In the library this week, we are reading Jan Peck's fabulous book, The Giant Carrot. This book is an adaptation of the Russian folktale The Turnip. In the author's note, Mrs. Peck points out that she decided to change the vegetable to a carrot because it is tastier and more versatile. Students and I agree with her.
In this story, Mama Bess, Papa Joe, Brother Abel, and Little Isabelle plant a tine carrot seed that grows into an enormous carrot thanks to Little Isabelle and her unique way of helping the carrot seed grow. To make this story more interactive, I decided to have students act out the section of the story where Mama Bess, Papa Joe, Brother Abel, and Little Isabelle pull the carrot out of the ground.
After we read the story, we showed them some pictures of real giant carrots using my iPad, and then passed around carrot seeds for them to see how tiny they really are. Next, I planted a few carrot seeds in a pot to grow in the library. I have already had students sing and dance around it to help it grow.
The author included the recipe for Little Isabelle’s Carrot Puddin’ at the end of the story. While I wish I could make pudding for all of my students, instead I gave every student a bookmark with the recipe on it, so that they could make it at home with their parents.
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