Picture Book Biographies and a Capybara

Don't you just love those picture book biographies by Diane Stanley?  We have read aloud five this year, including Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Good Queen Bess, Bard of Avon (Shakespeare), and most recently, Peter the Great

 
Peter the Great

After reading through a chapter about Peter the Great in Story of the World (volume 3), we read Stanley's picture book biography.  Since the children had already completed a written narration and a map, we simply enjoyed the book.  Afterward, we discussed some of his decisions and how he was portrayed within the biography. 

Capyboppy

A family favorite read aloud of ours is Capyboppy, by Bill Peet.  This time around, I read it to our youngest son late one afternoon.  The story is about a typical family.  One son, named Bill, happens to be an animal lover.  He has a zoo/museum in his bedroom.  As a college student, he wants a boa, but the family rejects a snake.  He gets a capybara instead.  The young capybara comes to live with the family.  Capyboppy, as Margaret the mom calls him, becomes a beloved pet to the family.  However, as with most wild animals, Capyboppy outgrows the home, and needs to live somewhere, anywhere other than the residential home of the family.  We laugh aloud with the antics of Capyboppy each time we read this book.



Linked to Read-Aloud Thursday at Hope Is the Word

5 comments:

  1. Thank you! I just posted about looking for other funny animal books for my 5 yr old. I had forgotten about Capyboppy!

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  2. We just read "Joan of Arc" by Diane Stanley (I wrote about it for my read aloud Thursday post). I liked that one and I am glad to know she has other biographies as well!

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    1. Kirsten, we read Joan of Arc last year during our studies on the Middle Ages. It is a good one as well!

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  3. We have read da Vinci and Joan of Arc. We are currently reading Bard of Avon and enjoying that.

    It has been awhile since we have read Capyboppy! Thanks for the reminder.

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  4. Thanks for reminding me of Diane Stanley. I had forgotten about her books. (Isn't it wonderful that we have SO MANY great books and authors to choose from?!?!?) Oh, and Bill Peet--FUN!

    Thanks for linking up to RAT!

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