Moose Tales by Nancy Van Laan

Book Genre: Fiction

Publisher Information: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1999 ( 43 pages )

Summary: This is a three chapter book with adventures of Moose and his friends, Beaver, Squirrel, Rabbit, and Mouse. The first chapter has Moose on a blue-sky day trying to find a friend to walk with. Everyone is busy doing their own animal activities and no one has time to walk with Moose. Moose ends up walking all over the forest to find a friend and by the time he gets back to Beaver, the first friend he asks to walk with him, Beaver is ready to walk, but Moose is ready for a nap.

The next chapter has Moose taking a nap by the tree Beaver is gnawing on. When Moose rolls over he knocks the tree down on his friend! Moose makes a distress call and all Beaver's friends try to move the tree in their own way. Nothing works until Moose sits down on one end of the tree and it raises the other side, releasing Beaver. His next job is to put up a sign, Do Not Nap Here.

The last chapter tells about Moose and Beaver lying in the snow catching snow flakes on their tongues until they are covered in snow. When Rabbit, Mouse, and Squirrel walk by, Moose and Beaver jump up and scare them! Together they decide to make a snow creature with four legs, a bushy tail, long ears, whiskers, and two large teeth. Their snow creature is a perfect combination of all of them and everyone is happy.

Personal Rating: (*** Good) This book has lots of illustrations to perk up what would be a bit of a boring story. The goodness of the book is in the friendships found amongst all the animals. They live in a utopia where everyone cares for each other and kindness prevails. A nice change from some of the cartoons and movies of bullies and bad guys children are endlessly exposed to. Also, it is a chapter book, with three stories to keep minds interested

Reading Level: 2.1
Interest Level: ages 4-9

Possible uses of the text in integrated units of study:

Science: The students will study the animals in the book and their natural habitats. The students will also study the forest's eco-system from the ground to the canopy. The students will study our changing environment as we move into and possibly destroy these animals habitats. Class disscussion: How have these animals adapted and what can we do to provide a better home for us all? Also, a demonstation of a fulcrum would simulate Moose sitting on the tree using distance to raise the tree on one side. The teacher would vary weights and distance.

Art: Use cotton balls, sticks, toothpicks, marshmallows, pine needles and gumdrops to make a snow creature.

Math: Have the students draw a picture of Moose and Beaver lying down. How many inch by inch paper squares does it take to cover them up. Compare totals.

Reading: Students will pick out a nonfiction book about their favorite animal in the story and give oral reports about the animals. This could be done as small groups project since there are only five animals.


Potential Problems: This book as stated previously would be too slow and a bit boring to a nine year old. I believe a first grader could read this book by the end of the school year. It has three chapters but the illustrations break up the book into easy to read sections.

Beverly Ross