What are the best books to read with young children or autistic children during September? Here are some of Bluebird Speech’s favorites to consider as you engage kids in the fun and benefits of storybook time!
The Little Red Hen
Author: Paul Galdone
Summary: a hardworking hen plants, harvests, and bakes bread all on her own after her farmyard friends refuse to help
Themes: farm, community helpers, back-to-school work ethic
Level: preschool to first grade, and older students with disabilities
Language Skills: sequencing (plant → harvest → mill → bake), cause and effect, requesting/refusing language (“Not I,” said the—), retelling
Sounds: /h/ for hen, help, /r/ for red, rooster, /d/ for duck, dog
Core Vocabulary: help, no, want, more, go, eat
Fringe Vocabulary: wheat, seeds, harvest, mill, loaf, farmyard
Resources: The Little Red Hen Companion
The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza
Author: Philemon Sturges
Summary: a modern spin on the classic tale; the hen gathers pizza toppings from the farm and, again, must do the work herself before deciding who’s earned a slice
Themes: farm, food, community helpers, cooperation
Level: preschool to first grade, and older students with disabilities.
Language Skills: sequencing, compare/contrast with the original tale, categories (toppings/ingredients), predicting
Sounds: /p/ for pizza, pig, /s/ for sauce, seeds, /ch/ for cheese
Core Vocabulary: help, want, no, make, more, share
Fringe Vocabulary: dough, toppings, mozzarella, tomatoes, ingredients
Resources: The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza Companion
The One Day House
Author: Julia Durango
Summary: a young boy and his community come together to fix up his elderly neighbor’s rundown house in a single day, showing what neighbors can build together
Themes: community, helping others, teamwork
Level: preschool to second grade, and older students with disabilities
Language Skills: sequencing, WH-questions, cause and effect, community/helper vocabulary, retelling
Sounds: d/ for day, door, /h/ for house, help, /p/ for paint, porch
Core Vocabulary: help, want, more, together, fix, all done
Fringe Vocabulary: neighbor, community, porch, fence, garden, paint
Resources: The One Day House Companion