Sunday, July 12, 2009

Just How Long Can A Long String Be?! by Keith Baker


During my last visit to CTC Bookstore, I purchased a book by Keith Baker. I knew I was familiar with some of his other titles once I visited his web page here.  He has written familiar rhyming texts that I use for shared reading like Big Fat Hen and Hickory Dickory Dock as well as a book that is in our math basket called Quack and Count.   I loved the cover of his new book called Just How Long Can a Long String Be?!  I also loved the story about a curious ant who asks his friend bird about how long strings can be.  Bird  explains it depends on the type of string. Then each page begins with a question about the purpose for the string... Will it skip in a game played with your friends, or tie to a pole with a hook at the end? These questions help little ant answer his own question.

I think the book has so many possibilities for guiding  young thinkers.  I could see myself using it to help begin discussion about measurement, motion possibly and it would be a great book to use for noticing punctuation as we read like writers during writing workshop.  I can't finish without mentioning the pictures in this book.  They are fabulous.  I am looking forward to sharing it with my students.

3 comments:

Amanda Villagómez said...

I love his books too. I still have a copy of The Dove's Letter from when I was younger. I recently got my girls the Spanish version of Who is the Beast? When my daughter was two she would be sitting in her room at her bed time saying, "La bestia, la bestia..." and I could always tell which book she was reading.

Amy@Let's Explore said...

That book looks great! When my girls were babies, they loved his book, 'Little Green' about a hummingbird. :)

Anonymous said...

I also got this copy as an ARC a while back and I think it would be wonderful for 5th graders-estimation, extending it in writing, etc. Love this book!!