I assume you all know about this wonderful series of books by Laura Numeroff, and it’s not hard to figure out why. There are no ifs, ands or buts about it: they are fantastic, complete with both humor and tools to stimulate problem solving in our kids. As you know, this story begins with a little boy who gives a mouse he finds outside of his house a cookie. This sets off a sequence of events, as once the mouse gets a cookie, he needs a glass of milk, and once he gets the milk, he needs a straw, and then a napkin and then a mirror and so on. The text is rhythmic and fun to read, and the story is circular, ending right where it first started.
This book is fantastic for teaching kids about cause and effect: how one action can create a chain reaction and set off a string of responsive events. Children wait with anticipation to see what the mouse will need next, and as they get more familiar with the story, they love to fill in the words as they are able to “predict” the mouse’s every desire. The book is also fantastic for getting children to memorize large chunks of text. Finally, though the narrative is simple, the illustrations enhance the story and take the reader well beyond the text, creating adorable (and funny!) scenes where the mouse is depicted as the king of the story and an exhausted little boy struggles to keep up with his every demand.
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The “Cookie Book,” as my big one calls it, is a worn and often read story in our house, and if you don’t have any of these books in your own homes, get them soon. I can almost guarantee they will become your family favorites as well.
Want the book? Get it here! If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, by Laura Numeroff. *This is an affiliate link.
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