A Young Child's Introduction to Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day Selections

 

                                                                 

Selections for story time at the McGinley Memorial Library the week of February 11--15, 2013 feature three books  that celebrate the theme that Bill Cosby expressed in Super Fine Valentine, "it's good to let others know you love them". 

Additional selections should also help children learn that sharing love isn’t just for Valentine’s Day!

Valentine's Day Books for 

Preschoolers

 

• Super Fine Valentine (1998), by Bill Cosby, illustrated by Varnette P. Honeywood 

• It's Valentine Day (1996), by Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by Yossi Abolafia

 

• Disney’s Winnie the Pooh’s  Valentine, by Bruce Talkington, illustrated by John Kurtz

 

The first two selections should delight young readers with their rhymes and poetry.  Librarian Mary Whitley, pictured above, leads a story time on Thursday at 4 P.M. while volunteer, Lou Denn reads story-time selections on Wednesday at 9:30 A.M.

 

Super Fine Valentine! 

 

Although most parents will remember Bill Cosby as television’s Cliff Huxtable (1984-1992), Super Fine, Valentine takes its inspiration from the Little Bill cartoon series developed for Nickelodeon that originally ran from 1998 to 2004.  Cosby, who holds a doctorate in education from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (1976), took care to instill a moral message in each episode of this semi-autobiographical cartoon series set in Philadelphia, which Cosby aimed at a slightly younger viewing audience than his earlier Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids series.  Thus, this rhyming tale captures Little Bill’s anxiety at the thought of letting a little girl know he likes her as he endures teasing from his classmates along the way to a happy ending.  Since Little Bill also writes a Valentine’s Day poem himself, the story might serve as an early introduction to the simile (using like or as in poetry) as a literary device:  

          You are as pretty as sunshine.
          You are as smart as Einstein.
          Have a super-fine Valentine’s Day.

Sticking with a home-made Valentine’s Day card theme, Honeywood’s vibrant folk-art style illustrations evoke the cut-and-paste Valentine’s Day cards crafted by children. The age range for this read-aloud book spans from The four to eight. 

It’s Valentine’s Day

 

Jack Prelutsky’s It’s Valentine’s Day (1983), illustrated by Yossi Abolafia, helps introduce poetry to children while conveying a realistic collection of poems like elementary children might write them; for example, “A Valentine for My Best Friend” concludes, 

You are ugly, you are simple,
And your brain is like a pimple,
You should soak your head in brine.
WON'T YOU BE MY VALENTINE?

The adult who reads aloud this poem therefore might want to discuss how some boys tease girls because they like them, After reading these “love poems” told from a child’s point of view, adult readers will see why the Poetry Foundation named Prelutsky America’s first Children’s Laureate in 2006.  While It’s Valentine’s Day reads at the third-grade level, kindergarteners can easily grasp the meaning of this 14-poem collection with a little help.

Winnie the Pooh's Valentine

  

Preschoolers familiar with A. A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh characters should enjoy listening to Disney’s Winnie the Pooh’s Valentine, by Bruce Talkington, illustrated by John Kurtz (1995)--a story that  tells of how Pooh bear and his friends help little Roo create a Valentine for his mother, Kanga. Children can craft a similar looking floral gift to the bouquet Koo gives Kanga by turning the cardboard base of a paper towel or toilet paper roll into a vase for construction paper and pipe-cleaner and popsicle-stem flowers as shown in the Teachers pay Teachers website: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Readers-Theater-Winnie-the-Pooh’s-Valentine.

Valentine's Day Activities

  

Since children ordinarily have a short attention span, parents and teachers as well as children’s librarians might be interested in viewing the following links that feature Valentine’s Day-themed games for preschool and early elementary school students that they can intersperse with reading selections:

Games & Outdoors Holidays. Valentine’s Day Preschool Education. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.preschooleducation.com//gvalentine.shtml.

Among the fun singing games featured, A Valentine’s Day rendition of the familiar tune “Skip to My Lou” helps children get the wiggles out of their system.  

Preschool Valentine’s Day Songs and Music (n. d.). Retrieved from http://www.everythingpreschool.com/themes/valentines/songs.htm.

Educators looking for Valentine’s Day counting games also need look no further than a Web page that offers selections such as “Five Pretty Valentine’s”, told to a much-used format, “five pretty valentines waiting at the store, Child’s name bought one, and then there were four", and “Ten Little Valentine’s, sung to the tune of “Ten Little Indians”.

Sharing Love Isn’t Just 

for Valentine’s Day

Children, of course, shouldn’t learn about love and friendship only on Valentine’s Day.  Accordingly, the following Websites and book selections teach both preschoolers and elementary students about sharing and caring.

Teaching Kindness to Children

Stewart, Deoborah J. (2013, February 4).  100 Acts of kindness/Share a Heartprint.  Teach Preschool: Sharing Excellence in Early Education.  Retrieved from http://www.teachpreschool.org/2013/02/100-acts-of-kindness-share-a-heartprint/

Each week the "100 Acts of Kindness" blog hosted by Toddler Approval hosts a new blog asking readers to share a “kindness challenge”.  In week three, for example, P.K. Halliman reviews the book Heartprints that presents many acts of kindness.  The blog also suggests that teachers can dedicate a bulletin board to cut-out hearts where those students who are kind to each other receive public recognition.  Parents might also transfer the same idea to the refrigerator, placing a “heart print” with a kind deed  memorialized on it whenever children help others.

Caring and sharing. (2011, February 18).  Education.com.  Retrieved from

http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Caring_Sharing/

“Caring and Sharing” helps parents teach children how to show their concern for others by modeling caring, praising, helping, as well as offering opportunities for kids to show their love and friendship.  For instance, the site suggests that when a family member encounters someone who is unhappy and needs help, it is important to talk about it with the family. The site also clearly promotes the Golden Rule:  “To treat others how you would like to be treated”.

The Web site also links users to “The Lion and the Mouse” Website that retells the story of Aesop’s Fable, providing  a song about helping others, activity books, and a Building Block’s Family Guide for volunteering as a family.  Additionally, parents can take The Golden Rule quiz: 

http://www.bblocks.samhsa.gov/children/music/LionMouse.aspx

Sharing.  (2013).  Children’s Books Guide.com.  Retrieved from http://childrensbooksguide.com/manners/sharing

Children’s Books Guide lists their top five choices of picture books that teach sharing as well as a host of books that continue this theme.  Additionally, readers’ comments call attend to Betty MacDonald’s  Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books that taught the Baby Boomers how to get along with others. 

Accordingly, the McGinley Memorial Library offers reviews of the top five books on sharing that the Children’s Books Guide suggests for children, and it takes a fond look back at Betty Macdonald’s Mrs. Piggle Wiggle series, that a reader brings up on the Children’s Book Guide Website.  Patents will be delighted that these books are still in print and on the shelves of local libraries.

1. Munsh, Robert N.  (2002).  We Share Everything. Michael Martchenko, Illustator.  New York: Cartwheel Books.  

When a teacher breaks up a fight with the words, “We share everything”, then the boys and girls in a kindergarten class start trading items of clothing, taking the principle of sharing to the absurd.  While three-and four-year-olds may not fully understand the story, kindergartens will delight in a book that pokes fun at school rules while teaching sharing.

2. Becker, Shelly. (2006).  Mine, Mine, Mine. Illi Hideko Takahasi Illustrator. New York: Sterling Books. 

Shelly Becker’s rhyming story featuring a possessive preschooler who doesn’t want to share with a cousin might be a good conversation starter about why it is important to share. 

3. Hoberman, Mary Ann. (1997).  One of Each. Marjorice Priceman, 

Illustrator.  Reprint 2000. New York. Little Brown Books for Young Readers.

In this rhyming tale, A terrier named Oliver lives by himself with one of everything.  However, he doesn’t know what he is missing until he invites a cat to admire his home whereupon he learns about making friends and sharing. 

4. Brisson, Pat. (1993).  Benny’s Pennies. (1993).  Bob Barner, Illustrator.  New York:  Picture Yearling Books. 

 

Benny decides to spend his allowance of five pennies purchasing gifts for his family, so five neighbors he meets help him buy a series of perfect presents in this rhyming story illustrated with torn and cut-layered collages.

5. Liprinni, Leo. (1996). It’s Mine. New York: Dragonfly Books.

Three frogs spend their days fighting with each other instead of sharing until a toad from across the way saves them from a flood.

Beyond Time Out for Older Kids

Older elementary students can also learn how to get rid of those annoying habits that keep them from making and keeping friends by paying a visit to Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, whose books are listed by date of first publishing below:

MacDonald, Betty. (1947).  Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. Hilary Knight, Illustrator. New York: Harper Collins. 

Mrs. Piggle Wiggle dispenses the “Fighter-Quarrelers Cure” in chapter 8 and “The Selfishness Cure” in chapter  4.

---. (1949).  Mrs. Piggle Wiggle’s Magic.  Hilary Knight, Illustrator. Reprint 2007.  New York: Harper-Collins.

The second installment in the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle series tells the tale of the “Thought-You-Saiders Cure”, “The Tattletale Cure”, and “The Interrupters Cure”.

---.  Mrs. Piggle Wiggle’s Farm. (1954).  Maurice Sendak, Illustrator. Reprint  1985. New York: Harper-Collins.

Children will enjoy reading or listening to “The Not Truthful Cure” and “The Destructiveness Cure”.

---. (1957). Hello, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. Alexandra Bolger, Illustrator. Reprint 1985.  New York: Harpher Trophy.

Mrs. Piggle Wiggle cures “The Bully” in chapter 2.

Internet Finds of the Week
  

Poetry for Children  


Parents and children alike will love the two following interactive Web sites that teach reading (or reading readiness) and math through games:

Mitchell, K. (2011). Poetry for Kids. Retrieved from http://www.kathimitchell.com/poemtypes.html. 

Mitchell includes examples of various forms of poetry that elementary school children can write themselves, including autobiographical, diamante, and haiku poems as well as furnishing links that will help adults teach children poetry.

Nesbitt, K. (2012). Kenn Nesbitt’s Poetry for Kids.  Retrieved from http://www.poetry4kids.com.  

Web site includes links to other Web pages, a rhyming dictionary, a monthly newsletter, poetry podcasts, poetry games, and poetry lessons. 

Reading & Math 

Learn to Read at Starfall--Teaching Comprehension and Phonics. (2003).  Retrieved from http://www.starfall.com

Interactive games teach children how to learn the alphabet letters as well and develop early reading and phonetic skills. While some selections are subscription only, others are available to the public free-of-charge. early reading and phonetic skills.

Users can also access a link  on this Website for Starfall math groups math skills by category--math songs and number games, geometry and measurement, addition and subtraction, and multiplication and addition. 

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Read to Your preschool & kindergarten children for 20 minutes a day and to your elementary school children for 30 minutes every day to ensure academic success.

The Children’s Reading Foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.readingfoundation.org/more.jsp