The Book That Almost Rhymed: Classroom Read Aloud of the Month
A boy wrote the perfect rhyming story, but his sister won’t stop interrupting and ruining his rhymes! The Book That Almost Rhymed by Omar Abed and illustrated by Hatem Aly is the perfect read-aloud for ages 5 through 8. Preschoolers will enjoy this rollicking adventure filled with knights, rockets, and pirate ships, and the rhymes will enamor students in kindergarten through grade 3 and enjoy shouting them out…and giggling when you provide the little sister’s response.
Ultimately, these siblings come together to create an even more epic story and prove that siblings aren’t as bad as they seem. Your students will walk away with rhymes frolicking through their minds, be excited to create their own stories and bounce over to the library for more fun. The perfect choice for a quick classroom read-aloud for grades K through 3.
How to Introduce the Book
Here is an introductory script you’re welcome to use to set the stage:
“Have you ever created the perfect game or planned the perfect day and had your younger sister or brother ruin it? Well, the boy in this story was so proud because he wrote the perfect rhyming book about a daring adventure until his little sister came along and ruined all the rhymes.
For example, what words rhyme with fight?…so not dance? What words rhyme with book?…so not pocket? See, you’re rhyming pros; let’s see if you can figure out which words the boy tried to use…“
Discussion Questions
Use these follow-up questions for further engagement:
- What did you think? Thumbs up or thumbs down for The Book That Almost Rhymed?
- Why was the boy so frustrated with his sister?
- What was your favorite part of the book and why? What was the most dangerous part? The pirate ship, rocketship in space, fire-breathing armadillo?
- Did you like her additions to his story? Would having two people work on a story make it better?
- Where do you think the next quest will lead them?
Visit The Youth Desk’s Outreach page for more school read-alouds and tips!
More Resources
NEA Read Across America Ideas for Sharing The Book That Almost Rhymed
More discussion questions and tips for leading classes in a progressive story activity
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