The Little Red Book Who Wanted to be Read

I wrote this felt story for our "I LOVE BOOKS!" theme. Feel free to use and improve! Obviously, my computer character could use an update, since I used a computer from 1998 as a model. Also, the Little Red Book character is actually bound with staples and has pages that the kids can "read," even toddlers! The first page has a picture of a sun, and on the second and third are pictures of a bird and car, respectively, but it can really be anything.




The Little Red Book Who Wanted to be Read
a felt story by Jeanie Miller

Once there was a little red book.

It knew it had a cover and pages filled with pictures and words,

But it could not read itself!

It wanted to know what it was about, so it went off to search for someone who could help.

She came upon Crayon.

“Hello Crayon!  I’m a little red book and  I want to be read!  Can you please read me?”

“Read you?  I don’t read, I color.  Let me show you!”

Crayon started to color the pages of Book. 

“No!  Stop!  Don’t color me!  I’m not a coloring book.”

“Oops , sorry!  Why don’t you ask Goat?  He’s right over there!”

Book went to Goat.  When she found him, he was having a little snack.

“Hello, Goat.  I’m a little red book and  I want to be read!  Can you please read me?”

“Mmmhgh.” Goat was too busy eating.  Goat finished eating and looked at Book.

“I don’t know how to read you, but I do know how to eat you!”

Goat opened his mouth and came towards Book.  Book was frightened.  It moved away. 

“No!  Stop!  Don’t eat me!    

“Hmmm, okay, fine.  I’ll eat something else then.  Why don’t you go ask Computer if it can read you?  That Computer is pretty smart.”

Book went off to find Computer.  She found him in his office working hard.

“Hi, Computer.  I’m a little red book and  I want to be read!  Can you please read me?”

 “Read you?  Sorry, I’m too smart and too busy to read a book.  [I only read e-books] Why don’t you go to the library and ask the kids at Storytime?”

“Wow, what a great idea, Computer!  Thanks!”

Book went off to find the kids at Storytime.

“Hi everyone!” [wait for response]

“Can you look at my pages and tell me what I’m about?” [Turn pages, ask for feedback, or whatever…improvise!]  “Thank you!  You’re the best!”

The Book was so happy to know what it was about.  It stayed at the library and lived happily ever after.  THE END!

How Kind!

Mary Murphy's picture books are filled with bright, colorful illustrations - perfect for toddlers! The story is so simple and easy to understand. The characters are familar - there's hen, pig, rabbit, cow, cat, dog, and the egg, which turns into a chick. Best of all, the book's pay-it-forward theme encourages children to be kind and do nice things for other people!

I was going to read this book to the toddlers in my storytime as it is, but then I discovered its potential as a simple felt story, so I decided to go for it and transfer the magic of Murphy's book to felt!

Here is the final product:



How Kind!
A felt story based on the book by Mary Murphy

HEN gave PIG an EGG.
“How kind!” said PIG.
PIG kept the egg safe and warm.
“HEN is so kind,” he thought. “I would like to do something kind too.”

PIG gave RABBIT a CARROT.
“This is for you,” said PIG.
“How kind!” said RABBIT.
“PIG is so kind,” thought RABBIT. “I will do something kind too.”
He picked some flowers.

“These flowers are for you, COW,” said RABBIT.
“How kind!” said COW.
“RABBIT is very kind, thought COW. “How can I be kind too?”

COW gave CAT some milk.
“How kind!” said CAT.
“COW is so kind,” thought CAT. “I want to be kind too.”

She looked for DOG.
“Let’s play your favorite game, DOG,” said CAT.
“How kind!” said DOG.
They chased around…and around.
“CAT is so kind,” thought DOG. “I want to be kind too.”

DOG fetched a stick. He scratched PIG’s back. [this gets a lot of laughs!]
“How kind!” said PIG. “Would you like to see my egg, DOG?”
PIG showed where he was keeping the egg. But the egg was gone!
In its place was a CHICK.
“Hello you pretty little chick!” said PIG and DOG.

They brought the chick back to Hen and Hen said, “How kind!”