ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Awnie's House ???? Kids Book Read Aloud: LUCA’S SPECIAL BLANKET by Deniese Dennis and Stella Hong
Hello, my fabulous reading friends! Are you ready for a fun story? Do you have a favorite blanket that makes you feel cozy and happy? Blankets can be our best friends, especially when we need a hug. But what happens when our blanket has a tough day? Let’s find out in the story of “Luca’s Special Blanket: A Gift of Love from Grandma.”
Luca’s grandma lives far away on a tiny farm with lots of special animals. There’s a little dog with three legs who loves to play, a cow with half a horn and no tail, and a cat who can’t see. But the most special of all is her sheep with colorful wool. Luca loves when Grandma visits because she tells him all about her animals, and the sheep is his favorite.
When Grandma has to go back to her farm, Luca feels sad. He waves goodbye with his mommy as Grandma walks away. Grandma misses Luca too, so she decides to make him a special gift. She knits a soft, warm blanket using wool from her colorful sheep.
Grandma wraps the blanket in a box, ties it with a bow, and sends it to Luca. One day, the postman brings a surprise for Luca: a parcel with a note from Grandma. It says, “My dearest Luca, I made this blanket with love. It will keep you warm and cozy. Love, Grandma.”
Luca loves his new blanket and names it Blankie. It smells like cinnamon and reminds him of Grandma. Luca and Blankie become best friends. They go on adventures together, pretending to be superheroes, flying kites, and even having picnics. At night, Luca holds Blankie close and dreams of amazing animals and cool machines.
One day, while playing hide-and-seek with Daddy, Blankie gets caught on the table. Later, Blankie gets dipped in soup and covered in Brussels sprouts! By bedtime, Blankie is messy and wet. Mommy gives Blankie a special wash and hangs it to dry. The next day, Blankie is clean, but something is missing. “The Grandma smell is gone,” Luca says sadly.
The next week, Grandma visits again. She brings her special wool and fixes Blankie’s fuzzy bits. Luca is so happy, especially when Grandma makes hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls. When Grandma leaves, Luca cuddles Blankie, and it smells just right again.
I hope you enjoyed our story today! See you next time!
Colorful Wool Exploration: Just like Grandma’s sheep have colorful wool, let’s explore colors! Gather different colored yarn or fabric scraps. Ask the children to sort them by color and create a small collage or a rainbow. Discuss how each color makes them feel and which one is their favorite. Encourage them to think about how colors can make things special, just like Luca’s blanket.
Blanket Adventure Storytime: Encourage the children to bring their favorite blanket or a piece of fabric from home. Have a storytelling session where each child shares a short adventure they imagine with their blanket, just like Luca and Blankie. This activity helps them use their imagination and understand the comfort and creativity a special item can bring.
Sensory Smell Exploration: Luca’s blanket smelled like cinnamon, reminding him of Grandma. Bring in small jars with different scents like cinnamon, vanilla, or lavender. Let the children smell each one and describe what it reminds them of or how it makes them feel. Discuss how smells can bring back memories and make us feel cozy, just like Luca’s blanket did.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hello, my fabulous reading friends! It’s Annie. I’m so glad you came to read with me. Are you ready for a story? Do you have a favorite blanket, one that’s soft and warm and brings you comfort? Our favorite blankets can help us through even the toughest days. But what about when our blankets have a rough day? Let’s find out as we read “Luca’s Special Blanket: A Gift of Love from Grandma.” If you have a copy, go get it so you can read along with me!
“Luca’s Special Blanket: A Gift of Love from Grandma,” written by Denise Dennis and illustrated by Stella Hong.
Luca’s grandma lives far away on a tiny farm where she has lots of special animals. There is a tiny three-legged dog who loves to play, a cow with only half a horn and no tail, and a cat who can’t see. Best of all, there is her special sheep whose wool has lots of colors. Luca loves visits from Grandma, who always wears a pink and purple jacket. She tells him all about her special animals, and the sheep is his favorite.
Luca is always sad when it’s time for Grandma to go back to her farm. He stands with his mommy and waves as she walks away. She waves back at him and blows him a kiss. “Don’t worry, honey,” Mommy says. “Grandma will be back as soon as she can.” Grandma is sad to leave Luca too. When she gets home, she finds that her house feels big and quiet. She decides to make Luca a special gift. She knits him a soft, warm blanket using wool from his favorite sheep.
Grandma puts the blanket in a box, wraps the box in tissue paper, and ties it with a bow. Then she walks to the post office and sends it by special delivery. One morning, the postman arrives with something for Luca: a parcel with a note that says, “My dearest Luca, I made this blanket on my farm with wool from my sheep. When nights are cold, it will keep you warm. In each stitch is a special kiss for all the days I will miss. Love, Grandma.”
Luca loves his blanket. It smells like cinnamon and warmth, and most of all, his Grandma. He names it Blankie. Luca and Blankie become the best of friends. He takes Blankie everywhere, and together they get into lots of mischief. Sometimes they are superheroes, and sometimes Blankie is a kite. Blankie is also an excellent picnic blanket and a wonderful magic carpet. But best of all, Luca loves to hold Blankie while he sleeps. With Blankie close, Luca has magical dreams of extraordinary animals and super cool machines.
But one morning, while Luca and Blankie are playing hide-and-seek with Daddy, Blankie snags on the table. This is the beginning of a rough day for Blankie. At lunch, Blankie’s corner gets dipped into Luca’s soup, and then at dinner, Luca doesn’t like his vegetables. Almost all the Brussels sprouts end up on Blankie. By bath time, Blankie is looking a little dingy, and after bath time, Blankie is a little wet too. So are Mommy and Daddy.
By bedtime, Blankie is dingy, fuzzy, messy, and wet, but Luca doesn’t care. “Time for bed, Blankie,” he says, but Mommy doesn’t let damp and dingy Blankie into Luca’s bed. Instead, Blankie gets a special wash and is hung out to dry. The next day, he’s given back to Luca, nice and clean. Luca is pleased to have Blankie back, but something is wrong. He cuddles Blankie close to try to figure out what it could be. “The Grandma smell is gone,” he says sadly.
The week after, Grandma comes for another visit. She has her special wool inside a basket and promptly sits down to repair Blankie’s fuzzy bits. This makes Luca very happy, especially when Grandma makes him hot chocolate and her yummy cinnamon rolls. When Grandma leaves, Luca cuddles Blankie close, and Blankie smells just right.
I hope you enjoyed our story today! See you next time!
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