This book I fell in love with last summer in one of my favourite bookshops, BD Fugue in Annecy. Let it charm you too!
Language of text: French
Type of text: picture book
Author or source: Benoît Charlat
Intended age of students: Key Stage 1/2
Source reference: 9782211091473
Approaches:
So much we can do with such a simple story!! It is the story of a baby eagle who realises he has to let go of his favourite things before he can fly towards freedom!
I will share the book with the class in the 1st instance, all in French; then I will use a cut out of Nénègle and of each of his toys as well as the mountain and tell the story again but with the children repeating each part and someone adding the objects on the board one at a time. On third reading, I will focus on the children repeating and starting to memorise the 4 objects (we will do activities with the cut outs so they know them) so that the next time I will stop and let them tell me what the objects are.
Please note: I bought from a very cheap shop a baby bottle, a read truck and a dummy to help us tell the story, and the children physically drop them when Nénègle does; I recommend it, it is very effective! I already had an eagle puppet and a rabbit one.
Rationale:
When you think about it, the book tells an important story about growing up and letting go of things along the way… and not just when you are a toddler!
The illustrations are very simple, colourful and clear and therefore make it very easy for young children to work out what happens in the story.
Outcomes:
Once the children have enjoyed listening to the story, joining in with it and telling it themselves, they may want to come up with their own class or individual version; if they are old enough, the dictionaries can be used and they could look up their favourite toys.
Alternatively in small groups the children could illustrate one stage of the story and retell it, showing their paintings/cut outs, a group at a time.
Topics or themes:
Do we have to have any? It would make a beautiful short project at any time!
Grammar:
third person of avoir; pronoun il; adjectives; possessive adjectives
How much time required:
1-2 lessons
Click here for another great book of mine by Benoît Charlat: Irène la graine.
And another! Le lapin qui avait une tétine
Please share in the comments below any story which you have and love about growing up, I would really like to know them! Thank you!
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