If You Were a Palindrome

If You Were a Palindrome (Word Fun)is another addition to the Word Fun series. This book defines Palindromes as words, phrases, and sentences that read the same forward and backwards. The book gives children wonderful examples and in the back, it gives a list of the words, sentences, and phrases it used.

I did actually find myself using the references provided in the back to explain an example. I really had never thought of a palindrome used in the manner of that example. This is a great way to introduce palindromes to children and to get them to go on a palindrome hunt or to create some of their own.

Goldilocks Returns

It appears Goldilocks has been feeling guilty about how she treated the bears all those years ago and in Goldilocks Returnsshe visits the home of the bears determined to make amends. One confusing item in the book is that while Goldilocks has obviously aged in fifty years, Mama, Papa, and Baby do not look a year older. Must be that fairy tale land magic.

Goldilocks’ life has been shaped by her breaking and entering days. She has become an expert locksmith and sets to putting locks on the bear's home to prevent others like herself from breaking in and then sets to work remaking their lives.

She throws out their food, redecorates their home, and corrects all the "problems" she thought she encountered when she visited the home previously. The bear are horrified that having violated their space once, she has returned and has no idea that her attempts to help are so offensive to them. Goldilocks leaves thinking she has redeemed her earlier actions and saved the bears from themselves.

This story creates some interesting questions for young and old alike. Where are the boundaries for intervention? Just because we want to help, is it OK to change the way others live? As Goldilocks remakes the bears’ home into a home into a home she would enjoy, what could she have done instead that the bears would have appreciated? Did she really make amends for what she did before or did she again violate their home, just in a different way?

This is a thought provoking alternate fairy tale. It could generate some interesting discussions about helping others and boundaries.

Frog and Toad are Friends

Frog and Toad Are Friends is part of a Frog and Toad early reader series that focus on the two friends, Frog and Toad. The books are designed in chapters with each chapter telling a story about the two main characters. The focus of all the stories in the series is friendship.

These books have remained popular despite their simple plots and basic illustrations. Our family is on our third generation of children to read these books. They still seem to enchant.

If you enjoy Frog and Toad, Lobel has some less known books that you may want to explore with your children.

I listed some free resources for those looking to explore the book further.

Arnold Lobel

Book Report Template

California Teacher Resource Guide

Frog and Toad Resource List

Scholastic