On the last pages of the reading program that we used with Ashley, there is a list of 20 books of increasing difficulty to propel the new reader into "real" reading. And so we were unexpectedly launched into a new world with the last book on the list: Magic Tree House #1: Dinosaurs Before Dark.
It is the first book in a series all about Jack & Annie (a brother and sister) who find a magic tree house in the woods that is FILLED with books. When they look at a picture in a book and make a wish to go there, they really do! So, each book is a suspenseful adventure about a different time and place in history that they visit.
Ashley and Vinny are in LOVE with these books! In fact, everyday now we play "Jack and Annie." It is a perfect character match-up, with Ashley as the jump-into-everything-feet-first adventurous girl (Annie) and Vinny as the let's-read-about-it-in-a-book-at-home and plan-it-out kind of boy (Jack).
They've commandeered a little back-pack as their "pack" and all of my post-it notes to make the "notepad" that the kids in the story use on all of their adventures. And, you MUST CALL Vinny "Jack" AT ALL TIMES. He corrects us at least 4,241 times a day.
Me: Vinny--
Vinny: You mean Jack!
Me: Jack, clean up the books, please.
And, they've extended character assignments so far as follows:
Mommy - Morgan, the librarian to whom the tree house belongs. She's from the time of Camelot and you find out later how she has been helping them in various forms in each adventure.
Daddy - King Arthur, who is Morgan's sister.
Emily - Emily, the baby sister of Jack & Annie (they made this one and the following up)
Grandma & Grandpa - Jack and Annie's mom & dad
Nonna & Pop - Jack and Annie's grandma & grandpa
It has been a lot of fun for them! And, at least I've finally convinced Vinny to stop calling me Morgan when we're out in public.
2 comments:
So cute. I'll have to remember to talk to them 'in character' next time we see them.
I LOVE this! I am also obsessed with MTH books (thanks to all of my former 1st grade students), although I prefer to maintain my own name when reading/discussing them :)
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