Kathleen Pelley: Activity Guide for Amos & Boris

K a t hle e n P e l le y S t or y te ll i ng A c ti v i ty G ui de

Activity Guide by

Kathleen Pelley ďƒ“ 2014 Kathleen Pelley

KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com

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K a t hle e n P e l le y S t or y te ll i ng A c ti v i ty G ui de One of the many things I love about good stories is that they can provide a space in our hectic busy lives to simply PAUSE and PONDER some truth, some beauty, or some new way of looking at the world.

Each month I will invite you to join me as I PAUSE and PONDER upon the story I have just read.

AMOS AND BORIS Written and illustrated by William Steig

PAUSE and PONDER …

Why I love this story?

It is a tender tale of two very different characters – a mote of a mouse and a mountain of a whale – who develop a deep and an abiding affection for one another. Amos, the mouse, is an adventurer, a lover of life, and….a philosopher.

Every time I read those lines after he has fallen into the ocean, “He began to wonder what it would be like to drown. Would it take very long? Would it feel just awful? Would his soul go to heaven? Would there be other mice there?” I smile and think of E.B. White’s words, “All I want to say in books. All I ever wanted to say in books, is – I LOVE THE WORLD” This story truly celebrates a love of life and rejoices in the gift of FRIENDSHIP. As a storyteller I delight in the rich, lively language – words such as: phosphorescent sea, luminous water, gemlike radiance, quivering daintiness, grandeur, abounding friendliness.” When Frank McCourt (Pulitzer prize winning author of Angela’s Ashes, first encountered the language of Shakespeare, he described it as “having jewels in my mouth” – “phosphorescent….gemlike radiance” – “RICH” language - JEWELS indeed!

 2014 Kathleen Pelley

KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com

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K a t hle e n P e l le y S t or y te ll i ng A c ti v i ty G ui de When I talk to children at schools, I will often compare stories to journeys. Just as a journey involves movement from one place to another, so too a story involves movement: a movement of our heart to feel something – hence the word, eMOTION. And just as we will often return from a journey with some souvenirs to remind us of where we have been, so too a good story, I believe, should leave us with some souvenir: a bolt of beauty, a glimpse of goodness, some words of wisdom, a jolt of joy, a dollop of hope, a soupçon of sadness, a nugget of knowledge, or a crumb of comfort.

So, the two souvenirs I take from this story are:

1. A soupcon of sadness to see our two friends part from one another – a reminder that often we must endure separation from our loved ones, whether through death or distance or some other circumstances.

2. A dash of delight as I revel in the joy of friends who have lit up my life in so many ways over the years.

Emotional/Universal Truth What is an emotional truth?

Any editor will tell you that a common weakness of many picture book manuscripts is that it is “too trite.” In other words, it will not withstand multiple readings, because it is too one dimensional and lacks a universal, emotional truth.

It is NOT a lesson, a moral, or a message! Rather it is a simple truth, woven seamlessly throughout the story -some truth about love, hope, pain, joy, or home that a child can understand and connect with. I like to think of it as that whiff of wonder, that bolt of beauty that lingers with you, long after the last page is turned or the final word uttered.

Why should this universal truth matter so much to the read-aloud quality of a picture book?

“The storytellers go back and back, to a clearing in the forest where a great fire burns, and the old shamans dance and sing, for our heritage of stories began in fire, magic, the spirit world. And that is where it is held, today.”

Doris Lessing

 2014 Kathleen Pelley

KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com

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K a t hle e n P e l le y S t or y te ll i ng A c ti v i ty G ui de Truth connects us to one another, to our ancestors, and to the world around us.

Good books and stories are all about connections. When we read a story aloud to a child – a story that truly touches us at the very core of our being with its beauty and its truth, then, we will naturally breathe our own life and love into those words as we read them aloud. (Notice how life and spirit, breath and voice are all connected). And, in turn, those words will seep into the little listener’s heart, making her or him feel brave or bold, calm or kind, happy or hopeful.

“Adult books maintain lives; children’s books change lives.” Yolen

The “truth” of this story is, I think, twofold:

1. Friends are the elixir of life – they help us to love more, they bring out our best characteristics, and though we may have to endure separation through death or distance, good friends always live in our hearts.

2. “A friend in need is a friend indeed” – surely all of us have experienced the care of a dear friend in our times of trouble and know what solace a good friend can bring.

What souvenir and what “truth” I wonder, will you and your children take from this story?

The following discussion questions and activities are designed for use either with a parent and a child, or with a teacher and her class or a small group. Most of the discussion questions are suited for children ages 6-8, but could be adapted for use with younger children too.

- Kathleen Pelley

 2014 Kathleen Pelley

KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com

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K a t hle e n P e l le y S t or y te ll i ng A c ti v i ty G ui de

Discussion of Friendship In what ways are Amos and Boris different from one another? (mouse, whale, big, small, one lives on land and the other on sea etc.)

In what way are they similar? (both love life, are curious, friendly, adventurous, mammals etc.)

What did Amos admire about Boris? (the bulk, grandeur, power, purpose, rich voice, and abounding friendliness) What did Boris admire about Amos? (the delicacy, the quivering daintiness, the light touch, the small voice, the gemlike radiance) Think of one of your special friends. How are you alike?

How are you different?

What do you admire about your friend?

What do you like to do with your friend?

Have you ever had a friend who helped you in a time of need?

Have you ever helped a friend in a time of trouble?

“A friend in need is a friend indeed” – discuss.

Are you more like Amos or Boris?

Boris described Amos as “all heart” – what do you think he meant?

Why can’t Amos and Boris be together (one lives on land, the other in the sea) Have you ever had a friend who had to move to another place?

 2014 Kathleen Pelley

KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com

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K a t hle e n P e l le y S t or y te ll i ng A c ti v i ty G ui de

Character Comparison On chart paper, draw two overlapping circles and label them AMOS and BORIS. Have child/children compare Amos to Boris. Direct them to think about physical characteristics and personality. Record their answers in the circles. Explain that descriptions matching both Amos and Boris will be written in the area where the circles overlap and that the descriptions matching only one of them will be written in that character’s circle.

Amos

Boris

Mouse

Whale

Tiny Gemlike Natural sailor Lives on land Fur coat

Both Friendly Mammal Curious Loves the ocean

Huge Lives in sea Spouts Swims Has fins

Squeaks Runs Has legs Bold

Kind Bold Adventurous

Adventurous

ďƒ“ 2014 Kathleen Pelley

KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com

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K a t hle e n P e l le y S t or y te ll i ng A c ti v i ty G ui de

Character Comparison (for younger children) Copy the words from the box below onto colored cards. Tell the child that some of these are AMOS MOUSE words and others are BORIS WHALE words. Have child/children stick cards onto the correct animal shape from the next page.

         

Mouse Curious Adventurous kind brave lives on land lives in the sea Whale Squeaks Boris

 2014 Kathleen Pelley

         

Small Sounds eats fish Amos Big mammal eats cheese Friendly wonders Loves life

KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com

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K a t hle e n P e l le y S t or y te ll i ng A c ti v i ty G ui de

ďƒ“ 2014 Kathleen Pelley

KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com

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K a t hle e n P e l le y S t or y te ll i ng A c ti v i ty G ui de

Going on a Journey Discuss some of the items Amos took on his journey – sextant, compass, iodine, bandages, acorns, telescope, needle and thread, a yo-yo, and playing cards. These were his “necessities.”

Encourage child/children to talk about what “necessities” they like to take on a journey.

Have your child draw a picture of a sailboat – or use the picture on the next page. Ask your child to give a name to her or his boat (Amos called his boat Rodent). Now encourage your child to write and/or draw her or his list of “necessities.”

The name of my boat is: __________________________ My list of “NECESSITIES” ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________  2014 Kathleen Pelley

KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com

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K a t hle e n P e l le y S t or y te ll i ng A c ti v i ty G ui de

ďƒ“ 2014 Kathleen Pelley

KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com

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K a t hle e n P e l le y S t or y te ll i ng A c ti v i ty G ui de

Word Scramble Unscramble the words…

1

A mote of a __ _ _ _ _ (emsuo)

2

A mountain of a _ _ _ _ _ (hewla)

3

Ivory coast of _ _ _ _ _ _ (fiacar)

4

Worst storm of the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (cryuten)

5

Two goodhearted _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (lanstehpe)

6

Middle of the _ _ _ _ _ (noeca)

 2014 Kathleen Pelley

KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com

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K a t hle e n P e l le y S t or y te ll i ng A c ti v i ty G ui de

Crisscross Words Use the clues below to complete the crossword

ďƒ“ 2014 Kathleen Pelley

KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com

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K a t hle e n P e l le y S t or y te ll i ng A c ti v i ty G ui de

WE LOVE THE WORLD – Activity E. B. White said, “all I want to say in books, all I ever wanted to say is, I LOVE THE WORLD.” Discuss.

What did Amos love? (ocean, smell of sea air, he loved to hear the surf sounds, breakers, the back washes.) Discuss with child/children what they love to see, smell, touch, hear, do.

Draw heart shapes on card. Have child/children write their name in the heart. Then fill the heart with all things they love about the world – encourage them to think of things they love to see, hear, taste, feel, do.

Decorate – wall of room/classroom under heading of We LOVE the World.

You could do a heart for every day of the week and what they loved about the world that day, or you could do a heart for the week and what they loved that week.

SEE SAMPLE HEART ACTIVITY BELOW

Jumping in a puddle Hearing baby brother laugh

Today I LOVED… Crunch of leaves

 2014 Kathleen Pelley

KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com

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K a t hle e n P e l le y S t or y te ll i ng A c ti v i ty G ui de

Answer Key Word Scramble 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

mouse whale Africa Century Elephants Ocean

Crossword Puzzle 1. bandages 2. sail 3. Yetta 4. yo-yo 5. rodent 6. mote 7. mouse 8. ocean 9. mammal 10. Africa

ďƒ“ 2014 Kathleen Pelley

KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com

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