Preschool Challenges with Making Friends in a Fun Read Aloud Picture Book That Celebrates Differences

Parents who have a little one who is just a little different and somewhat more precocious than other children will appreciate Josh Funk's delightful picture book with Albie Newton as the starring character. Albie is going to preschool in a new town and he soon learns that he is a little bit different. He loves to invent things. He must learn how to make friends without making everyone angry and causing a ruckus. Albie is always thinking and really likes to invent special things. He likes to exceed the average successes and becomes frustrated when things do not work out. He learned to count but could not reach infinity with his numbers. He learned several new languages before reaching preschool . When Albie moves with his parents to the new town during the middle of the school year, he finds many challenges and must learn to make friends at the new school. The other children soon learn that Albie is a bit different. He writes poems while they take spelling tests. They paint simple designs while Albie paints elaborate pictures. Albie used up all the glue while working on an invention. Albie was causing a lot of problems! The other children are angry, but they soon realize that Albie means no harm. He has created a surprise invention that is the best thing that they have ever seen.

Josh Funk writes in simple rhymes with his fun read aloud Albie Newton. The pages are filled with large, colorful illustrations of the adventures that Albie encounters at his new preschool. Young readers will enjoy the details that depict everyday activities at school.

Albie Newton was published by sterling Children's Books, a division of Sterling Publishing Company. It is recommended for ages 3-6 and has an ISBN of 9781454922582.

Josh Funk's Albie Newton is a perfect book to use for a story time session when a new student comes into the class. Preschoolers sometimes have a difficult time with a child who might be somewhat precocious. Preschool is the perfect time to begin teaching that differences are not a bad thing.

*Read Albie Newton in a story time session. Call attention to all of the activities that are going on in the class. Take a walking tour around the classroom to see the activities in your classroom and compare the activities that Albie Newton is participating in.

*What are the favorite activities at preschool? Make a class chart of favorite activities. Use Happy Face stickers to depict the favorite activities on a chart.

*Is there a new student who has come to preschool after school has started? Brainstorm with children about making new friends when someone comes and needs to make new friends.

*Albie Newton loves to invent things. Have material available for children to create their own invention.

Funk's Albie Newton also offers the opportunity for young children to work with rhyming words and dramatic reading skills. Funk writes with simple rhymes that can introduce preschoolers to rhyming words in a story. The large print on a few pages also offers the opportunity to introduce preschoolers to dramatic reading.

*Read Albie Newton in a story time group reading session. Teach rhyming words and challenge the children to listen as you read to hear the rhyming words. This skill is learned throughout the year. Children might enjoy a clapping game as they clap when they hear the rhyming words on each page.

*Dramatic reading is a reading skill that children can learn early. Large print on several pages of Albie Newton can teach this skill and children will have fun with using loud voices to repeat the words that are featured.