Animal Tracks
Animals of the Night
Dont Laugh, Joe!
How Chipmunk Got Tiny Feet
Inch by Inch
Katy No-Pocket
Native American Animal Stories
Opossum at Sycamore Road
A Pocket for Corduroy
Possum and the Peeper
possum baby
Possums Harvest Moon
Ten Beads Tall
Whose Footprints?
Animal Tracks
by Arthur Dorros
Scholastic, New York. 1991
Grades: K3
This book makes a game out of guessing whose tracks or signs
are shown along a sandy shoreline. After the tracks are shown,
the reader turns the page to see the animal responsible and is
then asked to guess about another set of tracks. This book is
a great way to extend the concept of how tracks and signs can
tell about the lives and identity of animals.
Animals of the Night
by Merry Banks; illustrated by Ronald Himler
Charles Scribners Sons, New York. 1990
Grades: P1
Simple text and warm rich watercolor illustrations portray
the activities of animals that are active at night. Several animals
are shown coming out of their daytime resting places to go about
their nightly rituals. Provides a good introduction to nocturnal
animals and shows students some of the things that occur while
theyre in bed at night.
Dont Laugh, Joe!
by Keiko Kasza
G.P. Putnams Sons, New York. 1997
Grades: P1
One cant help but laugh along with this delightful story
of a mother opossum who is struggling to teach her giggly son
Joe an important lessonhow to play dead. A grumpy old bear
helps him learn the lesson, but then Joe is surprised by the bears
intentions. The delightful illustrations round out a well-told
story.
How Chipmunk Got Tiny Feet: Native American
Animal Origin Stories
collected and retold by Gerald Hausman; illustrated by Ashley
Wolff
HarperCollins, New York. 1995
Grades: K4
This nicely illustrated collection of stories contains "How
Possum Lost His Tail" which explains certain characteristics
of the opossum and other animals. The other six origin tales in
the book also tell a story about how the animals came to be what
they are today.
Inch by Inch
by Leo Lionni
Astor-Honor, New York. 1960
Grades: P1
An inchworm measures a variety of birds and cleverly escapes
the ones that threaten to eat him. A peaceful story thats
useful for demonstrating alternative ways to measure objectsas
students do in several activities in the guide.
Katy No-Pocket
by Emmy Payne; illustrated by H.A. Rey
Houghton Mifflin, Boston. 1944
Grades: P1
This is the classic story of Katy, a mother kangaroo who has
no pocket in which to carry her son. To get some ideas on what
to do, she asks many other animals how they carry their young.
The wise owl advises her to go to the city where Katy finds the
perfect pocket. Ties in well with the pocket and pouch activities
of the guide.
Native American Animal Stories
told by Joseph Bruchac
from Keepers of the Animals by Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac
Fulcrum Publishing, Golden, Colorado. 1992
Grades: All ages
This book contains the stories taken from Keepers of the Animals.
There are several stories about creation and celebration, and
others for learning lessons. In the Cherokee story "Why Possum
Has a Naked Tail," one learns not just about the tail, but
also about why opossum plays dead, has a silly grin, and the perils
of being boastful. See also the "Resources" list for
a set of two audio cassettes containing all the stories.
Opossum at Sycamore Road
by Sally M. Walker; illustrated by Joel Snyder
Soundprints, Norwalk, Connecticut. 1997
Grades: K3
Part of the Smithsonians Backyard series, this book
tells of the adventures of an opossum mother and her young as
they travel through the backyard of a house. As the family searches
for food they tangle with trash cans and a big brown dog. The
book can be purchased alone or with a 12-inch mother and six-inch
baby stuffed toy opossum.
A Pocket for Corduroy
by Don Freeman
Viking Press, New York. 1978
Grades: P2
While at the laundromat with his good friend Lisa, Corduroy
decides he wants to find a pocket for himself. He wanders about
and becomes lost, but has a grand adventure. The next morning,
when Lisa finds him, she gives him a pocket and another special
gift.
Possum and the Peeper
by Anne Hunter
Houghton Mifflin, Boston. 1998
Grades: K3
When Possum is awakened on the first warm day of spring by
a loud noise that wont stop, he and several other animals
set out to discover who is making all the racket. In the end,
the animals are glad to be awake to enjoy the smells, sounds,
and sights of spring. In this story the animals locate the sound
using their ears, much like the students identify and find foods
using their noses in Activity 1.
possum baby
by Berniece Freschet; illustrated by Jim Arnosky
G.P. Putnams Sons, New York. 1978
Grades: P2
This gentle story chronicles the life of a timid opossum.
At first hesitant to leave the warmth and safety of his mothers
pouch, the young opossum eventually learns to get along in his
new world. As the story unfolds quite a bit of information about
opossums is conveyed. The story has a strong connection to the
guides activities about young opossums leaving the pouch.
Possums Harvest Moon
by Anne Hunter
Houghton Mifflin, Boston. 1996
Grades: K3
When Possum awakes one autumn evening to see a harvest moon,
he decides to have a party to celebrate the beautiful moon one
last time before the long winter. At first his animal friends
decline his invitation, but then realize Possum has a great idea.
The animals all have a wonderful time singing and dancing at the
party, then retire for the long winter.
Ten Beads Tall
by Pam Adams
Childs Play, Auburn, Maine. 1993
Grades: P1
This is an excellent book to demonstrate how things can be
measured in non-standard ways. Attached to the book is a string
of square beads which are used to measure the illustrations. Statements
and questions on each page challenge the reader. A great connection
to the measuring activities in the guide.
Whose Footprints?
by Molly Coxe
Thomas Y. Crowell, New York. 1990
Grades: P1
When a mother and daughter go on a walk across their farm
through the snow, they discover many sets of tracks and have fun
identifying them. It is a pleasant and peaceful story which connects
well with the activities about the opossums feet.
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