Reederama: Where oh where should these little bats go?

Monday, November 21, 2011

Where oh where should these little bats go?

My first graders are batty for Brian Lies. For the past few years I have have done an author/illustrator study with his books, Bats at the Beach, Bats at the Library and Bats at the Ballgame. The students love these books. They appreciate Brian Lies word play and the magical mix of fact and fiction. My students will tell you that these bats are no normal bats, but they are bats none the less and are nocturnal, eat insects and hang upside down! After reading the books and reflecting on them, the students write a letter to Brian Lies. They also create posters with suggestions for future bat adventures. I love watching the growth of the relationship the students have with these endearing and engaging bat characters. As I am closing the cover of the third book, the students are eager and excited to make suggestions for future bat visits. These suggestions are almost always reflections and connections with the events in their own lives, art class, soccer game, school, museum, mall; or, suggestions with their own interests, Star Wars, the International Space Station, the moon, you name it, they've probably suggested it!. These posters are a lovely example of the relationship they have developed with the bats. Bug mallows and moth dogs? My students also have great food suggestions for Brian Lies! We finish off the bat celebration by decorating book-reading bats, where the students create book covers for books they think the bats would like to read.

What a great way to celebrate reading and Picture Book Month!