Library Mouse A World to Explore

Sam is a mouse that lives in the library.  He loves to read and research subjects and then write about them.  Sam quickly meets another mouse named Sarah.  She is quite the explorer. She loves to climb to the tops of shelves and explore the darkest corners of the building. Sam is too afraid to climb up far. Sarah doesn’t know much about writing or research, but could reading and research help her learn more about the places she wishes to visit?

Reading Level:
     Lexile: NC 830 - This book is ideal for students who are in 3rd grade and reading at a higher level.  The  Lexile Level is higher than the author's intended audience. 

Genre/Theme:
     Fiction
     Research/Writing

Subject:
     English Language Arts
    
Teaching ideas for a 3rd Grade Class:
     Web Resources:  http://issuu.com/hnabooks/docs/librarymousefinal offers a teaching guide including discussion questions, journal activity, and research project.

http://www.danielkirk.com/ is the author/illustrator of Library Mouse A World to Explore.  His website offers ideas such as having students create their own books.

Suggested Delivery:  Read aloud

Before Reading:
     Vocabulary to introduce:  reference books, gazing, gracefully, research, pharaohs, clenched
Ask students to brainstorm what they know about libraries.  What types of books will they find?  Introduce the text and have students make predictions based on the cover.  Introduce to students a Word Scavenger Hunt in which they are to listen for any words that relate to the library.

During Reading:
Pause throughout the reading and have students share any words they have found that relate to library. 
Have students check their predictions.

After Reading:
Have students share their responses to the Word Scavenger Hunt.  Write their responses on chart paper.  Did any of them mention research?  Sam loved to research various places and things and then write about them.  Have students choose a topic to research and write about.  Topics may include a current event, person, place, or thing.

Kirk, Daniel. (2010). Library Mouse A World to Explore. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers.