MaiStoryBook Library

MaiStoryBook: As Cool As it Gets + *My Coolest Gift* Cool Bean Craft

by MaiStoryBook

Celebrating the Winter Holiday Season with the Coolest Beans around~ featured in the MaiStoryBook Library Collection:

*As Cool as It Gets* by Jory John, Illustrated by Pete Oswald

*~Click here to purchase your own copy of “As Cool as It Gets” to start on your own reading adventure! ~*

*Don’t Miss the Other Books + Crafts in the Food Group Series:

The Bad Seed, The Good Egg, The Couch Potato, The Cool Bean, The Smart Cookie*

Book Synopsis/ Review

It’s the holiday season, but Cool Bean isn’t feeling too holly-jolly. It’s time for the annual Christmas party gift exchange, and Cool Bean pulled Beanadette’s name from the hat. She’s the coolest bean around, and Cool Bean can’t afford to buy a fancy gift. Should he skip the party? However, when he finds a bundle of paints, colors, and paper in his cupboard, he comes up with a brilliant idea for a gift. Will Beanadette think his gift is as cool as it gets?

This festive holiday addition to the Food Group Series is full of puns, charming illustrations, and a heart warming message. Littles may relate to the pressures of gift-giving and giving the perfect gift, but will discover along with Cool Bean the value of creativity, imagination, and giving a gift that was made with love. I appreciate how this story highlights the joys of giving and receiving a handmade gift. It will encourage your littles to whip out their own colors and papers to craft special drawings and gifts for their loved ones this year.

Vocabulary

  • exchange (p. 3) to trade
  • extravagant (p. 6) super fancy
  • sheepishly (p. 13) feeling embarrassed
  • cavalcade (p. 16) a line or parade of people
  • plotting (p. 20) planning

Main Themes/ Ideas

  • The price of a gift doesn’t determine how great of a gift it is.
  • Handmade and homemade gifts are special and meaningful.

YouTube Video: Guided Shared-Reading Read Aloud Example

Example of a shared-reading, interactive Read Aloud of “As Cool as It Gets” – how to subtly introduce the vocabulary list words within the text, ask guided questions, and spark conversation!


Subscribe: MaiStoryBook Youtube Channel for more *interactive* read aloud videos!

*My Coolest Gift* Cool Bean Surprise Craft

Growing up, my parents loved our homemade/ handmade gifts: wreaths and bouquets made from our handprints, paintings made in art class, mini ceramic bowls that balance slightly crooked. Even now, the one request we get from our parents for gifts is a handwritten card. Taking the time to make something for someone is meaningful and special. As a teacher, I loved helping the littles craft a special gift for the holidays for their families. Our favorite and most ambitious project was a calendar, numbered by hand by the littles, and with handprint pictures for each month. The featured book, *As Cool as It Gets,* highlights the joy of giving and receiving handmade gifts. Check out this bookish craft inspired by the story to join Cool Bean in creating a special drawing for a friend or family member, or in sharing what *Cool* gifts you’ve given and received.

Materials

Directions

  • Choose Black-and-White or Color templates.

The Cool Bean COVER FLAP Attachment

  • Choose a Cool Bean Cover Flap. There are 3 Different Heading Options.
  • “Happy Holidays”: Can be used with any of the Response Templates
  • “To: and From:” Best used with Response Templates V. 1-3 (Giving a picture gift)
  • Write who you are giving the gift To in the “To” section, and write your own name in the “From” section
  • “The Coolest Gifts:” Best used with Response Templates V. 5-7
  • Write your name in the blank
  • Print out and Cut out Your template. Color if you chose Black-and-White.
  • Cut the Cover Flap Template in half down the dotted line.

Response Template

  • Choose a Response Template. There are differentiated versions.
  • Versions 1-3 focus on sharing a special picture. Draw a picture in the blank space. Write about the picture you drew if you choose a version with lines.
  • Versions 5-7 focus on what cool gifts you’ve given and received. Draw/write about the gifts.
  • Version 4, 8-10 are for free responses. Write/ Draw what you choose.
  • Print, Fill in,  and cut out the response template.
  • TO CONNECT THE CRAFT:
  • To connect the craft, place glue on the two gray earmuff tabs on the Response Template.
  • Glue the Cover Flap pieces over the Response Template by lining up the two halves and gluing them onto the earmuff tabs.
  • The Cover Flap should line up with response template, and completely cover your responses. (See preview photos, and VIDEO PREVIEW in the original TPT listing)
  • Lift the two cover flaps and open then from the middle to reveal your responses underneath.

Enjoy Your *My Coolest Gift* Cool Bean Craft

  • Gift your Cool Bean Craft Drawing to a family member or friend.
  • Use your Cool Bean Craft for inspiration of a *cool* gift you can give friends or family.
  • Do a class gift exchange, draw a name out of a hat, and draw a special picture for them in the Cool Bean Craft.
  • Reread the story and use your Cool Bean Craft as a reading Buddy to act out the story.
  • Display the crafts for a festive Winter Holiday Bulletin Board and to remind you of all the cool gifts you can give and receive.

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*~ I hope you are enjoying plenty of *inspiring* reading adventures this year, Mai Friends! Tag me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary or FaceBook , find me on TikTok, or contact me via email to share your own *Cool Bean* Winter Crafts and your own reading adventures! I’d love to hear how you are changing the world!~*

Enjoy More Winter Holiday Read Aloud Videos Here!

*~Until next time, Happy Reading