Introducing a springtime tale of furry and feathered fun, featured in this week’s MaiStoryBook Library Collection:

“Mother Bruce” by Ryan T. Higgins

*~Click here to purchase your own copy of “Mother Bruce” to start on your own reading adventure! ~*

Book Synopsis and Review

*~Spring~* Spring is the time when the flowers bloom, and the world is buzzing and bustling with new life~ It’s the season of all things cute and cuddly *think baby bunnies and playful puppies* and don’t forget baby birds of course~  and where and when there are baby birds, there must be an abundance of eggs…and where there is an abundance of eggs, there must be a *Bruce the Bear* nearby! Because there is nothing Bruce the Bear loves more than a deliciously crafted meal of eggs~fried eggs, egg souffle, fancy hard boiled eggs with paprika, or even just eggs on toast. But one, day as Bruce begins to hard boil some goose eggs for a delectable egg, salmon, and honey dish, imagine his surprise when his goose eggs~ instead of hard boiling~ *hatch!* 4 little goslings spring out of the pot with a chorus of *Mama!* not even realizing that *SHE was actually a HE, and HE was a BEAR.* Try as he might to rid himself of the 4 little goslings, the little ones insist on Bruce as their Mama and follow him relentlessly. Follow along this hilariously charming read aloud as Bruce learns to *make the best of every situation* and comes to open his heart to a new kind of family.

This week’s featured storybook is perfect for introducing little ones to the idea of spring, and the science of migration and animal imprinting~ all through a cleverly cute story of how a grumpy bear, whose favorite food in the whole world is eggs (!), comes to raise a gaggle of just-hatched goslings. Fall in love with this mixed little family, as grumpy bear himself learns to love his newfound family. With expressive illustrations, detailing the moods and feelings flashing through Bruce’s minds as he comes to raise four little goslings, little ones will gleefully giggle over Bruce’s reactions to his goslings. The illustrations themselves can tell the story of acceptance, patience, love, and family~ while mixing in loads of humor. Enjoy this fun-filled, springtime read aloud!

Vocabulary List

• Ingredients (p. 6) all the other foods you need to put together to make a new food
• Gosling (p. 12) a baby goose
• Stern (p.  17) serious
• Pesky (p. 26) annoying
• Migration (p. 28) when birds fly south during the winter season because it is warmer down south

Themes/Main ideas

• Animal Imprinting and Migration: Imprinting is a time when a baby bird forms a strong attachement to its mother. Often, the baby bird will imprint on the first animal it sees during this stage in their life, regardless of whether it’s their mother or not.  Birds migrate south to warmer weather during the winter.
• Family: Families come in all shapes and sizes. Family are the ones who take care of you and love you. 

YouTube Video: Guided Shared-Reading Read Aloud Example

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

*~Check it Out~*

Subscribe: MaiStoryBook Youtube Channel for additional read aloud videos!

*If I Raised Goslings…* Bear Craft

A highlight in kindergarten~ hatching baby chicken eggs in our very own classroom incubator! I remember the incubator resting on the bookshelf, a glorious pedestal bearing an exciting, intriguing treasure. The white and tan orbs that would glow in the warm light drew our attention~ our eyes slowly drifting from the teacher to the mechanical nest looming to the side of her head. For that whole time, none of us dared to mention eating eggs, and I know I refused to touch any egg related dish at home. To imagine eating our precious eggs we were taking close- care of??? It was unthinkable… Then came the day ~ *Hatching Day!* With the first little cracks and the tiniest beak peaking through, our hearts were stolen by the fluffiest, smallest little creature we had ever seen. And as one egg became one baby chick, soon 2, 3 , 4,~~~ 12 baby chicks were up and chirping, being transferred form the incubator to a warm home under the heating lamp. *~How we all adored being Mother Hens, cupping a fluffy chick in our hands, cooing softly and stroking it with our gentle fingers~* And how we all would have loved to take at least 4 of them home with us, but of course, they were only given to the willing parents or the local farm. And thus was our adventure with baby birds~ nothing quite as rambunctious as Mother Bruce had in this storybook~ but if you’d like to imagine having 4 little goslings follow *you* around and how you would take care of them, then check out the featured craft inspired by *Mother Bruce*:

Materials

• *If I Raised Goslings..* Downloadable Bear Craft Template
• Scissors
• Glue
• Colors: Markers / Crayons
• Pen/ Pencil

Directions

COVER TEMPLATE

• Choose a Gosling Cover Template: There are 3 different versions in Color or Black-and-White: Plain; “Mother _____”; or “If I raised baby goslings…”
• Fill in your Name in the blank if you choose a Personalized Template: EX) ”Mother __Maya_ “
• Print out and color the cover template if you chose B&W
• Cut out the Gosling Cover Template

RESPONSE TEMPLATE

• Choose a Bear Response Template. There are 9 differentiated versions
• Versions 1-3: Includes Prompts inspired by the story to share how you would raise baby goslings. Write/ Draw what you would feed the goslings, what you all would play together, what you would teach them, and then Draw a family portrait of you and your goslings
• Version 4-6: Includes the heading: “If I Raised Baby Goslings…” Respond to the prompt with drawings or writing to share how you would raise the goslings.
• Versions 7-9: Blank templates for your own free-responses or for your own prompts.
• Print out the response template, fill it in, and color. Cut it out.

ATTACH THE CRAFT

• To attach the craft, place glue on the gray area labeled “Glue” on the Bear Response Template.
• Take the Cover Template and glue it on top of the Response Template so that it covers your responses. (SEE SAMPLE PHOTOS AND VIDEO PREVIEW IN ORIGINAL TPT LISTING)
• Lift the Cover Flap to reveal your responses

Enjoy your *If I Raised Goslings…* Bear Craft

• Share your craft and share how you would take care of 4 little goslings
• Compare how you and your friends/ family members would take care of the goslings the same or differently
• Use your craft to share and retell your own version of Raising Goslings story to family and friends.
• Reread the story and use your craft as a reading buddy to act out to story.

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*~Overall, have fun creating your own Bear Crafts,  and I hope you and your little ones enjoy the upcoming spring weather and get to see some little baby animals! Tag me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary or FaceBook , find me on TikTok, or contact me via email to share your own Bear Crafts and your own reading adventures! I’d love to hear about your own reading adventures!~*

*~Until next time, Happy Reading~*

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