MaiStoryBook Library

MaiStoryBookLibrary: Horse Meets Dog + *Horse vs. Dog* Activity

by MaiStoryBook

Introducing a laugh-out-loud story all about perspective and mistaken identity featured in MaiStoryBook Library Collection:

“Horse Meets Dog” Written by Elliot Kalan, Illustrated by Tim Miller

Book Synopsis and Review

According to Dog, Horse is just a big dog with a wonky tail and long legs. But according to Horse, Dog is just a teeny weenie baby horse… Who’s to say who’s right or wrong? In this hilarious read aloud, Horse and Dog scramble to make sense of mistaken identities, balking at how different the other is from who they perceive each other to be.

This is a story of pure fun. I rarely laugh out loud when reading books, but this one had me giggling and seeking out a reading buddy to share the laughs with. It is a clever comedy, comparing and contrasting two seemingly different species to create a humorous yet sweet story about exploring differences and finding friendship. The illustrations are in a comic-book fashion, with perfect, relatable facial expressions for each character. The comedic confusion comes through the pictures, adding to the overall charming tone of the story. Perfect for some humor relief, or even as a supplement to a peprsepctive/opinon writing unit, this is a book guaranteed to entertain! (If you like the book “Duck! Rabbit!” by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, this book is similar~ but a ton more funny ~*)

Vocabulary

  • Paws (p. 8) animal feet that have claws and pads on the bottom
  • Mane (p. 9) the hair on a horse
  • Gorgeous (p. 10) super beautiful
  • Saddle (p. 14) a seat that you put on the back of a horse to ride the horse
  • Whinny (p. 29) the sound a horse makes~ like *neigh*

Themes/ Main Ideas

  • Differences are what make us unique.
  • Friends accept and enjoy each other’s differences. Get to know someone before making assumptions or judgments.

YouTube Video: Guided Shared-Reading Read Aloud Example

Example of a shared-reading, interactive Read Aloud of “Horse Meets Dog” – how to subtly introduce the vocabulary list words within the text, ask guided questions, and spark conversation!

*~Check it Out~*

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*Horse vs. Dog* Activity

I read this book to mai first graders~ and they insisted on reading it over and over again. Even though they knew all the jokes, they would lean forward, waiting in anticipation for the funny part they knew was coming and then burst into delightful glee. I would pause for dramatic effect and then finally read the funny part aloud, bracing myself for the peals of laughter. It’s the best feeling to read aloud and have such active engagement and excited responses from the audience. Makes you feel like a star entertainer! After several read alouds, we had a mini *spirited* debate over whether you would rather be a horse or a dog. Hearing the firsties come up with their own reasons for Horse vs. Dog, were just as, if not more, hilarious than the book! This story is the perfect prompt for some opinion writing~ and if you are looking for a fun template to get record this fun writing activity, MaiStoryBook has you covered with this week’s craft! Check out MaiStoryBook’s *Horse vs. Dog* Activity~*

Materials

Directions

  • Download your *Horse vs. Dog* template and print it out.
  • Choose if you’d rather be a Horse or Dog, and then cut out the corresponding writing template.
  • Fill in the sentence starter *I’d rather be a horse/dog because ______*
  • Give at least 3 reasons why.
  • Color in the animal head and paws/hooves, then cut them out.
  • Glue them to the writing portion. Glue the head on the top, and the hooves/paws onto the two sides (see picture example).

Enjoy Your *Horse vs. Dog* Activity!

  • Share your opinion with a family member or friend. Tell them why’d you’d rather be a horse or dog.
  • Share your activity and ask a family member or friend what their opinion is. Would they rather be a horse or dog? Compare reasons.
  • Re-read the story with your activity, and add reasons from the story to support your opinion.

*~Overall, have fun sharing your opinion and this fun story with the *Horse vs. Dog* activity, and I hope you and your little ones have an afternoon filled with laughter!  – tag me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary, Twitter @MaiStoryBook  – or post on FaceBook to share your photos of your own *Horse vs. Dog* activities, and your own reading adventures! I’d love to hear from you!~*

*~Until next time, Happy Reading~*