The Perfect Read Alouds

                                                                                                                              strega nona

                                                                                                                                    Title: Strega Nona
                                                                       Author and Illustrator: Tomie dePaola
                                                                               Publisher: Simon & Schuster
                                                                                   Publication Date: 1975
Summary:

Strega Nona, which means, "Grandma Witch" lived in a little town called Calabria in Italy.  She was famous for her magic spells she used to help the townspeople. Strega Nona was getting old so one day, she decided to hire Big Anthony to help her keep up her house and garden. Strega Nona warned Big Anthony never to touch her magic pot, but after seeing Strega Nona magically make a dinner dish of noodles from it, he couldn't resist the temptation! Soon afterward, Strega Nona left town to visit a friend and left Big Anthony in charge of watching her house- finally he had the chance to show the townspeople the magic pot! When Strega Nona returned home, she found the town in a crazy mess and had to somehow fix the problems that Big Anthony created!

Recommendation for Parents:
This story by Tomie dePaola, cleverly and humorously conveys the lesson to children that they need to be willing to accept the consequences of their actions. It is a lovely book to read to primary elementary school students- they will take delight in reading the magical tale of Strega Nona and her magic pot and revel at the adorable illustrations on every page. Tomie dePaola captures his audience with this enchanting book that children and adults love reading over and over again...you will have to  blow three kisses to stop reading it!

Recommendation for Teachers:

I like how this book incorporates a variety of vocabulary words that children are not used to seeing in every day text; words such as" convent, applause, barricade, and halt. These words are great to introduce to the children before reading the story. While reading the story, it is a good idea to stop at the vocabulary words and go over the meanings they had previously learned. By doing so, they children are more likely to appreciate the book and learn new words at the same time!

Personal Note:
Whenever I eat noodles, I will always think of Strega Nona. This book is so captivating that it stays with you forever! Even though I know how the story ends, it continues to be a fun booko to pick up and read. Tomie dePaola is one of my favorite authors/illustrators of children's books because his stories are so unique and the moral lesson within his books are great to share with others- this is a book that I recommend for everbody to enjoy at least once in their life!


                                                                                 the mice of bistrot des sept freres

                                                                                            Title: The Mice of Bistrot des Sept Freres
                                              Writer/Illustrator: Marie LeTourneau with Danielle Reed Baty
                                                                            Publisher: Tanglewood Press
                                                                                 Publication Date: 2006

Summary:

The Mice of Bistrot des Sept Freres is a tale about a mouse, Chef Marcel who owns the trendiest French bistro. Chef Marcel maintains his hip bistro with the help of his seven sons who he has recite the recipe of thier famous cheese soup every morning.  One day, Chef Marcel receives a telegram from the Mouse Union which states that the French Culinary Judge, Alfred le Whisk will arrive within an hour to taste his famous cheese soup. While frantically rushing to create the best soup for the judge, the mice realize they are out of the secret ingredient - oh no! With a hint of French words integrated into the story and a dash of humor, the mice put all of their effort into cooking the best cheese soup in all of France in this wildly wonderful book!

Recommendation for Parents:

The target age for this book would be around six to eight years old. This is a great book to read with chilren because at the end of the book, it lists all of the ingredients to make the famous Cheese Soup. Not only is this a great book to read, but it also turns into a great activity you can do! Marie LeTourneau and Danielle Reed Baty both do a beautiful job with the writing and illustrations of the book. The whimsical illustrations and use of new and exciting language will captivate readers both young and old. This is a fun and exciting tale that in the end, is sure to leave a tantalizing taste in every reader's mouth! You will be drooling for more...

Recommendation for Teachers:

This book is unique because it incorporates French words into the story. Iti is a great book to read to students because it gives them a chance to appreciate a new language and culture, while having fun all at the same time! In the beginning of the book, there is a list of French Pronunciations such as: Au fromage (oh FROmahj), Le bistro(t) (luh beeSTRO), and Le sommelier (luh somelYAY), just to name a few. All of the French vocabulary words are translated within the story, so this book is great for children who have never learned French before or who are just beginning to learn it. I believe this book can be a great start to learning about different cultures and the extra activity is a great way to get parents to be involved with thier child's readings at school.

Personal Note:
I have never read a book that incorporates another language in it in such a funny and clever way! I read this book to my first grade students who would repeat the French words after me. Until this day, they continue to utilize the various French words they learned from the book. Food has a magical way of bringing people together- and this story can do just that! I definitely recommend this book because it is a true treasure- it is amusing to read, inspiring to look at, and it teaches a great intro lesson to that of the French language.