M is for The Mitten: Library Notes

Jan Brett wrote this beautifully illustrated Ukrainian fairy tale whose pictures help children to predict what is about to happen on the next page.  Not only does this book help with the skill of predicting what may happen next, it also helps children practice story recall as it is written in a very methodical and predictable manner. Cutouts from this story can be used to sequence the events correctly to help the child retell the story to another person and in doing so build their speaking abilities as well as their academic skills.

This is a winter based story about a lost mitten so it is very relatable to those who have experienced the recent snowfalls in Ontario. It is a lot of fun to play out in the snow and mittens are a key part of outdoor clothing choices that are required to fully and safely enjoy outdoor play in the cold. Find out what the child thinks is going to happen to the mitten that the animals are looking at on the front cover.

It is clear that this is a forest based book due to the choice of animals. A curious mole, then a rabbit, hedgehog, owl, badger, fox and a big brown bear and a tiny brown mouse are among the woodland animals that find the mitten and climb inside one by one. Can your child name these animals? What do they know about them already? What do they learn about them by reading this book?  Share some fun facts with the child(ren) in your life. We should always have the mindset that there is more to learn!

I strongly encourage you to read this lovely book and see for yourself why it is such a gem. Follow up with mitten matching activities, play in the snow, search for a missing mitten and more. Create a mitten craft, having children cut or trace along the dotted outline and then decorating it. Create a woodland creature mask or make stick puppets of the different animals and use them to retell the story. Go for a walk in the woods and search for the tracks of any of these creatures and enjoy the beauty of nature in winter.  Share all of this with the children in your life and create wonderful memories of good books and snowy adventures that will impact them for life.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3rRWzdHv5M (a link to the story)

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