No More Monsters for Me by Peggy Parish - Teaching Ideas

Minn really, really, really wants a pet but her mom keeps telling her no! She is so upset one evening that she decides to take a walk. While she is out walking she discovers a little monster and he is crying. Minn doesn't know what to do with him and when it starts raining, she carries him home. Minn knows that her mom does not want pets, but she never said no monsters. As Minn tries to hide the monster and figure out how to tell her mom about him, he starts to grow and grow and grow. By the end Minn just blurts out that she has a monster and her mom doesn't believe her, but it makes her mom realize that Minn really, really, really needs a pet. Minn's mom makes a deal with her, if she gets rid of her monster, she can get a pet, so of course Minn helps her monster find his way back home.

This is a fun I Can Read Book that your students will love, especially getting so close to Halloween. If you do have any students reading this book here is a list of reading skills and strategies you can use to create an activity for your students to review or practice those skills on their own.

Reading level: 2.1

Theme: Halloween

Genre: fiction

Suggested Vocabulary: bawling, basement,

Reading skills and strategies:

• asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder where the monster came from? I wonder whose monster it is? {possible questions during} I wonder why the monster is bawling? I wonder if Minn will get in trouble for bringing home a monster? I wonder if Minn's mom will see the monster? I wonder why Minn's mom doesn't believe she has a monster? {possible questions after} I wonder if the monster made it home? I wonder if Minn's mom will ever believe her about the monster? **Remember to have your students answer/reflect their questions.
• author's point of view - 1st person point of view. Find 3 examples of text evidence.
• author's purpose - entertain {evidence} There is no such things as monsters. A monster can't grow that fast. The drawing of the monster is silly. All these things make a very entertaining story.
• beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} Minn found a monster and took it home with her. {most important event from middle} The monster grew and grew. {most important event from end} Minn's mom told her that if she got rid of the monster she could get a pet.
• cause and effect - Why was Minn taking a long walk? because she was mad at her mom for not letting her have a pet. Why did Minn bring the monster home? because her mom didn't say she couldn't have a monster. Why did Minn give the monster her teddy bear? so the monster could stop crying. Why did Minn give the monster an apple? so the monster would stop crying. Why did Minn's mom think she had the hic-ups? because Minn was running around at dinner time. Why did Minn bring her mom a potato instead of an apple? because the monster ate all the apples. Why did Minn's mom think a window was open in the basement? because there was a loud noise in the basement. Why did Minn get rid of the monster? because her mom made a deal with her, if she got rid of the monster she could get a pet.   
• characterization - describe Minn {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• compare & contrast - your pet to Minn's monster
• connections - {possible text-to-self connections} Wanting a pet really bad. Your mom not letting you have a pet. Going to pick out a kitten.
• plot - the turning point or climax in the story was when her mom told her that if she got rid of the monster she could get a pet.
• predict - Where do you think she is going to get a monster? What do you think her mom is going to say about the monster? Do you think Minn will show her mom the monster? Do you think the monster will stop crying? Do you think the monster will leave the basement? Do you think the monster will find his home? Do you think Minn will ever get a pet?
• problem & solution - {problem} Minn wanted a pet but her mom said no. {solution} Minn brought home a monster instead but the monster ended up not being a good pet so her mom said that if she got rid of the monster she should get a pet.
• story elements - list title, author, character's, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
• summarize - {someone} Minn {wanted} wanted a pet {but} but her mom said no {so} so Minn went out for a walk and {then} then she found a monster. {finally} Finally her mom said that if she got rid of the monster she could get a pet.

I have created an Author's Point of View Freebie for you and your students.

IT'S FREE!!

I have linked up with Mrs. Jumps Class for her Book Talk Tuesday. Just click the We love Books picture below to head on over to see what other fun books are shared.

Happy reading!