ReedALOUD: Druthers

I read Druthers by Matt Phelan with my kindergarten students this week.  I love this book.  It is a well-written, wonderfully-illustrated celebration of the power of play and using one's imagination.

It was particularly fitting day to read it as it was pouring, just as in the book, where we meet Penelope on a very rainy day.

No words were needed where none existed. Every child could read this body language, but Penelope does inform her dad, who has not witnessed it.

I adore this tête-à-tête. This is what connecting with a child looks like.

Here, I stopped and asked the students what they would rather be doing (then reading with me) if they could do anything at all. 

"going to Pittsburgh"

"going to outer space"

"flying an airplane"

"shopping for medical supplies and a camera" (a budding scientist)

"parachuting from a jet"

"riding a unicorn"

"climbing a tree"

"going to the mall"

"going to Disney World"

"watching TV"

"playing with my brother"

"spending time with my mom"

"watching a football game"

"visiting a fairy garden"

"meet a mermaid and swim deep down in the ocean"

"watching movies"

"swimming in a pool"

"reading"

"going to the Bahamas"

"making art"

Fun, right?  Well, after having had a chance to share their own druthers, we went back to find out what Penelope would choose. Penelope has one wonderful imagination - a pirate captain that visits a dinosaur island is pretty darn cool.

This illustration shows how little one needs to make one's imagination come to life. Move on over pardner', I need to git on that horse!

My library and my house often look like this after great fun has been had. *Loud cheering for the power of play ensues.* 

If you had your druthers, what would you rather be doing?