The Polar Express

Genre: Picture book

A young boy was waiting to hear Santa’s bells on Christmas Eve, and he hears a train instead gathering all the children who believe in Santa to come aboard. They go to the north pole and meet Santa, Santa gifts the young boy silver bells and he thought he lost them on the way home, but the morning of Christmas, the bells were under the Christmas tree, anyone who believed in Santa could hear them chime.

Discussion questions:

-       Why is it good to believe in something?

-       How did the boy lose the silver bells?

-       Could his parents hear the chimes? Why/Why not?

Activities:

-       Draw Santa’s sleigh, what would he have on it?

-       Write a letter to the North Pole

The author Chris Van Allsburg also wrote other interesting books like:

-       Jumanji

-       Zathura

-       Two Bad Ants

Allsburg, C. V. (1985). The Polar Express. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 

Abuela

Abuela

Genre: Multicultural

During a bus side with her grandmother(abuela), a young girl named Rosalba imagines them flying above the city. They see the trees, cars, and tall buildings as small figures. The texts combines Spanish & English phrases in conversations between Rosalba and abuela. Abuela tells Rosalba  the story of a memory at each stop they make throughout the journey.

Discussion questions:

-       What other languages is in this book?

-       How is understanding more than one language important?

-       What vocabulary words did you learn?

Activities:

-       Draw themselves flying with a family member

-       Have students repeat common phrases, in Spanish

Arthur Dorros also wrote other multicultural books such as:

- Ant Cities

- Isla

- Papá and me

 Dorros, A., Kleven, E., & Powderly, B. (1991). Abuela. New York: Dutton Children's Books.