Mock Geisel discussion

--Duck, Duck Porcupine! by Salina Yoon

--Snail and Worm: Three Stories About Two Friends by Tina Kugler

--Go, Otto, Go! by David Milgrim

1. Page Turning Dynamic—plot engages reader to keep reading
2. Text—word repetition, new vocabulary added at an appropriate pace, sentence length, book length (24-96 pages)
3. Illustrations—give clues to the text, make sense with the text
4. Font—size, color, placement

Go, Otto, Go!
By David Milgrim

1. Engaging story from the beginning, because we see that Otto wants to go home to space! In the 6 page spread we see him building a rocket to get there. Takes off and then has problems with his rocket. What will happen? Keep reading to find out.
2. As new vocabulary is added, it is repeated multiple times (Eg. Work is repeated 5 times after its addition). Almost all new vocabulary that is introduced is included on a first 100 sight word list. The exception is nowhere, which if readers break up the compound word (I know not a beginning reader skill for most) both are in the first 100.
3. When Otto has trouble with his rocket and he veers left and right each direction is shown through a separate illustration on facing pages with the appropriate vocabulary word. The animals below watching Otto also help our understanding by turning the appropriate direction as well.
4. Font is large, there is lots of white space, and new words are placed with appropriate illustrations to aid in deciphering them.

I had never seen any of the Otto books before. It looks like a good beginning reader series!

Snail & Worm is fantastic! I look forward to sharing it with children. It'll be fun to laugh along with them.