Today I'm thinking about food and drooling over this decadence.
Our son has spent the last year perfecting the art of smoking, so when he makes pork belly burnt ends, he asks his wife to make her deviled eggs and together they whip up this divine appetizer.
I'm sharing this because today's PPBF, aged to perfection,
is all about food. And finicky palates. And differences.
With some cultural cuisine on the side.
Author: Hannah Chandler
Illustrator: Lauren Merrick
Publisher: EK Books
Birth date: March 17, 2015 (paperback just released!)
Suitable for: ages 4-7
Themes: food, differences, culture
Brief synopsis: Mike isn't your ordinary mouse; he's a picky eater who doesn't like cheese. Could a human friend's attempt at tantalizing his taste buds open his palate up to give cheese another try?
Opening page: This house is home to the Walker family, but they're not the only family who lives here.
Resources: Watch a trailer with the author {here}.
Enjoy a Sooper Book Readers read-aloud {here}.
Find the publisher's resources {here}.
Read a Kids' Book Review {here}.
Why I like this book: First of all, it was written by an 11-year-old student because of a challenge by her school's Principal. How cool is that? Way to go, Hannah; I'm so proud of you for achieving that goal.
Second, it's about cheese, so this cheesehead was curious about its cover.
Wait, do people from Green Bay really wear cheese on their heads?
Sure enough. What started as a slur against Wisconsin sports fans
ended up becoming a trending badge of honor at Packer games.
Third, it's got culture seamlessly woven in as Ashley leaves all sorts of different foods for Mike to try along with mementos from that food's origin, like a tiny beret with the croissants. So clever!
Finally, I see myriad enrichment activities,
starting with a game of "That's Me!"
Pair the students up and invite them to take turns naming foods they like. For example, Partner 1 says, "I love cheese pizza." Their partner responds with either, "That's me!" or "That's not me." After they both share why they do or don't like that food, Partner A names something they like, "Asparagus." And the discussion continues. After a few rounds, they can switch as they learn about one another's palate preferences.
After talking about taste buds, you could extend it to scents or textures!
Have them draw their favorite meal and put it into a class book.
Another natural extension is letter-writing.
Add a persuasive letter explaining what's so good about their favorite meal in an attempt to convince their classmates to try it ... and maybe even make it their favorite, too. How many friends can they recruit?
All of this will lend itself beautifully to a discussion about our differences.
Does Mike have to like cheese just because he's a mouse?
Seize the opportunity to have your learners research their roots. Which foods come from where their family originates? I'd answer Danish Kringle, because my mom was Danish. After I talk about Kringle, you'll want to schedule a day on the calendar for me to bring in some Kringle for my classmates to try. If I really want to connect back to the book, I'll bring in cherry cream cheese. YUM.
Check out this tasty, timeless (11-year-old) treat, then head to Susanna Hill's blog, where she's featuring a book about a hummingbird. Grab your little mice and make a hummingbird cake, then thumb through today's other PPBF picks to add to your ever-expanding library shelves.
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