Smick!

Smick! written by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Juana Medina (2015)

Smick is a good dog. He can sit, stay, and fetch. But what happens when Smick meets Chick? ‘No, Smick, no!’ Smick learns how to play fetch with a stick and Chick learns how to be his sidekick sidechick. Good dog, Smick!

So much fun to read aloud, and so much fun to discover the play on words!

Beginning readers can take magnetic letters and create new words from the story by changing just one sound. Smick-stick-chick-kick Move on from that to other rhyming words, don’t be afraid to introduce letter blends for more fun and learning.

How about some interesting stick art for the kiddos? Have them collect their own twigs in the yard (fetch) and see what their imaginations can create.

Painted Sticks

Yarn Wrapped Sticks

Stick Art

Stick Weaving

And who wouldn’t love to create a leaf friend for themselves?