105 Ways to Give a Book

Cybils Nominees ABC Giveaway: The Letter O

You can still win twenty-five picture books for yourself or your school. Learn more about the ABC Giveaway.

Oscar and the Very Hungry Dragon
by Ute Kraus


Oscar and the Very Hungry DragonTeenReader, your favorite literate teen, strikes again with the “O” review, Oscar and the Very Hungry Dragon. This is the tale of a young boy named Oscar who, against his will and the will of the village, has to go up the mountain and become the annual meal of a very vicious dragon. But using the power of good cooking, Oscar makes the dragon seriously consider whether or not human children are really the tastiest thing in the world.

When it comes to literature, I love it when a book takes the middle way (sounds like a band name, doesn’t it?). It makes the average Joe (like myself) feel like they have a place in literature. The dragon, although he starts this way, is neither a godless killing machine nor a soft mushball. (Let’s face it — the he’s-tough-but-really-kind-and-sweet routine has gotten old.) This book is fun to read and a very neat mix of modern and medieval culture.
For the culinary genies in your gift-receiver, a cooking set would be a lot of fun, or a cuddly dragon for the sweetie pies, or look for more Ways to Give a Picture Book or over a hundred other Ways to Give a Book this holiday season.
The Letter O

Book: My Very Own Octopus, by Bernard Most

Fingerplay: “Open, Shut Them”
Open, shut them, open, shut them.
Give a little clap, clap, clap.
Open, shut them, open, shut them.
Lay them in your lap, lap, lap.
Creep them, crawl them, creep them, crawl them
Right up to your chin, chin, chin.
Open wide your little mouth...
But do not let them in.
(Act out the hand motions.)
Book: Owl Babies, by Martin Waddell, or Little Hoot, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Fingerplay: “Five Little Owls”
The first little owl has big, round eyes.
The second little owl is of very small size.
The third little owl can turn her head.
The fourth little owl likes mice, she said.
The fifth little owl flies all around,
And her wing hardly make a single sound.
(Count owls on fingers, and then “fly” hands around.)
Book: Over in the Meadow, by Olive A. Wadsworth (I sing it instead of reading it.)

Book: Some “O” name book like Olivia, by Ian Falconer; Olvina Files, by Grace Lin; Otto Goes to Camp, by Todd Parr; Owen, by Kevin Henkes; or Otis, by Loren Long

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10 comments:

Storied Cities said...

My toddler is currently enjoying the owl book, "Wow! Said the Owl", but my favorite owl book is "Goodnight, Owl"

Bridget R. Wilson said...

Oh by Kevin Henkes is a good one.

wmmahaney said...

We love "My Penguin Osbert" It is a great Christmas book with an "O" in the title. :-)
wmmahaney(at)att(dot)net

Karen said...

I agree Henkes' "Oh" is a wonderful book. "I'm the Biggest In the Ocean" would also be fun for "O".

bioluminescence said...

My daughter has loved "I'm NOT Scared" about owls since she was a tiny toddler. I guess that would have been a good N pick too.

We also have enjoyed Ocean Babies, Opera Cat, Over in the Arctic, and sweet vehicle bedtime story Off Go Their Engines, Off Go Their Lights. Plus the Otto books.

Sarah said...

I love I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean. And Owl Babies is one of my favorites!

Unknown said...

Love "Owl Moon," too!

Z-Kids said...

Thanks TeenReader!

We enjoy "Owl Moon" (Yolen) and "Oliver Finds His Way" (Root)

- AZ

Amy said...

Sometimes I pull the board book Ollie, by Olivier Dunrea off the shelf just to read to myself because it makes me laugh.

Unknown said...

Owen or Olivia get my vote :-)