Ready for School, Murphy?

Ready for School, Murphy? written and illustrated by Brendan Murphy (2015)

Murphy has every excuse in the book for not going to school until he realizes it’s Saturday! Now he’s in such a hurry to get outside to play he forgets something very important…

This story reminds me so much of Shel Silverstein’s poem, Sick. I’ve loved that poem and used it with almost every class I’ve ever taught. If I were still teaching, I would pair it with this simple little story about Murphy who tries to get out going to school in the same way Peggy Ann McKay did in Sick.

Have some fun with it! Write out some clever excuses to miss school on a giant bandaid. Then when your kiddo starts ‘bellyaching’ you can review the silliness of fake illnesses.