Hello, friends! We’re Ryan and Craig, and we’re so happy you’re here for Story Time. Today, we’re going to read a wonderful book called “Little Joe Chickapig: A Story About Following Your Dreams” by Brian Calhoun. Let’s dive into the story!
Little Joe Chickapig lives on a farm with lots of other Chickapigs. But Joe isn’t happy there. He dreams of exploring new places far away, like big oceans with exciting adventures. Joe wants to follow his dreams, but he’s not sure how to begin.
Joe’s grandpa is a brave and wise Chickapig. He tells Joe about a time when he was scared too. Grandpa shares a story about a big bear who learned to help others by becoming a doctor. The bear made friends with all the animals in the forest.
The bear was inspired by a mouse who traveled to space and visited the moon and Mars. The mouse found her special place among the stars. Then, there was a young dragon who left her kingdom to play music. She sang and played her guitar for everyone to hear.
In the land of Chickapigs, there was a warrior who decided to stop fighting and start farming. He planted crops and took care of animals. He found happiness on his farm and didn’t think about castles or battles anymore.
Grandpa tells Joe that he can follow his dreams too, whatever they may be. One day, Joe’s own story might be told, just like the bear, the mouse, and the dragon.
Ryan and Craig love the idea of following dreams. They wonder how to choose which dreams to follow. Ryan thinks asking his mom for advice is a good idea, and Craig plans to ask his sister for help.
Thank you for joining us for Story Time! Remember, you can follow your dreams too. See you next time!
Dream Collage: Gather some old magazines, newspapers, or printouts. Ask the children to cut out pictures or draw images that represent their dreams or things they would like to do in the future. Encourage them to think about what makes them happy or excited. Once they have their images, help them create a collage on a piece of paper. Discuss with them why they chose each picture and how it relates to their dreams.
Story Time Role Play: Invite the children to act out parts of the story. They can choose to be Little Joe Chickapig, the brave bear, the adventurous mouse, or the musical dragon. Provide simple props like hats or scarves to make it more fun. Encourage them to think about how each character felt when they decided to follow their dreams. Ask them questions like, “What do you think Little Joe felt when he heard Grandpa’s story?” or “How did the mouse feel when she reached the stars?”
Dream Journal: Give each child a small notebook to decorate and use as a dream journal. Encourage them to write or draw about their dreams and what they can do to achieve them. Ask them to think about small steps they can take now, like learning a new skill or asking someone for advice, just like Ryan and Craig did. Check in with them regularly to see how their dreams are evolving and what new ideas they have.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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Hey, I’m Ryan, and I’m Craig! Welcome to Story Time with Ryan and Craig. Remember to visit Ryanandcraig.com for all of our breathtaking read-alouds or to send us a message.
I have something to say, Craig! Last night, I had this dream that I was rolling down a hill in a donut, and there was a snake wearing a vest. I was like, “What are you doing?”
Today’s book is “Little Joe Chickapig: A Story About Following Your Dreams” by Brian Calhoun, illustrated by Pat Bradley and Brian Calhoun. Let’s get started!
Little Joe Chickapig lives on a farm full of Chickapigs, but the farm brought him no joy. He dreamed of new places beyond the fields, vast oceans with swords and shields. He hoped he’d find the courage to follow his heart, but how could he start?
Joe had an old grandpa, brave and bold, a Chickapig hero who broke the mold. Grandpa had once been scared too and didn’t know what to do. He had heard a story of a great big bear who learned to heal the sick and became a doctor, helping those who once ran away.
The bear became a friend to every creature beneath the trees. But how did he find the courage? He had heard of a mouse who traveled to space, visiting the moon and Mars, and in that world, she found her place.
The mouse had heard of a fierce young dragon, brave and bold, who gave up her kingdom to join a band. She sang her songs and strummed her guitar, her music heard both near and far.
There was a warrior from that land, a Chickapig just like Joe, who laid down his weapons and planted a field. The Chickapig farm became all that he knew, with its crops, fields, and animals, and he never thought of castles or moats.
Now, Joe, I hope you will see to follow your dreams, whatever they may be. One day in the future, when you are older, your very own story just might be told.
I love the idea of following your dreams, Craig! We should follow our dreams!
That’s what I was going to say! But how will we know which dream to follow?
I’ll just ask my mom. Oh, you know my sister is good at that kind of stuff. I’ll ask her!
Thanks for watching Story Time! We’ll see you next time!
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This version removes any informal language, unnecessary filler, and maintains a focus on the story and its themes.
