Children's Book Week and What's Yours, Mine, and Ours.

We are celebrating books and reading all week because it's Children's Book Week! We are continuing to focus our reading on books that help shape us as empathic people who are creative thinkers.

Yesterday, my kindergarten students and I read Mine! by Jeff Mack. 

One rock built for conquering and two mice friends eager to be the conqueror make for one epic battle...of wits. This nearly-wordless picture book is a seriously fun lesson in manners. To say that I had a blast reading it with my students would be an understatement.

When asked, my kindergarten students clearly understood that the orange mouse was luring the blue mouse off the rock. One student even used the word luring. That was so cool. 

I love this glimpse of the orange mouse. There's something about the bend of head and the outstretched paws that is endearing and shows how determined the orange mouse.

This Cheshire cat grin speaks volumes. With the rock now conquered by the orange mouse, it's time for the blue mouse to cleverly lure the orange mouse down. What better than a present? Everyone loves receiving a present.

Look at the orange mouse's joy and anticipation! 

Look at those legs at a full run. Look at those outstretched arms! Look at that expectant eyes!

Now look at our blue mouse. Almost my favorite illustration. Look at that body language. Look at that wave. Look at that Cheshire cat grin. 

My students were pretty confident that inside that box was not a real present. They were right. My students helped identify the emotions contained in that one expression: anger, sadness, and disappointment.

There was even some great fan art.

This battle of wits and determination continues until an unexpected turn of events remind these two friends, albeit briefly, that friends are more important than things.

The case art in this book is a subtle, or not so subtle, clue about what lies ahead. 

Here's a student's prediction:

What did the students have to say?

I asked my kindergartners to share what they would say instead of "Mine!"

No, it's yours

split it in two

why don't we share that?

no way

let's split it

no thank you

no, it's ours

no, it's ours

I also asked the students to share what they think the mice will find next and have a hard time sharing. Seems like these students already have learned how hard it can be to share friends.

This little book packs a big punch!