Art © 2016 Grant Shaffer
Kindness is the key to a world of magic....
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Copyright © 2016 by Toast Productions, Inc.
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Open a world of magic in your classroom
A BOUT THE BOOK
Ariel, Miranda, and Jane look forward to
Saturdays when their father takes them to the
Children’s Zoo. One day, he gives them coins to
buy a special treat, but the sisters decide instead
to buy food for the shivering rabbits and lambs.
The balloon man notices their kindness and offers
each girl a magic balloon that matches the color
of the clothes they are wearing. He instructs them
to tie the balloons to their beds, and wishes them
“sweet dreams.” That night their beds begin to
rise, and they float out the window and up into
the sky. They come upon a wonderland filled with
colorful flowers and singing angels. At sunrise
they are transported back to their beds by birds—
just in time for breakfast.
Grades: Preschool–2
HC: 978-1-101-93523-1 • GLB: 978-1-101-93524-8 • EL: 978-1-101-93525-5
PAUL MARGULIES wrote stories, essays, and plays, and was
also an award-winning advertising executive. But his favorite role
was that of father to his three daughters, and he devoted much of
his talent to writing them letters and telling them stories.
A BOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
GRANT SHAFFER is an artist whose work has appeared in
The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Interview magazine,
among other publications. He lives in New York with his husband.
RHTeachersLibrarians.com
Copyright © 2016 by Toast Productions, Inc.
JULIANNA MARGULIES is a critically acclaimed actress and producer.
She is the star of CBS’s The Good Wife, for which she has won a Golden
Globe and two Emmys. She has won eight Screen Actors Guild Awards,
sharing that distinction with few other female performers. She lives in
New York City with her husband and son.
Art © 2016 Grant Shaffer
A BOUT THE AUTHORS
• PR E -R E A DING AC TI V ITIE S •
SATURDAY FUN
Ask readers to draw a picture of a favorite Saturday activity. Instruct them to include all the friends and
family involved in the activity. Then allow time for them to share their pictures and explain who the
people are and what they are doing. What makes the activity so much fun? Ask students to group the
pictures by category: indoor fun and outdoor fun; at home and away from home.
Correlates to Common Core English Language Arts Standards: Language: Conventions of Standard English L. K.1, K. 5, L. 1-2.1; Vocabulary Acquisition & Use
L. 1-2.5; Speaking & Listening: Comprehension & Collaboration SL. K. 1, SL. 1-2.1; Presentation of Knowledge & Ideas SL. K. 4, SL. K. 5, SL. 1-2.4, SL. 1-2.5.
DREAMS
Help children understand the concept of nighttime dreams. Tell them that a dream is a feeling or an
adventure they have in their sleep. Let them know that it is common to dream. Hold up a box of crayons
and ask each child to pick a color that best represents a “bad” dream and one that best represents a
“good” dream. How many colors are chosen? Encourage them to articulate their choices.
C orrelates to Common Core English Language Arts Standards: Language: Conventions of Standard English L. K. 1, L. 1-2; Vocabulary Acquisition & Use L.
1-2.5; Speaking & Listening: Presentation of Knowledge & Ideas SL. 1-2.5.
M AGIC
Read aloud a fairy tale like Cinderella. What is the magic object in the story? How does the magic help
Cinderella? Explain how her life is different after the prince puts the glass slipper on her foot. Then tell
the children that the book you are about to read is called Three Magic Balloons. Have children study
the cover of the book and suggest a magical journey that could happen for the girls on the cover.
C orrelates to Common Core English Language Arts Standards: Reading Literature: Key Ideas & Details RL. K. 1, RL. K. 10, RL. 1-2.1; Language: Convention of
Standard English L. K. 1, L. 1-2.1; Speaking & Listening: Presentation of Knowledge & Ideas SL. K. 6, SL. 1-2.6
7. Discuss
why the balloon man wishes the girls “sweet
dreams.” Does “sweet dreams” mean “good” dreams
or “bad” dreams?
2. Why do you think the zoo is located in the
city park?
8. What is the magic in the balloons? At first, Miranda
is afraid. How does Ariel make her feel brave?
3. Talk
about the meaning of kindness. How do Ariel,
Miranda, and Jane show kindness to the rabbits
and lambs?
9. How
do you know which angel belongs to
each sister?
4. Why
does the balloon man give the girls free
balloons? How are the girls polite to the
balloon man?
5. Take a hint from the balloon man and point out
which girl is Ariel, which is Miranda, and which is
Jane. Which girl is the oldest? Why is Jane pushing
a stroller?
6. Why does their father tie Ariel and Miranda’s
balloons on a stick, and Jane’s to a button on
her coat?
10. Describe the heavenly animals. What do the girls
learn about these animals? What do they learn
from the angels?
11. Talk about the meaning of the red, blue, and
yellow feathers that the girls discover under their
beds the morning after their magical night.
12. Why
don’t the girls tell their parents about their
nighttime adventure? Discuss whether telling
would make their journey seem less magical.
Correlates to Common Core English Language Arts Standards: Reading: Literature: Key Ideas & Details RL. K. 1, K. 3; RL. 1-2.1, RL.1-2m.3; Craft & Structure
RL. K. 6; Integration of Knowledge & Ideas RL. K. 7; RL. 1-2.7; Speaking & Listening: Comprehension & Collaboration SL. K. 1; SL. 1-2.1; SL. 1-2.2; Presentation
of Knowledge & Ideas SL. K. 4; SL. 1-2.4; SL. 1-2.6.
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Copyright © 2016 by Toast Productions, Inc.
1. Have readers study the first illustration. Where are
the girls and their dad going? What are some fun
activities they might do in the park?
Art © 2016 Grant Shaffer
• DISCUSSION QUESTIONS •
• AC TI V ITIE S •
Display books of animals for children to peruse. Talk about the different animals that might
be found in a zoo. Then have children draw, color, and cut out a picture of a zoo animal. Ask
them to classify the animals from the largest to the smallest. Write two things about the
animals on the back of the pictures. (For example: what they eat, if they have fur or scales,
how they sleep.)
C orrelates to Common Core English Language Arts Standards: Writing: Text Types & Purposes K. W.2; W. 1-2.2; Research to Build &
Present Knowledge K. W.8; W. 1-2.8
Have a zoo parade. Begin by asking children to walk like their animal. Do they hop, run, or
walk? Do they use all four legs? Do they take long steps or tiny steps? Then have them carry
their cutout animals and walk to music. You might consider using The Carnival of the Animals
by Camille Saint-Saëns.
C orrelates to Common Core English Language Arts Standards: Speaking & Listening: Presentation of Knowledge & Ideas SL. K. 4; SL.
K. 6; SL. 2-2.4; SL. 2-2.6.
The magical balloons take Ariel, Miranda, and Jane to a wonderful land that looks like a
garden where the flowers sway to music. Explain the meaning of sway. Ask children to use
bright and happy colors and draw the garden of flowers that the girls see. Tell them to draw
some of the flowers swaying. Children who are learning left and right might be asked to have
some flowers swaying right and others swaying left. Write a sentence that describes which
flowers each sister likes. (For example: Miranda likes the red rose because she wears red.)
C orrelates to Common Core English Language Arts Standards: Reading Literature: Integration of Knowledge & Ideas RL. K.7; RL. 1-2.
7; Language: Vocabulary Acquisition & Use L. K. 4; L. 1-2.4; Writing: Text Types & Purposes W. K. 1; W. 1-2.1.
Teach children how to create the sequence of a plotline by asking them to draw their own
magical dream. Have them create three pictures: the beginning of their dream; the middle
of their dream; and the end of their dream. Write a sentence that describes each picture.
Encourage them to leave a hint about the dream in the last picture similar to the feathers
in Three Magic Balloons.
C orrelates to Common Core English Language Arts Standards: Writing: Text Types & Purposes W. K. 3, W. 1-2.3.
Copyright © 2016 by Toast Productions, Inc.
Art © 2016 Grant Shaffer
Prepared by Pat Scales, Children’s Literature Consultant, Greenville, SC
NAME:
Instructions: Color the balloons according to the key below:
8
10
4
5
9
2
3
1
1
Yellow
4
Pink
7
Black
2
Red
5
Orange
8
Brown
3
Blue
6
Purple
9
Black
10
Your favorite color
Educators: Reproduce this sheet for your classroom.
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Art © 2016 Grant Shaffer
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