends and one side for not-so-nice friends. The students can fill in the characteristics that fit on either side of the chart, and then they can read the story again, this time identifying the nice things that Leonardo does. This will promote social development and help students understand social rules and norms.

Jessica H. second book review

Long, Melinda. How I became a pirate. San Diego: Harcourt, 2003. Print.

                One day while at the beach with his family, Jeremy Jacob spots a pirate ship. He tries to tell his parents, but they are too busy and Jeremy ends up having a pirate adventure!

                For me, this book was a little too predictable, starting with the front cover. The illustration on the front cover clearly depicts a stereotypical pirate (pirate hat, missing teeth, ear ring, red jacket, beard, and a parrot…the only thing missing is an eye patch and a hook). The book continues on with the stereotypical adventure.  Jeremy’s parents are too busy to notice him because his mother is taking care of the baby (typical female role) and the father is trying to put up the umbrella (maybe he didn’t read the directions?) so Jeremy runs off on a pirate adventure and his parents never notice. Overall, this book is way to stereotypical and predictable for me, but a child may like it because it deals with pirates and a child actually gets to become a pirate; a child can easily use their imagination and have a similar adventure.

Mcnamara, Margaret. Too Many Cooks (Ratatouille). New York: Disney, 2007. Print.

                The rats are working hard in the kitchen in order to prepare their food perfectly. Their challenge is to impress the world’s toughest food critic, can they do it?

                I thought this book was adorable, and not only because I love Disney. This book is a great way for younger children to relate to the movie on a level they can better comprehend. I really liked the illustrations in the book; you can easily relate them to the characters in the movie and know who they are. The illustrations are also fun and colorful, perfect for younger children. There are some French words and cooking terms used in the book, but they are all explained in a section in the back which is also colorful and easily relatable for children. This book would be perfect to use in the classroom as part of a French culture lesson because of the terms, or as part of a cooking unit (or even for children who help their parents cook) or as a tie-in with the movie.

Primavera, Elise. Louise the big cheese and the la-di-dah shoes. New York: Simon & Schuster for Young Readers, 2010. Print.

                Louise is a little girl who has a very big problem, all she wants is a pair of la-di-dah shoes like her sister, but all she gets is the brown squeaky ones. How will Louise ever be a big cheese without her la-di-dah shoes?

                I was attracted to this book starting with the cover, it involves shoes everywhere and glitter (pretty cool!). As I continued to read the book, I figured out that the illustrations were actually my favorite part. The end pages, first of all, are very cute and creative if you just take the time to sit and read them. My favorite illustration takes place in the shoe store when Louise’s mother buys her the ugly brown shoes, which are called Trainers: Jimmy Choo Choo, there is also a sign by a familiar type of boots with their name (UGGLY) displayed prominently. I would not use this book as a read aloud, a book like this with so many detailed illustrations really needs to be sat down and looked at.

Goode, Diane. The Most Perfect Spot. Harper Collins, 2006. Print.

                Jack thinks that he has found the perfect spot for him and his mama to have a picnic. However, suddenly, things keep happening!

                For me, this was funny in a realistic kind of way. Jack starts out by being all cute and innocent by making his mother breakfast in bed and wanting to take her on a picnic; he knows the perfect spot. However, when Jack and his mom get to the park, they seem to encounter a lot of interruptions. This book was appealing to me because it shows the reality of life. Things don’t always go as planned and you have to learn to roll with the punches, which Jack finally figures out. I would use this book in a classroom perhaps in a lesson contrasting with a fairy tale with happy ever afters and all that jazz or to let students know that it is okay to not have everything go perfect; you can still have a good day. 

 Tomie., De Paola,. Stagestruck. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2005. Print.

                Miss Bird’s class is putting on the play Peter Rabbit and Tommy is sure that he will get the part of Peter, but when he won’t stop talking; Miss Bird gives the part to someone else! Tommy doesn’t know if he will ever get the attention he wants, until he gets an idea.

                I have mixed feelings about this book. First of all Miss Bird is a horrible name for a teacher and she’s not very nice! In the book, she tells Tommy to be quiet, gives his part to someone else (and tells him in front of everyone!) and doesn’t say anything to Tommy after the show. Tommy is a pretty clever kid; he figures out that if Miss Bird is going to take his part away then he’s going to be a drama queen on stage.  The kid who was playing Peter just could have easily stolen the show. But I guess in the grand scheme of obedience and good children, Tommy should have done what he was told and been a good, quiet little rabbit. I would use this book in the classroom to foster a debate between students on whether what Tommy did was right or wrong. This would be a good way to get students to get involved and discuss the book openly. 

Jessie Treadway Review 2

O'Brien, Robert C. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1971. Print.

This Newberry winner is a fascinating story with multiple levels of interest for readers of all ages. It tells the story of a widowed mouse and her four children as they struggle for survival in their winter home as spring approaches. Despite her youngest song falling ill, Mrs. Frisby must move her family to their summer home or risk being plowed over by the farmer’s tractor. Looking everywhere for help, she turns to her late husband’s friends: the rats of NIMH.

I remembered the movie as a child and even then I remember the most basic lesson from the book: a mother’s love. Every child, human or animal, can relate to the never-ending love a mother has for them. The risks Mrs. Frisby takes time and time again while trying to save her family shows the great lengths parents will go for their children. Also the fact that the heroine of the story is a mother is unique since most protagonists are singular characters without ties to others and mothers are generally seen as side figures to the main character of the child in children’s literature. By showing the mother as a brave figure set out to save her children against terrible dangers, children may alter their perspective they have toward mothers.

As the reader matures they can now understand the concept of the rats of NIMH and their story. The description of the rats being captured and experimented on brings about real issues that are still being fought over today. Is it wrong to test on animals drugs we want to test on humans but are not sure if they are safe? Can animals feel pain the same way people do? Telling this story from the animals’ perspective brings about difficult questions and emotions within the reader upon the realization that experimenting on lab rats is common practice.

With regards to what age this novel would be appropriate for I feel that the youngest would be 4th or 5th grade but I feel even high school-aged students would be interested. It would fit in nicely in political science classes discussing animal rights. Or when learning about different kinds of rodents it would be fun to read a book from their perspective about what their lives are really like.

Overall this book brings about emotion in the reader. We learn about love, bravery, pain, death, and the sadness that come with. By making the characters animals, it distances the intensity of the story enough for the reader to feel empathy without depression.

Jayce A's Book Review 2

Ewart, Claire. The Giant. New York: Walker Publishing Company, 2003. Print.

                The Giant is the story of a young farm girl who just lost her mother. Before she died her mother told her that she would always have a giant watching out for her. As she works the farm with her dad, who is also trying to come to grips with losing his wife, the girl discovers that the giant she has been searching for is her father who always takes care of her when she’s in need. There aren’t many picture books I can think of off the top of my head that deal with death. I’m sure that there are some out there, but I’ve never read one before that I can think of. I think this book dealt with the subject in a way that kids in a similar situation could connect with, and I think it would be a great book for a child who lost their mother to read. Especially I think it would be a great book for the dad to read with his kids. Another thing I found interesting was the vocabulary used in this book. I think it would be very difficult for kids in an urban, or even a suburban setting to understand parts of this book as a lot of the words are very specific to farming. Terms such as: gosling, hitching horses, rafters, hayloft, mending harnesses, cattails, reins, and sack of feed. If however, a teacher was doing a lesson on farms, then maybe this would be a good book to teach or reinforce some of those concepts, as well as being a good book to  

Freedman, Claire. Where’s Your Smile, Crocodile? Atlanta: Peachtree Publishers, 2001. Print.

                Where’s Your Smile, Crocodile? Tells the story of a young crocodile who lost his smile. His mother tells him to go play and maybe he’ll find it. While walking around the young croc meets several animals who try to cheer him up, including a parrot who makes funny noises, a monkey who makes funny faces, and an elephant who blows big bubbles in the water, but none of it helps. Finally the croc finds a little lion cub whose lost and can’t find his home, so the crocodile helps him, and when they find the cubs’ home, the crocodile finds his smile. If I were reading this book to a class of students, I think there are some great lessons that could go along with it. One thing I would do is ask all the kids to think about what they do when they lose their smile (i.e. when they are having a bad day), what cheers them up again? We could make a list as a class of all the things that cheer us up, a hug, playing with friends, listening to our favorite music, or watching a favorite show. I would also ask the kids to think about why it was after they found the lions’ home that crocodile was able to smile again? Hoping that we could come to the conclusion that sometimes when we are sad, helping someone else in need is the best way to smile again. Through these activities I would help my students to connect with the text in a more intimate way, and lead them into higher order thinking about what they are reading.

Freeman, Don. Corduroy. New York: The Viking Press, 1968. Print.

                Corduroy is the story of a small teddy bear in a huge department store who is missing a button on his shoulder. A young girl wants him, but her mother says no, pointing out his missing button. Corduroy, embarrassed, is determined to find the button that night, but does not succeed. However, the next morning the girl returns to bring him home causing Corduroy to rejoice at finally having a home and a friend. I like Corduroy because in a simple childlike fashion Mr. Freeman captures how small we can feel when someone points out a problem they have with us, in Corduroy’s case his missing button. Yet, Corduroy does not give up, rather he takes resolve to seek out his button. Further, I love how Corduroy finds out what it means to find a true home and a true friend. I think this book could be used to open up conversations with children about all three of these very important subjects: How does it make you feel when someone points out something they think is wrong with you? How did Corduroy know he had found  a true home? And How did Corduroy know he had found a true friend?

Fagan, Cary. My New Shirt. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2007. Print.

                My New Shirt describes the story of how on his birthday a young boy, for the billionth time in a row, gets a new button down collared white shirt from his grandma, Bubbie. This year, however, he “accidentally” throws it out the window and his dog Pupik takes off with it. It’s a funny story describing the dire of a young boy being forced to where a white-collared shirt. What I found most fascinating though were the illustrations by Dušan Petričić. Every page has the same tannish background, and each picture is a snapshot photograph taken from the perspective of David, the young boy telling the story, and is taped onto the page like a scrapbook. Because of this, some pages have 5 or 6 small photographs, some have just 1 larger photograph etc… Since each snapshot shows David’s perspective on the story the text tells, some are very realistic, while others are very unrealistic, or at least very biased. For example one page shows David’s neck shrinking as the tight collar constricts around it and he gasps for breathe, another photo shows all of David’s past birthday shirts flying around like ghosts, haunting him. It was one of the most uniquely illustrated books I have ever read.

Dunbar, Joyce and Debi Gliori. Tell Me What It’s Like to Be Big. San Diego: Harcourt, 2001. Print.

                Tell Me What It’s Like to Be Big is the story of a very small rabbit, Willa, who gets up early one morning to make breakfast, but is too small to reach anything. So, she goes to wake up her older brother Willoughby, who gets up to help. Willa is amazed by her all the things her older brother can do since he is so big, and asks him to tell her what she’ll be able to do when she gets big. I think there is a lot of potential in these books to open up various discussions with students. One of the primary problems Willa faces is the concept in her mind that she is not big enough. Every one of us has gone through at one time or another the struggle of not “being [something] enough”, not strong enough, not smart enough, not good-looking enough etc…  Because this is a common struggle, I think students would be able to connect on a deep level with Willa. The other main character, her older brother, Willoughby can give students who are older siblings a character to relate to. We could ask questions like, “When Willa asked for help, as an older sibling what was Willoughby’s response? Did he make fun of his little sister for not being big enough to reach the bread and honey?” “Just like Willoughby looked out for his little sister, and helped her, and taught her, what are ways that you could help your little brother or sister?” I guess the overall theme I’m getting at is that this book provides two great characters for children to relate to. On the one hand the ability to relate to Willa for not feeling big enough to do something, and on the other hand the ability to relate to Willoughby for taking responsibility to look out for and help his younger sibling.

Jessica H

De Saint-Exupery, Antoine. The Little Prince. English Translation ed. Harcourt, 2000. Print.

                The Little Prince (Le Petit Prince) is about a pilot who crash lands in the Sarah Desert, during his time in the desert he encounters a little print from another planet. The little prince teaches the pilot many life lessons while the prince searches for the secret of what is important in life.

                I absolutely love The Little Prince because the book emphasizes the innocence of childhood. The book is sold in children’s sections, being that it is short, written in simple text, and contains many pictures, this is understandable. However, I think that the deeper meaning of the book will only be understood by adults; it is very philosophical.

                To me, The Little Prince tackles many social issues that were prevalent at the time in which the book was originally written (1971) and are still seen today. His flower is vain, and causes him to leave. The ‘adults’ he encounters are only concerned with themselves; one is only worried about those who come to admire him, another with numbers and things he owns, and yet another is a drunkard. This is pretty intense stuff to cover in a children’s book! I think it is also pretty brave of Saint-Exupery to call out adults for only being concerned with themselves and their possessions, rather than what is really important in life. The even deeper issue in the book is that the prince, with a little help, realizes that he must return home to his rose and take care of her because he loves her. This is a very important message, you must take care of that which you love, and make painful sacrifices.

                I truly believe that everyone should read The Little Prince, this is the second time I have read the book (the first being in French) and I am still in love with it. The book is heart-wrenching and honestly made me cry, not only because of the prince’s innocence but also because of his undying love for his flower and his willingness to sacrifice everything.

                I would like to end my review with a quote, probably the most well known quote from the book:

“ Here is my secret. It is very simple: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”

« Voici mon secret. Il est très simple : on ne voit bien qu’avec le cœur. L’essential est invisible pour les yeux. »

Lindsey C - first book review

Shannon, David. Alice the Fairy. Sterling Heights: The Blue Sky Press, 2004. Print.

This is an adorable book about a little girl named Alice who pretends she is just a temporary fairy. She has a huge imagination that shows us all of her magic tricks. Although some of her tricks may not always work (because she is not a permanent fairy of course), she continues to use her imagination and do the best tricks she knows how. This book was a great read and I really enjoyed it because it shows children how to use their imagination. The book incorporated Alice’s parents, inanimate objects, and outdoor objects. For example, who wouldn’t want to turn bath time into a tub full of jell-o? Or how about changing your father into a horse? She mentions at the end that she thinks she will be a temporary fairy forever, which I think is a good message for children showing that they can always use their imagination and should not be afraid to use it! I think that a fun class activity to use with this book could be to ask the class to share what they do with their imagination and maybe even do a show and tell!




Shannon, David. Good Boy, Fergus!. New York: The Blue Sky Press, 2006. Print.

Good Boy, Fergus! is a fantastic book about the love and hassles a pet puppy can present in a home. Fergus did not listen for the majority of the time, but puppies usually are just so cute and cuddly that they win your heart anyway. I feel that this is a great story for children to read and see the pros and cons for having a pet. If they do not already have a pet then they get to visualize the responsibilities that they may have when getting a pet such as walking, feeding, cleaning, and training the animal. If a child does have a pet, then this book can be a great way for a child to compare stories and relate to. In a classroom, a good class activity could be to read this book and have the children share stories about their own pet, or if they do not have one, then have them share a pet they would like to have and what they would name it.




Shannon, David. No, David!. Sterling Heights: The Blue Sky Press, 1998. Print.

David was a bit of a rebellious child who never listened when his mother said “no”. He was sad after receiving his punishment for being bad, but after his mother hugged him and reassured her love for him he felt much better. David, like many children, do not know when enough is enough. They tend to try and push the limits as far as their parents allow them until they get punished. This book is a great way to show that although you may be sent to your room or put in the corner, your parents still love you and are just looking out for your best interest. Also, if you do what you are told the first time, such as not playing ball in the house, then it will be less likely that you would get punished. Therefore, this book is great for teaching children to listen and obey their parents and to stay out of trouble. To communicate with the students in a classroom, you can show them pictures of certain scenarios of children behaving good and badly and have them discuss the differences as well as the positive aspects of doing good things.




Shannon, David. The Rain Came Down. Sterling Heights: The Blue Sky Press, 2000. Print.

This book shows a fantastic example of a pyramid effect on a bad, rainy day. Once one thing went bad it affected not only that person, but the rest of the neighborhood as well. Things kept falling a part until all of a sudden… a beautiful rainbow shines in the sky and people finally realize that things are not so bad after all. I believe that this book could be a great example of how if you are having a bad day or are not in a good mood, then it can greatly affect other people as well. Children should know that although something may not be going as planned, that they can still be optimistic and find the “rainbow” in any situation. For a classroom activity, a teacher could have the students draw pictures showing a bad day that they have had. Next, the teacher could allow the students to share their pictures and tell their own story of their own bad day and how it could have turned good.



Shannon, David. Too Many Toys. New York: The Blue Sky Press, 2008. Print.

Poor Spencer had to do one thing that many children have trouble with… giving away his toys! Not all of them of course, but he struggled and argued with his mom about each toy until he finally gave some up or else his mom threatened to take away his television privileges. Once he did give up some of his toys, he found one NEW toy that he just had to have which was the box that contained all his old toys (so naturally he left them on the floor). I feel that many children can relate to Spencer mostly because each child goes through a stage where they must give away certain things. Many children are not okay with throwing out old toys or getting rid of their blanky; however, when getting rid of the old things in life you generally can get something new or different from it (such as Spencer’s new box)! For this story, a teacher could have students do a show and tell with their favorite toy or even possibly tell them to create their own toy like Spencer did with his box.