MOO! by David LaRochelle illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka
This is a great book to read to your little ones. After you have read the story, let your child have a turn "reading" it. Even before they can sound out the words, pretend reading gives children a chance to practice other important skills, such as holding the book correctly, turning one page at a time, remembering the sequence of the story, and understanding that print on the page represents spoken language.
The cow in the story shows many different emotions: excitement, fear, sadness. Talk to your child about how the cow feels, and how our faces show different emotions. Make up verses to "If You're Happy and You Know It" and ask your child to act out the feelings with their faces as you sing. You might try:
If you're happy and you know it, share a smile
If you're happy and you know it, show a frown
If you're happy and you know it, make a scowl
Look through the book to find the word "Moo" and talk about the shapes of the letters "M" and "O". Go on a scavenger hunt through your house or the library and look for these letters in words on labels, signs or clothing. To read fluently, children will need to be able to recognize letters not just in alphabetical order, but in many other combinations.
After reading "Moo!" have your child act it out using another vehicle, animal and animal noise. Help them to remember what happens first, next and last in the story. Being able to retell the events in a story in order is a comprehension skill.
