The Standard Goodies

Bring Me A Book

, Recommended Children s Books with with Extended Extended Activities Activities to to do do this this

W

e started Bring Me a Book Hong Kong because we felt that books are

conduits for lifelong conversations with our children. A topic may be sensitive or difficult and we, as parents, should see this as opportunities to discuss, debate and share our values.

Su Lee, Bring Me a Book Hong Kong Founder

I

n 2017-8, Pia Wong, Executive Director of Bring Me a Book Hong Kong contributed

weekly articles for The Standard Goodies, an English language newspaper distributed to 40,000 primary school students in Hong Kong. These theme-based discussions were inspired by strategic literacy expert, Diane Frankenstein and her award-winning book, “Reading Together: Everything You Need to Know to Raise a Child Who Loves to Read.�

All titles in this guide and hundreds more (incl. Chinese books) are available to borrow from our Membership Library. If you are interested in joining our Family Membership Program, please visit: https://www.bringmeabook.org.hk/become-a-member/

Pia Wong, Executive Director of Bring Me a Book Hong Kong

www.bringmeabook.org.hk

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 25 September 2017

• Text: BMAB

Accepting anger I

N When Sophie Gets Angry – Really Really Angry…, Sophie is playing when her sister grabs her toy. Their mum defends her and Sophie becomes so angry she runs and runs until she is alone. She

works through her emotions alone before returning home.

Thinking deeper THIS tale about Sophie and her feelings remind us that we all get angry, and we all have ways of dealing with it.

Questions to consider: • What makes you really, really angry?

• How do you know when you are angry? How does your body feel?

• What did Sophie do to calm herself down? Is there anything her sister or mum might have done instead?

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• How can we express our anger without causing harm to ourselves, others, or anything else?

• Is anger a ‘bad feeling’? Or is it just ‘bad’ in the way you express your anger?

• When you are angry, what makes you feel better – listening to music, punching a bag, telling someone else or lying on your bed alone?

Upcoming Events Bring Me a Book Bus: 2-14 November Chris Haughton: 10-15 November Julie Fowlkes: 1-10 December www.bringmeabook.org.hk/schoolauthor-speaker-program/

Arts & Crafts • Red and green paintings: Notice how the colour palettes change dramatically in the book. Try expressing anger and calmness by using different colour paints.

• Draw a tree and write a different feeling in each leaf to show a range of emotions.

Vocabulary

work through (ph v) 戰勝 express (v) 表達

harm (n) 傷害 palette (n) 調色版

dramaticaly (adv) 戲劇性地 range (n) 一連串

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 9 October 2017

• Text: BMAB

Catherine

Just be yourself C

AMILLA Cream loves lima beans, but she never eats them.

Why? Because the other kids in her school do not like them.

And Camilla Cream is very, very worried about what other

people think of her. In fact, she is so worried that she is about to break out in a bad case of stripes!

Thinking deeper CAMILLA always worried about what other people thought of her, until the day arrived when she no longer recognised herself. Only nonconformity can save her, and finding her own voice is the only remedy for a bad case of stripes.

Do you have any book to share?

Questions to consider: 1. What does Camilla love to eat? Why does she not eat what she

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loves? Why is she not being honest with herself?

2. Why does Camilla try on 42 outfits for the first day of school? What do you do to fit in?

3. In what ways does conformity affect a person’s individuality?

4. What cures Camilla’s bad case of stripes?

5. ‘Being comfortable in your own skin’ – what does that mean to

Upcoming Events www.bringmeabook.org.hk/schoolauthor-speaker-program/ Bring Me a Book Bus: 2-14 November Chris Haughton: 10-15 November Julie Fowlkes: 1-10 December

you?

Vocabulary

lima bean (n phr) 青豆 nonconformity (n) 不墨守成規

remedy (n) 治療 outfit (n) 衣服

individuality (n) 個人/個體 comfortable (adj) 舒服的

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 16 October 2017

• Text: BMAB

Making a difference A

S a child, Alice Rumphius resolved that when she grew up she would go to faraway places, live by the sea in her old age, and do something to make the world more beautiful – and does all

those things, the last being the most difficult of all.

Thinking deeper ALICE’s grandfather advises her to do something to make the world more beautiful. Even though she did not know how, Alice never forgot her grandfather’s request. Sometimes we may not know the answer right away – it takes patience and thoughtfulness to arrive at a solution or answer.

Do you have any book to share?

Questions to consider: 1. What do you think of Alice’s grandfather’s request to make the world more beautiful? Is it reasonable?

Go to http://www.bringmeabook. org.hk/bookworm/ to share with us!

2. Alice had a special surprise from nature which helped her realise her dream. Have things from our natural world ever surprised you?

3. Could making the world ‘beautiful’ mean more than planting flowers?

4. What could you do to make the world more beautiful? How can you make a difference, even in a very small way?

Arts and crafts THE illustrations for Miss Rumphius are beautiful.

Notice there are flowers or animals on

Upcoming Events www.bringmeabook.org.hk/ school-author-speaker-program Bring Me a Book Bus: 2-14 November Chris Haughton: 10-15 November Julie Fowlkes: 1-10 December

every page. Create your own animals or flowers using paints or crayons.

You can present them in an art gallery format, and introduce your creations and express your feelings about your picture.

Vocabulary

resolve (v) 下定決心 faraway (adj) 遙遠的地方

request (n) 要求 / 請求 reasonable (adj) 合理的

natural world (n phr) 自然世界 art gallery (n phr) 藝術展覽館

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 23 October 2017

• Text: BMAB

True friendship A

MOS and Boris, written by William Steig, is a great story of friendship and loyalty. Amos, a mouse, goes on a journey across the ocean and meets Boris along the way. Both end up

needing assistance from the other, and thus, their friendship is built.

Thinking deeper AMOS is both curious and adventurous, and he builds a boat by himself

Do you have any book to share?

and ventures out to explore the world. Amos and Boris both realise that

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friendship can appear when you least expect it, especially when you show your gratitude and – whenever possible – return a good deed.

Questions to consider: 1. Why did Amos build a boat? What are you curious about?

Upcoming Events

2. What does Amos take on his journey? What would you consider to be

www.bringmeabook.org.hk/ school-author-speaker-program/ Bring Me a Book Bus: 2-14 November Chris Haughton: 10-15 November Julie Fowlkes: 1-10 December

necessities if you were going to go on a similar journey?

3. Why did Boris help him? Have you ever helped a stranger? If so, why and what happened?

4. How is true friendship formed?

5. How important is it to let someone know when you are thankful for something?

Arts and Crafts AMOS and Boris is one of the few picture books to use the word ‘phosphorescent’ (eg. glow in the dark materials) – similar to fluorescent, or very bright colours. Create your artwork using fluorescent colours, contrasting them with William Steig’s pastel colours he uses in his illustrations in this book. Add other animals that would form an unlikely duo.

Vocabulary

loyalty (n) 忠誠 assistance (n) 協助

venture (v) 冒險 gratitude (n) 感恩

phosphorescent (adj) 磷光的 fluorescent (adj) 熒光的

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 30 October 2017

• Text: BMAB

Catherine

We are unique A

LFRED, a pug, is made to feel unlovable by a cat, a parrot, and other neighbourhood dogs. They make fun of his tiny legs and funny face. A new dog, Rex, moves in next door and he helps

Alfred realise he is fine just the way he is.

Thinking deeper ALFRED is constantly teased and told that he is unlovable. He starts believing the negative remarks. But luckily, he finds a friend in his new neighbour, but it takes some fibbing and self-reflection to get there.

Do you have any book to share?

Questions to consider: 1. Does Alfred have strong self-esteem? How does having a strong

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sense of self affect you when others tease or bully you?

2. Why does Alfred boast and tell his new friend, Rex, he is a golden retriever? Have you ever fibbed or told a ‘white lie’?

3. What does Rex know about Alfred before they even meet face to face? Why was Rex not upset

Upcoming Events:

when he saw Alfred was a pug even though he

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said he was a golden retriever?

4. Alfred is happy that Rex likes him just the way he is. If you change who you are, do you think people will like you?

Bring Me a Bookmoblie: 2-14 November Chris Haughton: 10-15 November Julie Fowlkes: 1-10 December

Extended activity THINK about all the different ways we are unique. Use old magazines and cut out different faces from all over the world. Find interesting pictures that tell you about their lives. Stick the photos on a mural and talk in pairs about what you notice and what their lives must be like.

Vocabulary

unlovable (adj) 不可愛的 constantly (adv) 不斷地

fib (v) 撒小謊 self-reflection (n) 反省

self-esteem (n) 自尊 white lie (n phr) 無惡意的謊言

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 6 November 2017

• Text: BMAB

Catherine

Always be positive A

POOR man lived with his mother, his wife, and six children in a one-room hut. Because they were so crowded, the children often fought. Finally, the poor man asks the Rabbi for help. As he

follows the Rabbi's advice, the poor man's life goes from bad to worse.

Thinking deeper THIS yiddish tale is a humorous yet poignant reminder that when you think your situation is bad, things could always be worse.

Questions to consider: 1. After following the rabbi’s advice, the ‘poor unfortunate man’ ends up in the same hut with the same children, so why does he say his room is now “so quiet, so roomy, so peaceful, and such a pleasure?”

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2. What was the last thing you complained about? Is there a way you could have changed your perspective to improve the situation?

3. Do you believe it could always be worse? Is this attitude helpful or not?

4. What do you appreciate most in your life? Do you think you have become more appreciative as you grow older and wiser?

Extended activity ON paper, write your Rose, Thorn

Upcoming Events Bring Me a Bookmoblie: 2-14 Nov Chris Haughton: 10-15 November Julie Fowlkes: 1-10 December Go to www.bringmeabook.org.hk/ school-author-speaker-program/ for more details

or Sprout: “Rose” – something good that happened to you in the past week; “Thorn” – something bad that happened to you in the past week; “Sprout” – something good that you did for someone, or a good thing that person did for you.

Vocabulary

crowded (adj) 擠迫的 Rabbi (n) 猶太教教士

yiddish (adj) 依地語 humorous (adj) 幽默的

poignant (adj) 辛酸的 worse (adj) 更差的

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 13 November 2017

• Text: BMAB

The kind librarian B

ASED on a true story, a young boy, Tomas and his family, who are migrant workers, travel from state to state.

Tomas finds refuge in Iowa town’s library, where the librarian

offers him shelter and whirlwind adventures through reading.

Thinking deeper Questions to consider: 1. Tomas goes to the library to learn new stories that he can teach his Papa Grande who is the best storyteller in the family. What kind of books does the librarian find for Tomas to read? What are your favourite kinds of books?

2. What does it mean to ‘get lost in a story’? Or that ‘books are a window to the world’?

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3. In exchange for her kindness, Tomas likes being able to teach the librarian words in Spanish. What would you want to teach her or how would you repay her kindness?

4. Who is the best storyteller in your family? What kind of stories does he or she tell? Would you like to be the family storyteller?

Upcoming Events:

Arts & Crafts

Bring Me a Bookmoblie: 2-14 Nov

1. Use coloured pens, crayons and paper to draw ways in which ‘books are a window to the world’ or how you feel when you ‘get

Chris Haughton: 10-15 November Julie Fowlkes: 1-10 December http://www.bringmeabook.org.hk/ school-author-speaker-program/

lost in a book’.

2. Draw some key components of an ideal library – what would it look like? How would you display books and chairs or beanbags to make the place attractive for the kids to read there?

Vocabulary

migrant (n) 移民 refuge (n) 避難所

librarian (n) 圖書管理員 whirlwind (n) 旋風

ideal (adj) 理想的 beanbag (n) 豆沙袋

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 20 November 2017

• Text: Bring Me a Book Hong Kong

Catherine

A trick gone wrong N

ICK Allen is a clever and very likeable fifth grader. After learning about the origins of words, he decides to substitute the word ‘frindle’ for the word ‘pen’, much to the annoyance of

his dictionary-obsessed teacher. His “prank” sets off a chain of events that quickly moves beyond his control.

Thinking deeper Questions to consider: 1. Why does Nick change the word ‘frindle’ for ‘pen’? Is this a prank, a game, a test of wills, or what? If it starts out as a game, how does it change?

2. Nick realises that being a hero has a price and is not a ‘free ride’. How about being popular, or the class clown, or the class bully? Do these all have a price?

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3. What is a prank – a game, a trick, or a joke? Why do people play pranks? Are the motives ever “good”? Can you control the outcome of a prank?

4. Nick says he does not know how to stop everyone from using

Upcoming Events

the word “frindle”. Have you ever been in a situation that got

Julie Fowlkes: 1-10 December

out of hand?

More details at this website: www.bringmeabook.org.hk/ school-author-speaker-program/

Extending the story THINK about the way cultural information spreads or “Meme Culture”. Draw out symbols, pictures or ideas that come to mind when you think of viral phenomenon, ie, ideas that spread quickly from person to person within a culture.

Vocabulary

likeable (adj) 討人喜歡的 origin (n) 來源

substitute (n) 替代 annoyance (n) 煩擾

obsessed (adj) 沉迷 phenomenon (n) 現象

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 27 November 2017

• Text: Bring Me a Book Hong Kong

What an idea can do T

HIS is a story about a child who discovers an idea. The boy feels afraid to share his idea because they might think it is silly.

Almost ready to give up he decides to nurture and feed it, and

gradually, the idea bursts out bringing with it a miraculous change.

Thinking deeper Questions to consider: 1. One element of an idea is its creativity. Having an idea involves a creative process that requires attention, commitment and effort in communicating something purposeful in life. What other elements can be found in an idea?

2. Have you ever found yourself with an idea? How did it make you feel? Happy? Excited?

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3. What did you do with your idea?

4. The boy is afraid that other people will laugh and think his idea is silly and no good. Can you remember a time when we voiced our ideas to others only to have them tell us that it is no good and a waste of our time? Is there such a thing as a bad idea?

Upcoming Events:

5. What does it mean to feed an idea and make it grow?

Bird Watching Tours with authors Liu Bor-Leh: 23-25 Nov Julie Fowlkes: 1-10 Dec

Extending the story FIND out about past inventors whose ideas turned into inventions, such

http://www.bringmeabook.org.hk/ school-author-speaker-program/

as Zora Bell who, at 7 years old, was the youngest person to create a mobile app game in 2013.

Draw out the different emotions the boy felt from the moment he had an idea to the end of the story.

Vocabulary

idea (n) 想法 silly (adj) 愚蠢的

nurture (v) 培養 feed (v) 使豐富

miraculous (adj) 神奇的 commitment (n) 承諾

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 4 December 2017

• Text: Bring Me a Book Hong Kong

Being one of a kind T

HE story is about a little girl’s journey of dealing with her unique name. Chrysanthemum thinks her name is absolutely perfect – until she is teased about it at school. Eventually with the help of

her teacher, Chrysanthemum is able to proudly love her name again.

Thinking deeper 1. What does it mean to be ‘accepted’? Is being well-liked, admired and popular the same as being accepted?

2. “They are just jealous,” said her mother. “And envious, begrudging, discontented and jaundiced,” said her Father. What do these words mean and how are they different from each other?

3. Have you ever teased anyone before or been teased yourself? How did it feel? How did you react and if you were in that position again,

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how could you have reacted or behaved better or differently?

4. Being different is actually what makes each individual unique.

Consider what it would be like if we were all the same? How would that effect your class? Your school? The world?

Extending the story WRITE an acrostic poem using your name, eg, “SAMUEL” Some day Animals may Mumble & say Uereka!

Even I can talk Laugh and walk!

Vocabulary

unique (adj) 唯一的 tease (v) 嘲弄

envious (adj) 羨慕的 begrudging (adj) 妒忌的

discontented (adj) 不滿的 jaundiced (adj) 刻薄的

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 11 December 2017

• Text: Bring Me a Book Hong Kong

Friends real and imaginary T

HE Adventures of Beekle details an imaginary friend’s quest to find his real friend. Just as he resigns himself to a life of loneliness he meets a girl, Alice, and they become fast friends

and “together they did the unimaginable”.

Thinking deeper Questions to consider: 1. What did Beekle do that was so ‘unimaginable’? What does it mean to go out of your ‘comfort zone’?

2. Have you ever wanted something so much, you stopped waiting for it to come and made it happen in some way? If so, how?

3. Does courage always have to be daring and bold? Can it also be

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quiet, soft and subtle? What kind of courage was Beekle’s?

4. If an imaginary friend becomes unimagined, does it become a real friend?

5. What are the qualities Beekle was looking for in a friend? Was she similar to him and if so, in what way?

Upcoming Events:

6. Describe your best friend. What makes that person your best friend?

Extending the story

Bring Me a Book’s 400th library opening ceremony will be held on 21 December in Tai Po.

Alice names her imaginary friend ʻBeekle̓ – what other names would suit this little marshmallow creature?

Paint or draw other ‘made-up’ creatures and give them funny names.

Vocabulary

become fast friends (idm) 成為好友 unimaginable (adj) 不能想像的

comfort zone (n phr) 舒適區 daring (adj) 大膽的

subtle (adj) 隱約的 marshmallow (n) 棉花軟糖

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 15 January 2018

Valuing yourself and others Z

ERO is a follow-up to the book One by the same author. Zero feels empty inside and has a hole right through her centre. She feels left out because she wants to count like the other numbers but she feels like nothing. This story explores how to find value in yourself and others.

Thinking deeper Questions to consider: 1. What meanings can you ascribe to the metaphors ‘count’ and ‘value’?

Zero’s definition of counting not only means to put numbers in order, but also to be of value or to be important. a) What does it mean to ‘have value’? To ‘count’? b) Do you have value? What is your value?

2. Why does Zero only see an empty hole inside? What are the consequences of comparing yourself to others?

Read aloud demonstration Go to www.bringmeabook/ usefulinformation-2/read-alouddemonstration/ to watch Julia Fowlkes read from classic picture books.

3. Why do Eight and Nine encourage her to look like them, and is this helpful?

4. Notice how One, the leader, understood the value of encouraging others to lead and helped Zero find value in who she is. Have you ever helped a friend find value in themselves? If so, how did it make you feel?

Extending the story 1. Zero says, “If we help each other soar, we can count more,” ie, remind one another of our unique qualities.

2. Draw a picture of a friend and write down the ways in which you can help your friend ‘soar’.

3. Maths fun! Zero is halfway between -1 and +1 on the number line. What other fun maths facts can you come up with about Zero?

Vocabulary

left out (ph v) 被忽視 explore (v) 探究

ascribe (v) 由於 consequence (n) 後果

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encourage (v) 鼓勵 remind (v) 提醒

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 22 January 2018

Live in the moment I

N The Three Questions, Nikolai knows that he wants to be the best person he can be, but often he is unsure if he is doing the right thing.

So he goes to ask Leo, the wise turtle. What follows is a heartfelt work that reveals how important it is to ask the right questions, live in the present moment, and act on behalf of others.

Thinking deeper Questions to consider: 1. How successful was young Nikolai in getting the answers to his three questions from his friends? Why were they so different from each other?

2. How and where did he find the answers in the end?

3. What do you understand by the term ‘living in the moment’ and can you list the pros and cons of this motto?

4. Can you think of any questions that do not have a ‘right’ answer to it?

Read aloud demonstration Go to www.bringmeabook/ usefulinformation-2/read-alouddemonstration/ to watch Julia Fowlkes read from classic picture books.

5. What do you notice about the weather scenes in the book and how they relate to the emotions of the characters?

Extending the story 1. Write out the three questions and provide your own answers through pictures or words.

2. Find a mindful activity to concentrate on, for example, mindful eating: close your eyes and slowly chew on piece of food for an extended period of time to really savour all the flavours and see if you can really breakdown the ingredients through taste.

Vocabulary

wise (adj) 明智的 heartfelt (adj) 衷心的

behalf (n) 代表 successful (adj) 成功的

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motto (n) 格言 emotion (n) 情感

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 29 January 2018

• Text: Bring Me a Book Hong Kong

Our true thoughts W

HEN her mother gives her a magic wand to read people’s minds, a new and fascinating world opens for Nora. She discovers that people do not always say what they think or think what they say.

Nora the Mind Reader has some lifetime lessons about how responding with kindness can make a very big difference.

Thinking deeper THIS beautifully imaginative book illustrates the potential divide between thoughts and words.

Questions to consider: 1. Have you ever insulted someone or been on the receiving end of an insult for no apparent reason? How did it make you feel?

2. The ‘magic wand’ helped Nora ‘see what people were saying as well as what they were really thinking’. Can you describe a situation when using the wand may not be a good thing?

Upcoming Events: Diane Frankenstein: Reading Together – 3-10 March, 2018 David Schwartz: How Much Is A Million? – 19-27 March, 2018

3. Can you spot the ‘truth bubbles’ that are actually positive even though they stem from jealousy?

4. The truth can often be surprising. Discuss ways in which you were fooled or made a judgment about someone too quickly.

5. Replacing negativity with kindness is hard but do you think that with time and practice, people can make it a habit?

Arts and crafts MAKE your own ‘magic wand’ using recycled materials – what do you see when you look through it?

‘Do not judge a book by its cover’ – which means you should not prejudge the worth or value of something by its outward appearance alone. Can you represent this concept using drawings or other creative methods?

Vocabulary

fascinating (adj) 引人入勝的 potential (n) 潛質

receiving end (n phr) 受攻擊的一方 stem (v) 起源於

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negativity (n) 負能量 prejudge (v) 預先判斷

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 5 February 2018

• Text: Bring Me a Book Hong Kong

Fears and dreams I

N Rosie Revere, Engineer, Rosie dreams of becoming a great inventor.

When her great-great-aunt Rose comes for a visit and mentions her one unfinished goal – to fly – Rosie sets to work building a contraption to make her aunt’s dream come true. In the process, Rosie learns the only real failure for an inventor is giving up.

Thinking deeper: Questions to consider 1. Rosie learns that she can solve any problem she sets her mind to. What is a problem you would like to solve?

Upcoming Events: Magical Math Carnival – 24 March, 2018

2. Rosie “stood there embarrassed, perplexed and dismayed... and after that day kept her dreams to herself.” Have you ever felt like this? How did it turn out?

3. Do your fears prevent you from trying new things? What do you discover when you do the very thing you were afraid of?

4. What are other words for dreams – ‘hope’, ‘optimism’, ‘wishes’ or ‘expectation’? What would your life look like without dreams? Can you live without dreams? What are your dreams?

Read aloud demonstration Go to www.bringmeabook/ usefulinformation-2/read-alouddemonstration/ to watch Julia Fowlkes read from classic picture books.

5. “Questions are tricky, and some hold on tight, and this one kept Rosie awake through the night.” Have you ever had a question that has kept you up at night, if so, what was it?

Make a machine!

1. Reuben Goldberg was an American engineer and inventor. To entertain himself, he liked to create complicated machines to do simple tasks.

2. Gather recycled supplies such as string, cardboard, plastic containers, springs, ice lolly sticks, tubes, etc, and make your own Rube Goldberg machine. Ideas for simple tasks: putting coins in a bank; turning a page; watering a plant. Use a notebook to plan and document your results!

Vocabulary

unfinished (adj) 未完成的 contraption (n) 新發明物

perplexed (adj) 使困惑的 dismayed (adj) 不高興的

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optimism (n) 樂觀 document (v) 記錄

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 26 February 2018

Ingenuity and teamwork I

N Swimmy, a happy school of little fish lives deep in the sea. Their watery world is full of wonders, but there is also danger, and the little fish are afraid to come out of hiding . . . until Swimmy comes along. Swimmy shows his friends how – with ingenuity and team work – they can overcome any danger.

Thinking deeper Questions to consider: 1. One little fish can make a difference. What are some of the ways you can make a difference in someone’s day?

2. One of the themes of the book is about conquering your fears – the fish live in fear of being swallowed by the big fish so they hide in the shadows. Do your fears prevent you from trying new things?

3. What are the advantages of teamwork or working as a community? Are there any disadvantages?

Upcoming Events: Diane Frankenstein: Reading Together – 3-10 March, 2018 David Schwartz: How Much Is A Million? – 19-27 March, 2018

4. The book highlights accepting one’s individuality and not being afraid to be the only black fish in a school of red. Is being courageous something you are born with or something you can learn to become?

Underwater scenes • One technique Leo Lionni uses to create his illustrations for Swimmy is glass painting. With plastic wrap and blue tempera paint, you can create similar underwater scenes.

• Procedure: Use crayons to draw underwater scenes. Paint with watered down blue tempera. Place plastic wrap over tempera, let dry slightly.

Remove plastic wrap for blotchy underwater effect with paint to add a soft dimension.

• Materials: Crayons, blue tempera, plastic wrap.

Vocabulary

watery (adj) 水狀的 ingenuity (n) 巧妙

overcome (v) 克服 make a difference (v phr) 作出改變

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individuality (n) 個體 glass painting (n phr) 玻璃繪畫

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 19 March 2018

Reversal of fortune T

HE Lost Horse is a wonderful ancient Chinese folktale about Sai, a Chinese man who believes everything happens for a reason. With every hardship – such as the loss of his horse and the injury of his son – he says, “You know, it may not be such a bad thing.” One wrong helps prevent something worse.

Thinking deeper: Questions to consider 1. What does ‘reversal of fortune’ mean? Do you believe such a thing exists?

2. When Sai’s horse returns with a mare, is he happy? Why not?

3. Have you ever thought something was terrible but then it proved to be the exact opposite?

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4. What dangers or challenges might you face if you followed Sai’s mantra to ‘trust in the ever-changing fortunes of life’?

5. How are folktales different from other stories?

6. What do we learn about human behaviour and human nature from this folktale?

7. Is there a difference between the Chinese proverb ‘A loss may turn out to be a gain’ and the saying ‘Everything happens for a reason’?

Be creative!

1. Create your own puppets based on this folktale and perform your own puppet-show in front of your friends or classmates.

2. Write out, draw or invent other hardships for the story to demonstrate more reversals of fortune.

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3. Can you create your own stories based on other Chinese proverbs that you know?

Vocabulary

folktale (n) 民間故事 hardship (n) 困難

reversal (n) 逆轉 mare (n) 母驢

opposite (adj) 相反的 mantra (n) 真言

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 9 April 2018

• Text: Bring Me A Book Hong Kong

Face up to problems W

HAT do you do with a problem that follows you around and does not seem to go away? Do you worry about it? Ignore it? Do you run and hide from it? The longer the problem is

avoided, the bigger it seems to get. So the child needs to muster up his

courage fast in What Do You Do With a Problem? or it will never go away.

Thinking deeper: Questions to consider 1. Talking of his problem, the boy said “I shooed it. I scowled at it…” – what does that mean? Have you ever tried to ignore a problem and if so, did it work?

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2. How can a problem ‘swallow’ you up?

3. Are ‘difficulty’, ‘issue’, ‘trouble’, ‘worry’ and ‘complication’ other words for ‘problem’?

4. What qualities do you need to meet problems successfully – tenacity,

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confidence, courage, patience, resilience?

5. What is the wonderful ‘secret’ that the child discovers about problems?

Extending the story 1. Winston Churchill said: “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

2. Research success stories about inventors, creative entrepreneurs, thinkers, etc, who found creative ways to solve problems and become successful in their field. Show a success story visually through artwork, a comic strip or through your writing.

Vocabulary

muster up (ph v) 鼓起 shoo (v) 噓

scowl (v) 怒視 tenacity (n) 頑強

resilience (n) 還原能力 discover (v) 發現

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 16 April 2018

• Text: Bring Me A Book Hong Kong

Appreciating silence I

N The Sound of Silence, which is set in the hustle and bustle of Tokyo (東京), Yoshio asks a musician, “Do you have a favourite sound?”

She replies, “The most beautiful sound is the sound of ma, of silence.”

Yoshio spends the rest of the day looking for silence. He hears cars

beeping, trains whooshing, families laughing – noises are everywhere.

Thinking deeper: Questions to consider 1. What noises can you hear in Hong Kong? How do they make you feel?

Stressed, relaxed, happy or afraid?

2. The Japanese composer says that “without silence, sound would be meaningless” – do you agree? Have you ever noticed ma in your daily life?

3. Even when Yoshio slept, the “sound of a distant radio became part of his dreams”. If you hear sounds while you are sleeping, is your mind

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ever fully quiet?

4. Referring to silence, the author wrote, “Suddenly, in the middle of a page he heard it.” Can you really hear ‘silence’? Is it similar to the feeling of noticing someone’s absence?

Extending the story 1. Consider three sounds of water: water lapping gently against rocks, waves crashing against large cliffs and the dripping of water from a leaky tap.

2. Each sound evokes entirely different feelings. Create a chart with different categories of feelings (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral, etc) and where and how it shows up in the mind and body (relaxed, alert, dull, tired, overwhelmed, etc).

Vocabulary

hustle and bustle (n phr) 熙來攘往的 musician (n) 音樂家

meangingless (adj) 無意義的 absence (n) 缺席

lap (v) 輕輕拍打 evoke (v) 引起

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 23 April 2018

• Text: Bring Me A Book Hong Kong

Trusting others to work together S

TONE Soup, set in rural China, follows three monks who take a journey into the mountains to try to understand what makes one happy. They pass through a war-torn village. Embittered and

suspicious, the people hide their food and close their windows tight. That

is, until the clever monks suggest making a soup from stones.

Thinking deeper: Questions to consider 1. At the beginning of the story, why do the villagers not interact with each other? How does this affect the community as a whole?

2. What are the antonyms for ‘fear’ and ‘distrust’?

3. The monks use some trickery to help the girl and other villagers; do

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you think this is fair or moral? In which circumstances would the ends not justify the means?

4. In what ways can we demonstrate that sharing what you have makes a more plentiful whole?

5. How much do you agree that happiness involves community spirit, sharing and kindness? Can you think of a situation where you needed all three attributes?

Extending the story 1. There are many versions of this folktale from around the world. Some replace the stone soup with a magic cake tree (Korea), a bill-paying hat (the Philippines), cactus needles (Spain) or nail broth in The Old Woman and the Tramp (Sweden).

2. How are the folktales similar to or different from each other? Retell your favourite version of the folktale through writing, poetry, drawings or even dramatising it.

Vocabulary

war-torn (adj) 受戰火摧殘的 embittered (adj) 使受苦

clever (adj) 聰明 interact (v) 互動

trickery (n) 詭計 attribute (n) 屬性

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 30 April 2018

• Text: Bring Me A Book Hong Kong

Fortune favours the brave F

From the award-winning creators of What Do You Do With An Idea? This story is about a child who is unsure what to make of a chance encounter. After not taking some initial chances, the

child sees that the chances became less frequent. However, the child then discovers that when you get courage to take chances and say yes to

new experiences, amazing things can happen.

Thinking deeper: Questions to consider 1. The child said a chance “circled me as if it wanted me to grab it. I started to reach for it, but I was unsure and pulled back.” Can you explain what he meant? Have you ever felt in a similar way?

2. What happened to the child when he/she ignored the chances that came along? Does this happen in ‘the real world’?

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3. What gave the child the courage that was needed?

4. “Maybe I don’t have to be brave all the time. Maybe I just need to be brave for a little while at the right time.”

Can being courageous get you in trouble? Are there times when acting courageously is not a good idea?

Extending the story 1. “It’s impossible,” said Pride. “It’s risky,” said Experience. “It’s pointless,” said Reason.

“Give it a try,” whispered the Heart.

2. Write and/or illustrate your own poem or story based on the different thought processes involved in taking chances.

Vocabulary

chance encounter (n phr) 巧遇 initial (adj) 最初的

frequent (adj) 頻繁的 amazing (adj) 驚人的

courageous (adj) 勇敢的 impossible (adj) 辦不到的

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 7 May 2018

• Text: Bring Me A Book Hong Kong

Honesty is the best policy P

ING is the subject of a Chinese emperor who is exceptionally gifted at growing things. When it is time for the old king to choose his successor, he tests the children of the land by giving them

each a seed to cultivate and bring to him in a year. Ping is unable to get this seed to grow, and brings his empty pot to the king, whereupon the

king reveals his wisdom that reinforces the importance of honesty.

Thinking deeper: Questions to consider 1. The ‘clever’ friend said “You’re not really going to the Emperor with an empty pot, are you? Couldn’t you grow a great big flower like mine?”

Have you ever pretended to be someone you are not? How did that make you feel?

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2. What do you think the emperor was thinking while he was looking at all of the flowers ‘frowning’ without saying a word?

3. Why is honesty so difficult at times? Would you agree that it often takes courage to be honest?

4. If you find out someone has been dishonest with you, how do you feel?

What is the best way to deal with dishonesty?

Grow your own plant 1. Start with loose, slightly moist soil.

2. Plant the seed twice as deep as it is wide (tiny seeds can be sprinkled over the soil).

3. Make a hole first, or simply press the seed into the soil.

4. Cover the seed with dirt, and gently pack it down.

5. Water your seeds (if the soil isn’t already damp).

6. Watch them grow.

Vocabulary

subject (n) 臣民 exceptionally (adv) 異常地

successor (n) 繼任者 cultivate (v) 種植

whereupon (prep) 據此 reinforce (v) 強化

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 14 May 2018

• Text: Bring Me A Book Hong Kong

Healing music W

HEN a young boy begins to play on his family’s piano, just plunking the keys, his father signs him up for lessons. Raj learns notes then songs and finally classical pieces. But the

more Raj practises, the less he enjoys playing, until he stops playing altogether. Later, his father becomes ill and asks Raj to play for him. Will Raj remember how?

Thinking deeper: Questions to consider 1. There are two central themes in this book, one about the joys of music and the other about the bond between father and son. Which theme resonated with you the most and why?

2. The author and illustrator, Peter Reynolds, said, “Creativity thrives on bravery and originality”. How did the boy and/or his father demonstrate

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bravery and originality?

3. What do you notice about the color scheme as the story unfolds?

4. To comfort him, his father asked Raj to play the song ‘without a name’ and not one Raj ‘remembered.’ How would you explain the difference between the two types of music? How did the music eventually bring the boy and his father closer?

“ESCAPE” ART 1. In his first music lesson, Raj’s teacher showed him how notes were written which “reminded him of zoo animals peering through bars...wanting to escape”.

2. Can you draw your own picture or artwork depicting the theme ‘Escape’?

3. Try to find some new and different materials, for example water colour paints, to create your own “Escape” Art.

Vocabulary

plunk (v) 叮叮咚咚彈奏 note (n) 單音

classical (adj) 古典的 resonate (v) 產生共鳴

originality (n) 獨創性 depict (v) 描寫

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 21 May 2018

• Text: Bring Me A Book Hong Kong

Don’t worry, be happy T

HE young mouse Wemberly worries constantly despite her family telling her not to. Her biggest worry is her first day of school.

When she arrives, however, her teacher introduces her to another

student who also seems a bit shy. The two become instant friends and

enjoy school together. As Wemberly leaves in the afternoon, she tells her teacher not to worry, that she will be back tomorrow!

Thinking deeper: Questions to consider 1. When Wemberly’s mother, father and then grandmother each tell her “There’s nothing to worry about,” does it help?

2. Can you relate to Wemberly? What kinds of things do you worry about?

3. What was it about Jewel that helped Wemberly overcome some of the

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fears and worries she had?

4. What do you do when you are worried or anxious?

5. Are you born a ‘worrier’? Where does worry come from, yourself or others?

6. Is there ever any good that comes from worrying? Does courage play a role?

"Worry" circles 1. Draw two circles on a piece of paper: a) the first circle says how much you worry about a specific fear b) the second circle shows the chance that fear will happen 2. Do you notice how much smaller that second circle is?

3. Think of what the real chance of your worry actually happening. How many days have you been alive? Has this ever happened in all of those days?

Vocabulary

constantly (adv) 不斷地 instant (adj) 立刻的

relate (v) 有同感 anxious (adj) 焦慮的

courage (n) 勇氣 specific (adj) 特定的

Challenge

Bring Me A Book

P04 Monday 28 May 2018

• Text: Bring Me A Book Hong Kong

The hidden ships D

ESPERATE to protect ships from German (德國的) torpedoes, British commander Norman Wilkinson propose what became known as a dazzle. These stunning patterns were meant to

confuse the enemy about a ship’s speed and direction. By the end of the war, more than 3,000 ships had been painted with these designs.

Thinking deeper: Questions to consider 1. This story is about World War I. Can you name three surprising facts that you have learnt about Britain, ships and submarines?

2. What do you understand by the word “camouflage”? In some ways, the “dazzle ships” are so striking, they seem to have the opposite effect of camouflage. Why is this not the case?

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3. Norman Wilkinson’s paint job seems like a simple solution to a serious problem but in fact it was incredibly risky, ‘unlikely’ and ‘improbable’.

To what extent do you agree with the idea that “taking risks can cause you to become more creative”?

4. Do you think you become better at risk-taking and pushing boundaries with experience or is it a tendency you are born with?

Camouflage art TRY your own camouflage art using paper and colouring pens to hide animals or objects, blending them in with the background, similar to the picture:

Vocabulary

desperate (adj) 孤注一擲的 torpedo (n) 魚雷

stunning (adj) 使人眩暈的 submarine (n) 潛水艇

risky (adj) 危險的 improbable (adj) 不大可能發生的

Challenge