Read Me Stories App

Read Me Stories App

(free download in apple app store)

            Read Me Stories is a free app download that parents can easily access on their phones or tablets. It would be great for pre-k and younger elementary aged students. When you first open the app, you are greeted by a friendly character that invites you to his library. You can choose a series of books (can preview before selecting). They range from adventures to animals to songs. Each has a different number of books in its category. You may choose to read the book by yourself or have it read to you. The pictures to do move (it is a solitary picture), but there is music and interactive sounds that go with the reading. You must move from page to page as you go along. The words are highlighted as they are read so students can follow along. You can click on the characters to get a message from them (they talk directly to the reader, introduce themselves and ask a question, furthering the engagement and interaction. The stories are read at a slow pace, but model fluency and expression. 

            Although engaging, the stories are long and require patience. Students may need to have a lot of stamina if they are following the read along, rather than just reading by themselves. For those who have less stamina, I would recommend an adult reading to them.

Storyline Online

Storyline Online

http://www.storylineonline.net/

            Storyline Online is another excellent recourse for the classroom. Students can select from multiple popular stories and have their own personal read aloud! Well known celebrities and famous people take the time to record themselves reading a story, then, students have the ability to hear a new voice and see a new face reading them a book. 

            You can search books by title, author or reader (if you are looking for a certain person to read to you). This is a great way to engage students in listening to reading. There are also activity guides to go along with the books, which you can download and use with the class if they are all listening to a certain story.

Tumblebooks

Tumblebooks

http://asp.tumblebooks.com/library/asp/home_tumblebooks.asp

            Tumblebooks is an excellent digital story book website that I would highly recommend for classroom or at home use. Students can choose from story books, chapter books, games, etc.

            When you select “story books” from the home page, you can sort and choose based on title, author, reading level or what’s new. This can allow teachers to help students choose appropriate books. When the book is displayed, it provides information such as author and illustrator, publisher, “TumbleTime” (how long it takes to read through it), as well as reading level (including common core aligned standards). There is a description about the book as well as the keywords featured in the story. 

            When the students begin reading, there is music to accompany the story. Students listen to the story, as it is read aloud. Words are highlighted (in phrasing) for students to follow along with the reader. There are a few question/answers at the end of the story (not comprehension questions, just facts that the reader might be curious about).

            After reading, you can add the book to your favorites or to a certain playlist. This can allow teachers to see what their students like to read, or create a playlist that they want their students to be reading from.

            I think tumblebooks is a fabulous site that all teachers should have and use in their classroom!

Slugs In Love

Slugs In Love

By Susan Pearson

Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 2006

This adorable love story is told about two slugs that are poets. They do not know each other, but Marylou has a “crush” on Herbie. Through the poems she writes, Herbie becomes aware of who she is, and begins to write poems back to her. In the end, they finally meet and live happily ever after. 

I think that this book is the perfect introduction to poetry for young students (pre-k, k, 1). The story has a narrator as well as poems on every page. This would be a good introduction because students can compare the different voices of the narrator and the poems written by each of the characters. Poetry is often a genre that students steer clear of, so it is very important for us as teachers to find books that enlighten them to what poetry can do.

The Story Goes On

The Story Goes On

By Mique Fisher

Roaring Book Press, 2002

The Story Goes On is an interesting take on the life cycle. Told in rhyming poems, the story starts with a seed that turns into a plant, which is eaten by a bug. The bug then gets eaten by a frog, and so on and so forth. At the end, we are taken back to a seed that is growing into a plant. I like the idea of telling a story through a poem, as well as being able to make cross-curricular connections, in this case to science. Being able to overlap so many areas into one book can often be so beneficial (and a time saver, which teachers need!) The illustrations were very colorful. You could have students make a similar project to this book. They could each be given a different animal or plant and asked to create its life cycle through illustrations and poems. By reading this book as an introduction, the students would have an example as well as something to enjoy.

Mirror, Mirror

Mirror, Mirror

By Marilyn Singer

Penguin Group, Inc. (2010)

Mirror, Mirror is a book of reversible poems. Singer calls it “reverso”. “When you read a reverso down, it is one poem. When you read it up, with changes allowed only in punctuation and capitalization it is a different poem.” Singer uses fairy tales and common stories that children are familiar with to write reverso poems about. Some in this book are Mirror, Mirror (snow white), The Doubtful Duckling (the ugly duckling), Full of Beans (Jack and The Beanstalk), and Have Another Chocolate (Hansel and Gretel). Each of her poems contains a beautiful illustration on one side of the page (by Josée Masee.) The colors are bright and the pictures match the familiar fairy tale. The other side of the page is split by the “two” poems. They are in different colors and easy for students to distinguish and compare.

I think this would be a great book to read to children and allow them to read before starting a writing unit. This would be such a creative and fun way to turn students on to writing, as many usually don’t like to write. Reverso poems could be fun and challenging for many students.

Love That Dog

Love That Dog
By Sharon Creech
HarperTrophy, 2001

I absolutely LOVED this book. I finished it in less than a half an hour and it made me cry. An easy read, it would be great for kids as an introduction to poetry. Although not "typical" poetry, this free verse novel is told from the point of view of a young boy named Jack who is anything but willing to read and write poetry. We follow is writing process and with him, see his growth and confidence build. He even writes to his favorite poet who ends up coming to visit him! But of course, titled "Love That Dog", Jack writes about his beloved Sky, his yellow lab that is no longer alive. This part pulled heart strings for me, because I am such a dog lover and I have lost a pet before. It's one of the worst feelings, as pets just love unconditionally.
This book also has a sequel called "Hate That Cat", also told from the point of view of Jack. It is told the following year, but he still has the same teacher. I think reading each one to a class would be an excellent idea. "Love That Dog" at the beginning of a poetry unit, as students are often reluctant when it comes to poetry. Then reading "Hate That Cat" when the unit is coming to a close, so the students can see Jack's growth as well as their own. This is the type of book that I think should he displayed on the document camera while being read, so the students can see the style and format of writing. It plays a very important role in this book.