Hey there, fellow teachers! I just have to share my love for Katy Hudson’s books with you! If you haven’t read Too Many Carrots and A Loud Winter’s Nap, you’re missing out. They’re adorable and filled with charm, just like Katy’s latest book, The Golden Acorn. The Golden Acorn is a great mentor text recommendation for teaching how characters evolve throughout a story.
As a huge squirrel fan, I might be a bit biased, but I think this one might be my favorite!
The Golden Acorn by Katy Hudson
The Golden Acorn is perfect for any time of year, but it’s especially delightful to read aloud in the fall. It’s a great choice for diving into character analysis and discussing how characters evolve throughout a story.
And let me tell you, the illustrations are simply AMAZING! You’ll want to pause and admire the artwork during your read-aloud sessions. They add so much depth to the story and really help bring the characters to life.
Here’s a fun tip: check out the illustrations on the pages with the publishing info. The books on the shelves and the items around Squirrel’s home give you some great hints about her personality. Your students can start piecing together who Squirrel is before she even says a word!
I’ve even created a reading response sheet to help your students think about how Squirrel changes throughout the story. **Grab it for FREE here!**
The Golden Acorn Reading Response-
Grab it for FREE here!
In The Golden Acorn, Squirrel learns a valuable lesson about what truly matters in life. This could be a great starting point for discussing themes with your students and helping them understand deeper story lessons.
If you’re focusing on character and setting in your reading workshop, you might want to check out my mini-unit in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. It uses Make Way for Ducklings and John Philip Duck to explore these elements and make text-to-text connections.
Oh, and if you’re interested, I also have a post about Katy Hudson’s A Loud Winter’s Nap that you might enjoy!
Hope you have a fantastic week and enjoy these great reads with your students!
