Grilled Cheese Adventure in Engaging Picture Book

Everyone loves grilled cheese and tomato soup. These are especially good on a cold and windy night. Tim Kleyn's delightful picture book Grilled Cheese? Yes, Please! depicts a story in which these favorites help build a community by sharing while waiting for a problem to be resolved.

Margot and her grandpa are anxiously waiting for her mom to return from a trip on her little boat. A huge storm is raging and the waters are rough. They decide to make grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup while waiting for her to return. A boat arrives but it is not Mom. They invite the Captain into their home to share grilled cheese and tomato soup. A second boat arrives but this is still not Mom. They invite the merchant in to share grilled cheese and tomato soup. A third boat arrives, but it is still not Mom and they invite the sailor in to eat. There are now many guests in their home. A big gust of wind and a loud boom attract them to the window. Could this finally be Mom in her boat? Young readers will want to turn the page to find out.

Tim Kleyn also provided the colorful illustrations for his book. The illustrations are well-detailed to help tell the story.

Grilled Cheese? Yes, Please! is recommended for ages 4-8. It was published by Viking, a division of Penguin/Random House. It has an ISBN of 978-0-593-40432-4.

Teachers who teach in early childhood education will want to add Tim Kleyn's adorable picture book Grilled Cheese? Yes, Please! to their classroom library. The engaging story and an opportunity for a cooking activity with your students are part of the charm. Children always enjoy a cooking activity that enhances the reading experience with a story and picture book. I often connected a picture book and story to a cooking activity after reading with my young students in preschool and kindergarten.

*Read Grilled Cheese? Yes, Please! in a story time session. Call attention to the storm in the sea.

*Call attention to the pairing of grilled cheese and tomato soup that Margot and her grandpa are preparing while waiting for Mom to come home. Take a class poll of the number of children who like grilled cheese and tomato soup?

*Call attention to the first arrival of the captain's ship. More ships arrive and what is the problem that Margot and her grandpa might have?

*Use the included recipe for grilled cheese to prepare a cooking activity with your students. An electric skillet is a classroom-friendly kitchen took for making the sandwiches. Serve the grilled cheese sandwiches for a snack after reading the book.

*Take the opportunity to have a cheese tasting party. Bring in a variety of cheese slices for students to taste and approve for grilled cheese sandwiches. What is the favorite cheese? Create a math activity by graphing the favorite cheese slices. Both a horizontal and vertical graph can be created when students vote on a favorite cheese.