I almost always read from a “Big Book.”  Think of a Kindergarten teacher with a big book on an easel as the children gather around for circle time….  We have a limited number of books that are that big, but I use them so that everyone in the room can see the pictures.

Today I did not use my big book Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?  Frankly, I’m not sure of the noises that many of those animals make.  I went into storytime with a copy of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?  by Bill Martin, Jr., illustrations by Eric Carle. The room was full of anticipation.  Many grownups said, “I love that book.”  This is a group that has been excellent with participation this fall, but I did not expect the level of engagement that I got.  The grownups started to read along with me – from memory.  It was delightful.  The pictures are big, bright and engaging.  The story is simple and repetitive.  I need to use more of these kinds of books –

no matter the size.

I used this older 1983 copy.  The pictures were updated in 1996.

This one ends with a mother rather than a teacher looking at all the beautiful children.

~Maureen