Dale, Dale, Dale by Rene Saldana, Illustrated by Carolyn Dee Flores

Dale, Dale, Dale is a counting book that tells a simple tale of a young boy wrapped up in the excitement of his birthday party. He counts down items, from his one pinata, to the three tables for the guests, all the way to the twelve kids waiting to hit the pinata at the end.

Carolyn Dee Flores' illustrations are vivid and very true to life. It is almost as if you are looking through a birthday scrapbook.

Dale, dale, dale: Una fiesta de números Saldaña Jr., René AR Quiz No. 166958 SP Fiction  IL: LG - BL: 1.8 - AR Pts: 0.5  AR Quiz Types: RP  Rating:  Un niño celebra su cumpleaños y aprovecha para contar todos los elementos que le ayudarán a tener una fiesta increíble.

Pinata Coloring Page

Here is our version of Saldana's book read by our Pre-Kinder and Kinder students. Enjoy!

The Garden of Abdul Gasazi by Chris Van Allsburg

When young Alan Mitz is asked to take care of Miss Hester's unruly dog Fritz while she visits cousin Eunice, he has no idea what adventures are in store for him. Fritz keeps Alan busy all morning by attempting to chew up Miss Hester's furniture. When the two both settle in for a nap, Alan makes sure to hide his hat from Fritz, who is known to love chewing hats above even furniture!

Later, Alan dutifully takes Fritz for his afternoon walk. Fritz leads the way across a little white bridge. Alan stops to read a sign that declares, "ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY NO DOGS ALLOWED IN THIS GARDEN," signed by the mysterious Abdul Gasazi, retired magician. Just as Alan turns to leave, Fritz breaks free and runs past the sign and through the door to Gasazi's garden. Alan chases Fritz but when he slips and falls, he loses sight of the little dog. He follows Fritz's pawprints deep into the garden, along a path leading into a forest. Finally, Alan comes to a clearing and sees the massive home of Abdul Gasazi. Believing that the magician has captured Fritz, Alan bravely knocks on the door and is welcomed into Gasazi's home by the great man himself.

After apologizing and explaining his predicament to the magician, Alan asks for Fritz. Gasazi beckons for Alan to follow him outside, where they come upon a group of ducks. Expressing his dislike of dogs, the magician tells poor Alan that he has turned Fritz into one of the ducks. As Alan tearfully takes the duck that is Fritz and heads for home, a gust of wind blows his hat off of his head. The duck swoops out of Alan's arms, catches the hat, and flies away into the distance. A miserable Alan walks back to Miss Hester's house only to learn from Miss Hester that Fritz was in fact waiting in the front yard when she returned from cousin Eunice's house. She tells Alan that the magician has simply played a trick on him. Relieved, Alan says goodbye and heads for home. After he leaves, Fritz trots up to Miss Hester with Alan's lost hat in his mouth! Was Gasazi playing a joke, or was Fritz really temporarily turned into a duck?!
http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/features/thepolarexpress/tg/garden.shtml

The Garden of Abdul Gasazi Van Allsburg, Chris AR Quiz No. 53942 EN Fiction  IL: LG - BL: 4.0 - AR Pts: 0.5  AR Quiz Types: RP  Rating:  When the dog he is caring for runs away from Alan into the forbidden garden of a dog-hating magician, a spell seems to be cast over the dog.

Garden Maze
View Amazing Topiary Gardens
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Celebrating National Library Week with Press Here by Herve Tullet

Press the yellow dot on the cover of this book, follow the instructions within, and embark upon a magical journey! Each page of this surprising book instructs the reader to press the dots, shake the pages, tilt the book, and who knows what will happen next! Children and adults alike will giggle with delight as the dots multiply, change direction, and grow in size! Especially remarkable because the adventure occurs on the flat surface of the simple, printed page, this unique picture book about the power of imagination and interactivity will provide read-aloud fun for all ages!

NOT AR TESTABLE

Connect the Dots Game!
Coloring Page

Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats

This book is about a little boy, name Peter. When he saw a boy whistling to call his dog, Peter decides to whistle to call his dog, Willie. He tries and tries to learn how to whistle. He practiced every day and in varieties of ways such as, turning himself, hiding in an empty carton, coloring a long line on the sidewalk all the way home, by putting his father's old hat to make himself feel more grown-up, pretending to be his father, and walking the cracks in the sidewalk. He kept trying until he was able to whistle. His dog, Willie, looks aroung to see who is whistling and calling him. Peter becomes so happy with himself and for what he was able to do, that when he went on an errand to the grocery store, he whistled all the way there and all the way back home.
https://elementaryliterature.wikispaces.com/Whistle+For+Willie

Whistle for Willie Keats, Ezra Jack AR Quiz No. 17550 EN Fiction  IL: LG - BL: 2.5 - AR Pts: 0.5  AR Quiz Types: RP, RV, VP  Rating:  A child and his city world are captured in colorful illustrations.

Word Search Puzzle