Title: Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons
Author: Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Illustrator: Jane Dyer
Publisher: Harper Collins, 2006
Book Type: Fiction, Concept Book
Ages: 5 and up
Themes: Manners, Vocabulary
Opening Sentences:
“Cooperate means,
How about you add the chips while I stir ?”
Synopsis (from Harper Collins site):
Everyone knows cookies taste good, but these cookies also have something good to say. Open this delectable book to any page and you will find out something about life. Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons is a new kind of dictionary, one that defines mysteries such as “fair” and “unfair” and what it really means to “cooperate.” The book is by turns clever, honest, inspirational, and whimsical. Go ahead, take a bite!
Activities:
In the Classroom:
- Lesson plan that discusses ways to include this book in a language arts class.
- Felt cookies containing a character trait of the week. Click Here.
Downloads:
- I couldn’t find a crossword puzzle on the web, so I made one up using Crossword Puzzle Maker. Here is the puzzle and the key. If you see any errors, please let me know.
- Word matching game from Harper Collins for One Smart Cookie.
Why I like this Book:
Cookies is a very unique book, it teaches etiquette without being preachy. The book uses “cookies” as a means of explaining concepts such as Patience, Trustworthy, and Fair. My favorite line to use on the girls is “Patience means, waiting and waiting for the cookies to be done”; the best part is they get it! The illustrations complement the text very well in helping to convey the meaning of these higher-level words.
Older kids can read this and understand the meaning, as the text is simple and precise. For younger kids I would recommend a parent and child read it together, the book is a good conversation starter. Perfect for story time, classroom, or home library.
Other books in the series are: Christmas Cookies: Bite-Size Holiday Lessons, Sugar Cookies: Sweet Little Lessons on Love, and One Smart Cookie: Bite-Size Lessons for the School Years and Beyond.
This review is part of Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Book series. Visit her site to see the other books recommended.
Flowering Minds 