ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Awnie's House ???? Kids Book Read Aloud: ROOTY THE RUTABAGA by Steven Megson and Andy Yura
Hello, my reading friends! Today, we’re going to read a fun story about a special vegetable named Rudy the Rutabaga. Have you ever felt lonely or left out? Rudy feels that way too, but he learns something important. Let’s find out what happens!
In a big, colorful garden, lots of vegetables are having fun. The sun is shining, and everyone is happy. Tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots are playing tag. Broccoli is doing tai chi, and potatoes are reading books. But one vegetable, Rudy the Rutabaga, feels sad and alone. He thinks everyone is laughing at him.
Nearby, a red pepper and a yellow pepper find a nut and decide to play catch. The red pepper throws the nut, but it bounces off the yellow pepper’s head and lands in a bush. “Oh no!” they cry. They go looking for the nut and end up in a part of the garden they don’t know.
Suddenly, a big vegetable blocks their way. It’s Rudy the Rutabaga! He found the nut. The peppers are a little scared, but they ask Rudy what he is. Rudy explains he’s a rutabaga and feels left out because he’s not popular like the other vegetables.
The peppers have an idea. “Why don’t you come with us and see what we’re doing?” they say. Rudy thinks about it and decides to go with them. When they reach the sunny part of the garden, Rudy sees all the vegetables playing and laughing. He realizes they aren’t laughing at him; they’re just having fun!
A tomato comes over and asks Rudy if he wants to play. Rudy smiles and says, “I don’t know how to play.” The tomato replies, “That’s okay! We can teach you.” Rudy is happy and starts playing with his new friends.
Rudy spends the whole afternoon playing and laughing. He learns that the other vegetables weren’t laughing at him at all. He makes lots of new friends and feels happy for the first time in a long time.
I hope you enjoyed our story about Rudy the Rutabaga! Remember, it’s always fun to make new friends and try new things. See you next time!
Vegetable Garden Role Play: Gather some toy vegetables or draw pictures of different vegetables, including a rutabaga. Encourage the children to act out the story of Rudy the Rutabaga. Let them take turns being Rudy, the peppers, and other vegetables. Ask them how they would feel if they were Rudy and what they would do to make him feel included. This activity helps children understand empathy and the importance of including others.
Friendship Bracelet Making: Provide colorful beads and string for the children to make friendship bracelets. As they create their bracelets, discuss how making friends is like adding beads to a bracelet—each friend adds color and joy to our lives. Encourage them to think about how they can be good friends to others, just like the peppers were to Rudy.
Garden Observation Walk: If possible, take the children on a short walk in a garden or park. Ask them to observe the different plants and talk about how each one is unique and important, just like Rudy and his friends. Encourage them to notice how plants grow together and support each other, drawing parallels to how friends support one another.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hello, my reading friends! It’s Ani. Today, I’m excited to have my grandsons Noah, Nilo, and Nexus help me with my book. Have you ever felt lonely or left out? And when you hear other people laughing, you’re sure they’re laughing at you? In this book, we’re going to meet a vegetable who feels exactly like that. Let’s find out what lessons he learns as we read “Rudy the Rutabaga.” If you have a copy, go get it so you can read along with me.
[Music]
“Rudy the Rutabaga,” written by Stephen Magson, illustrated by Andy Urade.
Deep in the furthest corner of the yard, a large and colorful vegetable garden bloomed. From the far windows of the house, the garden seemed quiet and boring. At a much closer look, though, the garden was a very busy and exciting place. The most popular vegetables were out playing with one another, laughing, and enjoying the wonderful weather. The sun was shining brightly, and the vegetables were in a great mood. A tomato, cucumber, and carrot were running around playing a game of tag. A group of broccoli were practicing tai chi, and the potatoes were happily reading on their couch.
Despite the lovely weather, one strange root vegetable was not enjoying the sun, not laughing, and certainly not playing. He was alone, and it made him sad to always hear the other vegetables on days like these when it seemed to him like everyone was laughing at him.
Back on the sunny side, a red pepper and a yellow pepper were out exploring when they found a nut that had fallen from an nearby tree. “Hey, let’s play catch!” said the yellow pepper. “Yeah, want to see how far I can throw?” asked the red pepper. The red pepper wound up and threw the nut with all its might. The nut soared through the air, bounced off the yellow pepper’s head, and crashed into the brush behind them. “Oh no!” cried the yellow pepper. “You lost the nut! We’ll never find it.”
The peppers pushed through the leafy brush and started searching for their nut when they soon realized they were in an area of the garden they were not familiar with. “I don’t like the look of this place,” said the yellow pepper. “Let’s just leave it and get out of here.”
When the peppers turned to leave, a large and very unusual vegetable blocked their path. “Are you looking for this?” the angry vegetable asked, holding out the nut. “Uh, yes, we were playing catch and it got away,” said the red pepper sheepishly. “Let’s just leave it and run,” the yellow pepper whispered to the red pepper. “This thing does not look happy.”
“Um, excuse me, but what are you exactly?” asked the red pepper. “What?” said the vegetable. “I am a rutabaga. I was minding my own business here away from all you rowdy vegetables when I was suddenly struck in the head by this nut.”
“What?” asked the yellow pepper. “Rutabaga,” the rutabaga enunciated slowly. “Do peppers not have ears?” “More like rutabaga,” said the red pepper, offended. “Well, it’s not surprising that you don’t know what I am. I’m not popular like all you other vegetables, so I stay over here by myself. Why are you vegetables over there always making so much noise anyway?”
The two peppers huddled together for a moment, then turned back to the rutabaga with a smile. “Why don’t you let us show you?” The skeptical rutabaga thought hard, hesitated, and finally agreed to the offer from the peppers. The peppers grabbed the rutabaga by his arms and walked back through the brushy entrance that they had made earlier. When they broke through, the rutabaga was immediately overwhelmed. The warm, bright sun on his face blinded him, and there was a great loud mess of sound coming from all directions.
The rutabaga stood in awe at what he was seeing and hearing. “Everyone is laughing because they’re playing and happy!” exclaimed the rutabaga. “This is what I’ve been hearing all this time!” As the rutabaga stood there looking over the garden, a group of vegetables ran up and approached him. “Hello! What’s your name? Do you want to play with us?” asked the tomato.
The rutabaga looked at the vegetables, then over to the two peppers. “This is our new friend Rudy,” explained the peppers. “Rudy, I like that!” the rutabaga said with a large grin. “But I don’t really know how to play.” “Oh, that’s okay! We can teach you,” said the tomato. And with that, Rudy smiled for the first time in a very long time.
They spent the whole afternoon playing together. The peppers’ kindness and new friendship helped Rudy see the sunny side of life. Rudy found out the other vegetables weren’t laughing at him at all, and he discovered a whole new world and made lots of new friends.
I hope you enjoyed our story today! See you next time!
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