Monsieur Saguette and His Baguette - Wacky Wednesday Picture Book & KID KANDY

Monsieur Saguette and His Baguette
By Frank Asch
(Kids Can Press, 2004)

Welcome to Wacky Wednesday. Let me tell you, Monsieur Saguette is a bit wacky after he purchases a fresh baguette at the boulangerie to go with his carrot soup.

It turns out that Monsieur Saguette is quite the hero. He and the baguette solve all sorts of problems in very unusual ways.

Cat in a tree? Here, climb down the baguette, kitty. Escaped alligator about to eat a baby? Here, prop open the alligator's mouth with the baguette and save the baby. No baton for the bandleader? Here, use the baguette!

Silly and imaginative, Monsieur Saguette and His Baguette easily qualify for Wacky Wednesday status.

And Monsieur Saguette still goes home and eats the overused baguette with his soup. He even shares the crumbs.

KID KANDY:

Visit La Boulangerie

If you are lucky enough to live in a French speaking country, you will know exactly what la boulangerie is. But for the rest of us, we will have to go to a bakery. (But we can still call it la boulangerie.)

Look at the display case for breads made at the bakery. What types of bread are there? Do you see a baguette? Which is your favorite type of bread?

Some places will give tours, providing arrangements are made in advance or it is not rush hour for shopping.

Purchase some tasty bread to have for dinner. But I suggest you don't use your bread like Monsieur Saguette.

L'ecole - French Picture Book + KID KANDY Activity

L'ecole
Text by Micheline Bertrand and Fernand Nathan
Illustrations by Dick Bruna
(Paris, 1964f)

I love France and all things French. I love old books. I love old picture books.

L'ecole fits all three loves. Though I cannot figure out who published the book, I know it came into being around 1964 and has Paris listed in the scant information on the inside cover.

L'ecole, as you may have guessed if you read French, is a picture book about school.

Yes. School. Small children, les enfants, march happily to school, for school is a pretty place. Les enfants do the normal kid things at school - sing, draw on the chalkboard, build with blocks, celebrate a birthday, and make pattern designs.

And then, they are fini. They go home until the next day.

L'ecole is tres adorable! (Say that with a French accent, s'il vous plait!)

KID KANDY:

Listen to a language ~ any language!

They say that children who learn more than one language do better is school. Early exposure is the very best way to keep those neural pathways and LAD (language acquisition device) intact and available to pick up the nuances and sounds of languages.

Let's do this!

~ Sing some Raffi or Charlotte Diamond. Both of them have songs in English and French. Numerous recording artists sing in two languages. Check it out.

~ YouTube. I know there are basic language videos just there for the listening. Caution: View them before sharing with your child, just in case.

~ Check out a language program from the library. Your choice - Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, Italian . . .

~ Join a language group. In my area there is at least one French speaking group that meets on a monthly basis. I haven't gone yet, but I dream of it. If only to show my lack of true language skills and taste the cheese.

~ Books on CD (or tape). Libraries and bookstores have these available. Occasionally, Costco has a series you can purchase.

Bonne chance!

Angie Quantrell loves hearing and trying to speak French. She easily massacres the beautiful words, but that does not stop her from trying.

I Can Be More Like Jesus

I Can Be More Like Jesus by Angie Quantrell (Woman's Missionary Union, 2006)

Philippe and Etienne enjoy life with their family. Journey with the two French brothers as they discover ways they can be more like Jesus. Helping others, praying for others, embracing nature, using manners, and giving help are just a few of the ways they learn to be more like Jesus.

In this photograph/watercolor illustrated book, French is the featured language. French phrases for every page focus are printed, along with pronunciation. Additional ideas are included at the end for families, teachers, and anyone who has or works with children.

I Can Be More Like Jesus is the fourth book in the I Can series. I am particularly proud of this book because I took the photos, using family and friends as characters. My graphic illustrator used a fancy computer program (sorry, not my specialty) to make the photographs appear to be made from watercolor painting. I love it!


I Can Pray
I Can Give
I Can Do It!
I Can Be More Like Jesus

Families on Mission, Teaching Your Preschooler to Love, Share, and Care

Read more about these books at www.wmu.com or call 1-800-968-7301.