So today I read The Big Elephant in the Room to kindergarten and first grade as part of our state's Readers' Choice nominees list. I did not love this book when I first read it, but I try to leave my own opinions out of it when reading to the children. There have been several books I have not loved that the students absolutely ADORE, so I was hoping I was wrong about this book.
Nope. I set up the book before reading it to the kids--they knew all about idioms and knew what was meant by the phrase "the big elephant in the room." Then I read the story. Not one laugh. Anywhere. From any kid. When I finished, one girl started to clap, but I stopped her--it was a half-hearted clap, like "I usually do this after a story, so I'm doing it now."
And I looked at my assistant and said, "epic failure." I've never said that about a book before. I completely bagged the activity I had planned for the book and instead went on to read another book on the list to them.
Ugh. I am not happy. I do NOT want to read this book to other classes. It's a bad story of a bad friendship between two donkeys. Yeah. I'm done with this one. If the kids ask me why I didn't read it to them, I'll encourage them to check it out on their own and let me know what they think. I know what I think, and it's not good. Lane Smith, Joan Kindig, and the VRC Committee, this is a big miss.
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