Pistes d'exploration

Before reading, examine these words: stage, crown, stream, crumpet. Practise strategies for chunking the sounds to decode them. Sort them by initial consonant blends. Add other words that fit these categories. Revisit these strategies as you read.

Find the little bird with a letter on some of the pages. Combine them to spell Gabby’s royal name.

Visit the author’s website and read her imaginary interview with Gabby. List questions you might want to ask Gabby (or the author). Role play Gabby and the interviewer.

Visit the author’s website and read her imaginary interview with Gabby. Make a list of questions you would want to ask Gabby. Role play Gabby and the interviewer.

From the exerpt on the back cover, discuss and list possible story lines. After reading, add the actual plot to your list.

Using the class list of ideas (see activity #1) and the story model, script other plays for Gabby and Roy. Perform them for your peers.

Build smaller words using only the letters from Queen Gabriella’s name.

Discuss the expression drama queen. Can you think of other drama queen story characters (both male and female)?

Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, Chrysanthemum

Mots-clés

Picture book , alphabet , creativity , drama , theatre , wordplay , words

Commentaire descriptif

When Gabby smashes her special book to the ground and the letters pop out, she and Roy use them to make new words. As they click the letters together, their word-ideas take true form. They make a “stage” for their play. The language incorporates the children’s playtime antics with phonetic instruction. Queen Gabby frets that Roy wants to be a swordfish (“A swordfish? Fish didn’t belong with queens!”). Roy spells Gabby a “crown” (“‘Cuh-Rrrr-OW-Nnnn,’ he said. ‘For you, your highness.’”) Working together they spell out a “stream.” Wacky illustrations combine fine textures with swirly shapes to create cute characters, expressive letter-forms and the backyard setting. Gabby’s orange hair springs out in two curlicue hanks. A foam sword sticks out from Roy’s hat. Mrs. Oldham (who’s followed everywhere by a flock of butterflies) watches the children’s play from a lounge chair. Young readers will enjoy the cogency of the children’s play (the swordfish finds the queen’s crown in the stream) and the idea of making something real, just by spelling it. Back material offers further language instruction, as well as writing and drawing activities.