Monday, December 12, 2016

Merry Christmas, Dear Dragon - a bookwrap








"Come sit by the fire and we shall share a book.  Christmas is coming and there will be many long cold nights that we can read  together, sip a cup of hot coco (with marshmellows), snuggle down deep into our big comfy chair and hug our way through a great story.  It will be just the magic we need to relax and prepare ourselves for the big up-coming day.  Yes little one...Christmas is fast approaching... in fact it's almost here."  





Unwrapping...






"Merry Christmas, Dear Dragon"

Authored by Margaret Hillert
Illustrated by Jack Pullan

A Beginning-to-Read-Book





Unwrapping some great illustrations for you to take a peek at...



























Unwrapping the backstory for you...




This carefully written text features common sight words to provide children with multiple exposures to the words appearing most frequently in written text.  

How to use this book (and others in the series):

1. Read the story out loud together.
2. Let him/her read familiar words or the whole story if possible. 
3. Praise your child often for doing a wonderful job, hugs too please!!!
4. Discuss the pictures and encourage your child to make connections to his/her own life.
5. At the end of the story there are reading activities and a wordlist that will help your child practice and strengthen reading skills.
6. These activities, along with comprehensive questions will give you a good idea how to get the most value from these books and ignite their love of reading.


About the book...




Who doesn't love that first snowfall that arrives just before Christmas.... hurray it's going to be a white Christmas after all!  Donning his winter gear a young boy and his pet dragon engage with the new visitor in town...  welcome Winter!!

Together they shovel, play games and make tracks in the snow, help a poor stranded woman who's car is stuck, hunt down the perfect Christmas tree to take home and decorate, and then curl up in front of a warm cozy fire sipping hot chocolate and eating yummy cookies (with sprinkles on top of course).  All-in-all the perfect rewards after all the Christmas hustle and bustle and busyness!!! Whew!!! MMMMMMM.... nice!!!

The illustrations are beautifully done.  They are crisp,  vibrantly coloured and they invite the reader in to a magical Christmas adventure.  I especially like at the end of story the reading activities and a word list that is included.  Kids can use these to practice and strengthen their beginning reading skills.  This series is reminiscent of the "Dick and Jane" readers that I grew up reading.  Sometimes teaching reading comes full circle and you find that the older, more traditional methods of doing so are still the best.  As a former primary school teacher, having taught beginning reading in Kindergarten, Grades 1 and Grades 2,  I can endorse these books wholeheartedly. 




Storywraps rating...  5 HUGS!!!!!








About the author...




Margaret Hillert has written over 80 books for children who are just learning to read. Her books have been translated into many languages and have helped children throughout the world learn to read. She first started writing poetry as a child and has continued to write for children and adults throughout her life. As a first grade teacher, Margaret realized that the books available for students just learning to read were beyond their comprehension. She then began to write her easy readers and poetry for children. Her first collection of poetry Father Than Far was published in 1969. Her many awards include the Chicago Children's Reading Round Table Annual Award for outstanding contributions to the field of children's literature. Other honors include the David W. Longe Prize and the Michigan Bookwoman of the Year Award. A teacher for 34 years, she is now retired and lives in Michigan where she continues to write stories and poetry. 








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It's a wrap.


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