Library Mouse

What an adorable book Library Mouse is!  I loved it!  The book is a great read aloud that links reading and writing and the love of literacy.  Daniel Kirk shows children a simple yet fun way to enjoy the library.

Sam the mouse lived in a library.  He would sleep during the day, but when the library closed, his exploration began.  Sam would read book after book after book.  His mind was filled with fun adventures.  Sam enjoyed the children’s reference section the best, my favorite.

“…he thought life was very good indeed.”

Sam begins to write his own books, and slips each onto the bookshelf.  As children read his books, they are curious and want to meet the author.  Sam is rather shy, and he creates a fun way for each child to meet the author.  He places a mirror in the box.  As children look in, they realize they are an author and begin to write books themselves.

Savorings for reading and in writing for Library Mouse:

• Types and genres of books – biographies, fairy tales, cookbooks, mysteries
• Visualizing – a mural of scenes from books Sam has read “his imagination brimmed over with wonder and fantasy“
• Setting Lead that leads into a One Day moment – begins in the library and then, “One night Sam decided …”
• Ideas – write what you know; inspiring children to write
• Predictable Structure – time of day, “sunlight streamed through the windows“;child finds his book and show it to the librarian; book is read and liked; Sam writes a new book.

Class Book Idea:

• Take a picture of each child in your class holding their finished published piece.  Each child can write an ‘about the author’ page.  Make a class book of “Mrs. Gensch’s Authors”
• Beginning of the year – take a picture of each child with notebooks in their hand.  Maybe take a picture of their favorite idea page and make the idea pages into a class book to place in the writing center.
• You could take pictures of the children working on pieces throughout the writing process.  A class book could be made of the writing process for the class to refer to.  They could make if for a younger grade level as well.  Title it ‘Writer’s Workshop’.
• This same idea could be used for Reader’s Workshop.  Visuals help the children to be focused.