Texas 2 X 2 Reading List
Age 2 to Grade 2
Texas Library Association sponsors the 2X2 Reading
List solely to encourage free voluntary reading.
2012 Parent and Child Sharing Time Activities
Ashman, Linda. No Dogs Allowed! Ages: 4-8.
As you read look for details in the pictures. Notice how the people and animals are enjoying their ice
cream and lemonade near the fountain. Make a guess for what the people and animals were doing before
they came to the café. Predict where they might be going next.
Make a menu for the All Critter‟s Café. Research animal diets or guess what they might like to order if
they came to an animal restaurant.
Play with chalk like Albert used on his sidewalk sign. Draw a new sign for the café.
Websites:
http://www.lindaashman.com/index.htm
http://www.kristinsorra.com
Beaumont, Karen. No Sleep for the Sheep! Ages: 4-7.
What animal is the first one to wake Sheep from his sleep? What does he do?
How many animals wake Sheep from his sleep? Count them.
Where do all the animals fall asleep with Sheep?
Find or draw a picture of a barn. Then look in some old magazines and find pictures of each kind of
animal that wakes Sheep up in the story. Cut them out and glue them on a sheet of paper next to the
barn.
Think of other farm animals you might see or hear that were NOT in the story.
Websites:
http://printables.scholastic.com/printables/detail/?id=28097
http://www.atozkidsstuff.com/farm.html
http://www.preschoolkids.net/Down_on_the_Farm_Theme.htm
Chabon, Michael. The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man. Ages: 5-8.
Draw yourself as a superhero and give yourself a name.
Awesome Man wears a large A on his chest and you can, too. Download his Awesome A for yourself at
http://tinyurl.com/8638kmv.
Count the number of times you read the word "awesome" in the book.
With adult help, make green gelatin and have it for a snack.
Crosby, Jeff. Wiener Wolf. Ages: 4-7.
Talk about what could happen if the dog had gone somewhere besides the state park. What would
happen if he went to the desert, beach or the mountains instead?
Wiener wolf dreamed about going home. Color a picture about what dogs might dream.
Make up your own story about a dog you know and what might happen if it becomes wild?
Websites:
http://www.jeffcrosbyillustration.com
Crum, Shutta. Mine! Ages: 2-5.
Read Mine again watching one toy at a time. Look at the yellow star, then the blue star, watch the little
boy‟s socks. Talk about the new things you notice each time.
Talk about a time you were good at sharing. What is hard about sharing? What are the benefits?
Look through your toys and pick out your favorite. Share a toy with a friend or sibling; sort your toys
into groups: toys you like to share and toys that are hard to share.
Websites:
http://blog.shutta.com/
http://patricebarton.com/
Czekaj, Jef. Cat Secrets. Ages: 3-6.
As you read the book act out instructions from the cats in the story. Brainstorm other cat behaviors and
act them out together.
Talk about other secrets animals might have. What would the book of Dog Secrets look like? Tiger
secrets? Elephant secrets? Write and illustrate your own secrets book for another animal.
Re-read the book and pay special attention to the mouse. Imagine what thought bubbles for the mouse
would say on each page.
Websites:
catshavesecrets.com/
Ehlert, Lois. Rrralph. Ages: 2-5.
Name the animals pictured in this story.
How are a dog and a wolf the same? Different?
What is funny about the dog‟s name? What name would you pick for a dog?
Draw a picture of your dog, or a dog that you would like to have.
Can animals talk to us? What sounds does Ralph make?
Websites:
http://www.first-school.ws/theme/animals/pets/dog.htm
www.dltk-kids.com/animals/pets-dogs.htm
http://www.workingdogweb.com/Kids&Dogs.htm
Gormley, Greg. Dog in Boots. Ages: 4-8.
How many different kinds of shoes did Dog bring home?
Were the shoes all the same color? What colors were the different pairs of shoes?
Where did Dog get the idea of wearing “boots”? What kind of animal wore boots?
What were some of the activities that Dog tried in his different new shoes?
What book does Dog read about a girl in a red hood?
What is different about Dog between the front inside pages and the back inside pages?
Find a dog coloring sheet and draw some boots/shoes on it.
Websites:
http://www.first-school.ws/activities/onlinestory/steps/redridinghood.htm
http://www.coloring.ws/dogs.htm
http://stepbystepcc.com/animals/dogs.html
Hall, Michael. Perfect Square. Ages: 4-8.
Use colors or markers to draw the rainbow. Remember, that is red-orange-yellow-green-blue-indigoviolet. Look at the relationship between the primary colors and secondary colors. Do you see a pattern?
What is your favorite color? Take a crayon or marker and draw ALL the things you can think of that are
this color.
Take an empty soda or cereal box and draw a picture on it. Then cut it out and cut it into shapes for an
instant puzzle.
Take an empty soda or cereal box and cut it into different shapes like squares, trapezoids, rectangles,
triangles, and circles. Color them. Now you have a set of tanagrams to make different pictures from all
the shapes, see what you can create.
Tear up, cut up, or poke holes into a piece of colored tissue paper or construction paper. Now use the
different pieces to create a picture, what do you see?
Websites:
http://pbskids.org/sagwa/games/tangrams/
http://tinyurl.com/bom5cp7
http://tinyurl.com/bvumxqz - book trailer
http://centerforeducation.rice.edu/slc/IdeaMoNov2011.html
Hoppe, Paul. The Woods. Ages: 4-7.
Draw a picture of your room- make sure to include your favorite toy(s).
Why does the little boy go into the woods? What does the little boy wear to go into the woods? (on his
head, neck, etc.)
Try to look for things to wear like the little boy. Have mom or dad take a picture of you wearing these
things. What is the same? What is different between the two pictures?
What does the little boy share with the first creature he meets? The second? The third?
Make a friendly dragon.
Websites:
http://www.education.com/reference/article/help-theres-monster-my-closet/
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/dragons_theme.htm
http://www.alphabet-soup.net/dir5/bearsong.html
Judge, Lita. Red Sled. Ages: 2-8.
Read the story and say the sound words together. Think of other sound words you could use to describe
the movements you make in your regular life.
Use paper to make your own snowballs for an indoor snowball fight. Use cardboard to sled on a nearby
hill with imaginary snow.
Talk about what the child must have guessed happened to the sled. Make up your own story about what
you could leave outside and what animals might come to your neighborhood at night.
Websites:
http://www.litajudge.com/RedSled.html
http://wpblog.litajudge.com/
Klassen, Jon. I Want My Hat Back. Ages. 4-8.
Share an item of your clothing for the day. You wear Dad‟s hat and let him wear your bandana or
borrow a necklace from Mom and let her wear your scarf. Does it make you think of the person all day
long?
Play “I Spy” in the house, car, or at the park. You can go through the alphabet, colors, or some special
theme of your own to find cool things.
Check out a Walter Wick “I Spy” book. These are great for developing observation skills and lots of
fun!
Take an object and hide it in a particular room. Now get the whole family to look for it together. Let
everyone take a turn hiding something.
Has anyone in your family lost something recently? Get everyone together and make a game of looking
for it together. . . don‟t forget under the couch and in the cushions.
Make your own hat like the bear‟s! Cut out this cone hat pattern (http://tinyurl.com/7e7ofw7) and then
glue, draw, or attach ribbons and strips of paper. It can be a princess hat, or an elf hat, a magician‟s hat,
or even a birthday hat!
Websites:
http://jonklassen.blogspot.com/
http://www.scholastic.com/ispy/games/
http://www.hatsmade.com/paper-hat-patterns.html
(lots more types of hats to make)
Kosteciki-Shaw, Jenny Sue. Same, Same But Different. Ages: 5-8.
Draw a picture of your favorite place and get a sibling or friend to draw theirs to share.
When you go on a trip somewhere special, draw a picture of you there and having a good time. Send it
to your grandparents or someone who really likes to see you happy.
If you are in school, ask your teacher about getting pen pals or even using Skype to meet new people in
different places.
Does your city or town have a „sister‟? These are places in other countries that share ideas. Find out
more about your home‟s „sister‟ city.
Try a new food sometime. Instead of burgers, how about Vietnamese spring rolls? Miso soup from
Japan? Curry from India? Or even some good old tacos from Mexico? Yum!
Next time you go out to the park, the grocery store, or somewhere else do some people-watching. Look
around and see the different faces and clothes, hear the languages other people might speak. What about
your family is the same? What is different?
Have you ever wanted to visit another country? Learn about the one you are most interested in and make
a postcard of what you might do in that place. Find out how to say “Hello” in their language and other
fun things about the place you want to visit.
Websites:
http://www.kids-cooking-activities.com/international-gourmet-recipes.html
http://www.edupics.com/coloring-page-children-of-the-world-i9308.html (Color these kids and make puppet
shows about the world)
http://web.esc20.net/k12databases/accessK_7.html
McDonnell, Patrick. Me…Jane. Ages: 3-8.
Observe nature like young Jane. In 5 minutes, list all the animals you see outside. Make your own
drawing of one of the animals you saw.
Try to answer Jane's 9 Cobra's Alligator Knowledge questions on page 9.
On a world map, locate Africa.
Websites:
www.janegoodall.org
http://tinyurl.com/bmywzpt - Ian Gilby is a researcher for the Jane Goodall Institute's Center for Primate
Studies. In this video, he explains why chimps like to share their food.
http://tinyurl.com/7t2sa7n - Chimps playing in the wild from National Geographic
Niemann, Christoph. That’s How. Ages: 2-5.
Go into the sciences area and check out a book on how things really work. One great one is David
Macaulay‟s The Way Things Work. There is also a video series of the same name and a The New Way
Things Work. You might also find great DK/Eyewitness books to look at.
Look around your house. What kinds of machines are there and how do they really work? What would
be your best imaginary explanation for how they work?
Is the microwave really powered by dragon‟s breath? Draw a picture of your idea for lots of machines.
Instead of animals powering machines. . . what if machines powered animals? What machines could
make a bunny rabbit? One that jumps up and down (toaster?), wiggles its nose (Dad‟s electric razor?),
and has stick up ears (antennae on TV or radio)!
Websites:
http://www.howstuffworks.com/
http://ldd.lego.com/
http://www.neok12.com/Simple-Machines.htm
http://www.christophniemann.com/index.php/books/details/thats_how
http://www.brainpopjr.com/science/forces/simplemachines/grownups.weml
Ray, Mary Lyn. Stars. Ages: 4-6.
On a clear night, lie outside on a blanket and look up at the stars in the night sky. Count them, find the
brightest star, look for simple constellations like the big dipper, make a wish on a star.
Together, sing "Twinkle, twinkle little star".
Cut out a star on cardboard and cover it with aluminum foil to carry like the child in the book.
Visit Marla Frazee's website and find another book by this author/illustrator to read.
Websites:
http://tinyurl.com/2ekldkh (“Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” – kid friendly YouTube video)
www.marlafrazee.com
http://www.tvokids.com/games/cosmicbowling
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html
http://tinyurl.com/7rsog8s - NASA “Ask an Astronomer for Kids” website
Rinker, Sherri Duskey. Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site. Ages: 2-8.
Listen to StorytimeMom read the book on YouTube. http://tinyurl.com/7yb87hn
Look closely at each illustration. Talk about what you think the trucks might be constructing.
If you love books with trucks, look for the Trucktown series by Jon Scieszka for more truck action
Which of the trucks is your favorite? Talk about why you like the truck that you do.
Make a list of all the rhyming words found in the book, and then try to think of others that rhyme with
the words you found.
Websites:
http://www.sherriduskeyrinker.com/ [author‟s website]
http://www.tomlichtenheld.com/ [illustrator‟s website]
http://tinyurl.com/642lwlm [official booktrailer]
http://pbskids.org/rogers/buildANeighborhood.html#hold
http://www.languageguide.org/im/construction/es/
Rocco, John. Blackout. Ages 4-8.
Draw a picture using only the darker colors in your palette. It doesn‟t have to be nighttime, you could be
in a cave, in space, or anywhere else it is dark.
Grab a one-way lamp or flashlight and turn off the lights. Shine it onto a wall and make your own
shadow finger puppets.
Declare a family game night! Go „screen-free‟ and play go-fish, board games, or just sit around (a fire
outside?) and tell spooky or funny stories.
Find a large box, cut out one side and cover it with glued down white paper or fabric. Next cut out
shapes from cereal or soda boxes and tape them onto sticks or old wire clothes hangers. Now you have a
shadow puppet theater to tell stories with.
If you are lucky enough to have fireflies go out and chase them around the yard. Lie under the sky on a
blanket and count the stars. Do you see constellations or other shapes in the sky? Tell a story about what
you see. . . or what you don‟t. What can you imagine way out there in space?
Websites:
http://tinyurl.com/7t2sa7n
http://www.kidsastronomy.com/astroskymap/constellations.htm
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/starfinder/
http://borge009.hubpages.com/hub/Hand-Shadows-to-Entertain-Kids-and-Adults
http://tinyurl.com/csvc8ey
Stevens, April. Edwin Speaks Up. Ages 4-8.
Watch this Futures Channel video to learn about how the US Fish and Wildlife Service is reintroducing
the almost extinct black-footed ferret into the wild. http://tinyurl.com/cuznb6
Talk like Edwin to a friend. See if you can understand what each of you is trying to say.
Take a trip to the grocery store. Find as many items beginning with "F" as you can.
All of the Finnemore children's names begin with the letter "F" except for Edwin. Make up a name for
Edwin that starts with an "F". Rename all the other children with names starting with "E".
Websites:
http://www.arkive.org/education/games/design-a-habitat
http://tinyurl.com/5kotka - Ferret cam from the National Zoo
Vamos, Samantha R. The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred. Ages 5-8.
Look in your kitchen for a “cazuela” that looks like the one in the book. Draw and color a picture of
your “cazuela.”
What is the first ingredient that the girl puts in the “cazuela”? Do you have this in your kitchen?
The goat helps to churn the cream. What is he wearing on his head? Find or make a chef‟s hat you can
wear when you help in the kitchen.
How many ingredients are used in the recipe? Count and name them.
With your parent‟s help, follow the recipe at the back of the book to create the delicious dessert the girl
makes in the cazuela.
Websites:
http://www.samanthavamos.com/pdf/CAZUELA-Activity-Guide.pdf
http://printables.scholastic.com/printables/detail/?id=28097
http://www.showkidsthefun.com/activities-by-type/kitchen/ideas.php