A Cautionary Tale...

If that doesn't reel you in the actual story will do the job. I was recently introduced to the story cautiously written by Mo Willems, Knuffle Bunny.  What a hilarious peek into a moment of a little toddler's tantrumous day. I couldn't help feel after hearing the story read aloud by Jeff Anderson, (yes, he was my teacher again, lucky me) that this would be a perfect mentor text for a small moment personal narrative.

To give you a summary, if you too have been unknowingly awaiting the tale of Knuffle Bunny, it is about a little girl named Trixie on an errand to the laundry mat with her father and her day is turned upside down when she realizes she has lost her beloved stuffed bunny.

Every child has a toy and every child could tell of a time when it was mysteriously missing. I can imagine asking what happened, hearing the emotions of the moment, where they found it, how the story came to an end. The stories would unravel as easily as a loose ball of yarn from their tender little story telling brains. I imagine I would have some tasty little examples of successful beginning, middle and end stories from my darlings following the mini-lesson. This will need to wait just a bit for most of my learners, as they are still only dipping their toes in the water of writing. However, I can smell a Mo Willems author study happening in say February or March and I can sense my anticipation too!