Ten Rules of the Birthday Wish by Beth Ferry and Tom Lichtenheld
Print motivation: Because birthdays are fun, and so is this book!
Vocabulary: This rich vocabulary includes words such as “croon” and “fluorescent.”
Print Awareness: From top to bottom, left to right, this book's printed words—in varying styles, differing sizes, and unusual positions—all reinforce the basic mechanics of a book.
Narrative skills: The words are the ten rules. The stories are all in the pictures. Interpreting images to understand a story is key to reading comprehension.
Phonological Awareness: Strong use of alliteration draws attention to sounds in words.
Letter Knowledge: A large font makes big letters easy to see and recognize.
Background Knowledge: Kids will draw on their own experiences to engage with this book.
This book helps kids practice:
Talking: This is a great book for conversation, as it suggests many open-ended options for birthday celebrations.
Singing: Yes, there is singing involved. It's the “Happy Birthday” song, of course!
Reading: Plenty of that here, with large font, big letters, and a fun premise.
Writing: This book involves counting on fingers, a fine motor skill that prefigures writing.
Playing: Close your eyes. Make a wish. Play right along with the story.
Extend the book with a wish jar!
These are ordinary jars, a mix of plastic and glass. I took one and decorated it with crêpe paper streamers, ribbon, and colorful stickers.
The wish jar is for keeping track of all your wishes. Just write* your wish on a piece of paper, fold it up, and drop it in the wish jar.
*If your child is too young to write, that's okay! Anything goes here, so drawing a picture, writing someone's initials, decorating the paper in your favorite colors are all wonderful alternatives. The point is that there is something on the paper to stand for the wish.
This idea, that something can be symbolized on paper, is the single basic principle of writing. If your child understands that a word or letter or picture has meaning, then your child has grasped a vital pre-literacy skill.
