Book Pairing: WINTER WONDERLAND
Just like you might pair a fine wine with a gourmet meal, JOYcabulary pairs together read aloud books: usually a narrative text with an informational text, or sometimes two narrative texts around a similar topic. When we pair these together, comprehension is deepened as students make connections between the two books.
Today’s book pairing is all about WINTER WONDERLAND. Holidays and celebrations for the end of the year.
A Very Mercy Christmas by KateDiCamillo
When Stella gets the sudden idea to go caroling, she has a little trouble getting someone to join her. Her brother, Frank, is not good at spontaneity. The Watsons are very involved in a precarious fruitcake attempt (but happy to send their pig, Mercy, out for the occasion). Eugenia Lincoln declines, a bit rudely, to accompany on her accordion, and Horace Broom is too busy studying planetary movement. Will Stella need to sing by herself—with enthusiastic contributions from the pig, the cat, and the horse she picks up on the way? Or does the evening hold a miracle Stella hadn’t expected? With tender affection for Mercy Watson and all her Deckawoo Drive friends, Kate DiCamillo and Chris Van Dusen offer a picture-book homage to the season that is perfectly suited for family sharing—perhaps with some cups of hot cocoa and a stack of well-buttered toast.
Winter: A Solstice Story by Kelsey E. Gross
Tonight is the longest night of the year—solstice is here! Deep in the forest, the dark, cold, and quiet of winter is all around. Owl, Mouse, and Deer all watch the light fades and dark surrounds them, but they have a gift of hope to share with their neighbors. The moon and stars shine down on a lone tree in the forest, and the animals gather around to bask in its light. Winter Solstice arrives as the winter sky brings magic for all to share.
