This is a humorous explanation of how Chinese children came to have such short names. This is a great read aloud. Children love the tongue twisting nature of Tikki Tikki Tembo's full name: Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo.
The inside of the dust jackets says the story is a Chinese Folktale retold by Arlene Mosel. However that seems to be some disagreement as to whether or not this a true Chinese folktale. My research was not conclusive, but MacMillan Authors states that Ms. Mosel heard this story often as a child. True Chinese folktale or not, it is a story that children enjoy hearing read aloud.
We also read The Empty Pot by Demi
The Empty Pot is about a boy who loves flowers and an emperor who is looking for a child to succeed him. It is a great story about truth and honesty. The emperor gives all the children a seed and tells them the one who has done the best in a year's time will be heir to his throne.
Ping loves flowers and has always been able to grow beautiful ones, but is unable to make the seed grow. After a year has passed all the other children have beautiful flowers, but Ping's pot is still empty. Even though he is ashamed that he couldn't grow a flower for the emperor Ping returns to palace with his empty pot. The emperor is very pleased with Ping. He had boiled the seeds he gave the children. The seeds would not grow. Ping was the only one who was honest and didn't switch his seed.
The illustrations in this book are beautiful and the story provides a simple illustration of the rewards of honesty. Another great read aloud.
I haven't seen The Empty Pot, but I love Tikki Tikki Tembo (but you know that!). Did you have the children count the letters in the name? I remember that sometimes after reading that story I had the children count the letters in their names, and line up from shortest name to longest. Sneak in some math. :-)
ReplyDeleteJoyce. I didn't think to have the kids count the letters. And with CSAPs goofing up the schedule this week I didn't have time to arrange them by name length (ok, I forgot you did that, too.) I've decided to create a notebook or file with books and the activities to go with them so I don't forget all those great things I learned from you. I wanted to read The Story About Ping, but Chinook doesn't have a copy. And horror of horrors, I don't think I have a copy either.
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