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K athle en P el le y Stor yte l l i ng A cti v i ty G ui de
2014 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 1
Activity Guide
by
Kathleen Pelley
K athle en P el le y Stor yte l l i ng A cti v i ty G ui de
2014 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 2
One of the many things I love about good stories is that they can provide a space
in our hectic busy lives to simply PAUSE and PONDER some truth, some beauty, or
some new way of looking at the world.
Each month I will invite you to join me as I PAUSE and PONDER upon the story I
have just read.
AMOS AND BORIS
Written and illustrated by William Steig
PAUSE and PONDER …
Why I love this story?
It is a tender tale of two very different characters – a mote of a mouse and a
mountain of a whale – who develop a deep and an abiding affection for one
another. Amos, the mouse, is an adventurer, a lover of life, and….a philosopher.
Every time I read those lines after he has fallen into the ocean, “He began to
wonder what it would be like to drown. Would it take very long? Would it feel
just awful? Would his soul go to heaven? Would there be other mice there?” I
smile and think of E.B. White’s words, “All I want to say in books. All I ever
wanted to say in books, is – I LOVE THE WORLD” This story truly celebrates a
love of life and rejoices in the gift of FRIENDSHIP.
As a storyteller I delight in the rich, lively language – words such as:
phosphorescent sea, luminous water, gemlike radiance, quivering daintiness,
grandeur, abounding friendliness.” When Frank McCourt (Pulitzer prize winning
author of Angela’s Ashes, first encountered the language of Shakespeare, he
described it as “having jewels in my mouth” – “phosphorescent….gemlike
radiance” – “RICH” language - JEWELS indeed!
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2014 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 3
When I talk to children at schools, I will often compare stories to journeys. Just as
a journey involves movement from one place to another, so too a story involves
movement: a movement of our heart to feel something – hence the word,
eMOTION. And just as we will often return from a journey with some souvenirs
to remind us of where we have been, so too a good story, I believe, should leave
us with some souvenir: a bolt of beauty, a glimpse of goodness, some words of
wisdom, a jolt of joy, a dollop of hope, a soupçon of sadness, a nugget of
knowledge, or a crumb of comfort.
So, the two souvenirs I take from this story are:
1. A soupcon of sadness to see our two friends part from one another – a
reminder that often we must endure separation from our loved ones,
whether through death or distance or some other circumstances.
2. A dash of delight as I revel in the joy of friends who have lit up my life in so
many ways over the years.
Emotional/Universal Truth
What is an emotional truth?
Any editor will tell you that a common weakness of many picture book
manuscripts is that it is “too trite.” In other words, it will not withstand multiple
readings, because it is too one dimensional and lacks a universal, emotional truth.
It is NOT a lesson, a moral, or a message! Rather it is a simple truth, woven
seamlessly throughout the story -some truth about love, hope, pain, joy, or home
that a child can understand and connect with. I like to think of it as that whiff of
wonder, that bolt of beauty that lingers with you, long after the last page is turned
or the final word uttered.
Why should this universal truth matter so much to the read-aloud quality of a
picture book?
“The storytellers go back and back, to a clearing in the forest where a great
fire burns, and the old shamans dance and sing, for our heritage of stories
began in fire, magic, the spirit world. And that is where it is held, today.”
Doris Lessing
K athle en P el le y Stor yte l l i ng A cti v i ty G ui de
2014 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 4
Truth connects us to one another, to our ancestors, and to the world around us.
Good books and stories are all about connections. When we read a story aloud to
a child – a story that truly touches us at the very core of our being with its beauty
and its truth, then, we will naturally breathe our own life and love into those
words as we read them aloud. (Notice how life and spirit, breath and voice are all
connected). And, in turn, those words will seep into the little listener’s heart,
making her or him feel brave or bold, calm or kind, happy or hopeful.
“Adult books maintain lives; children’s books change lives.” Yolen
The “truth” of this story is, I think, twofold:
1. Friends are the elixir of life – they help us to love more, they bring out our
best characteristics, and though we may have to endure separation
through death or distance, good friends always live in our hearts.
2. “A friend in need is a friend indeed” – surely all of us have experienced the
care of a dear friend in our times of trouble and know what solace a good
friend can bring.
What souvenir and what “truth” I wonder, will you and your children take from this
story?
The following discussion questions and activities are designed for use either with
a parent and a child, or with a teacher and her class or a small group. Most of the
discussion questions are suited for children ages 6-8, but could be adapted for
use with younger children too.
- Kathleen Pelley
K athle en P el le y Stor yte l l i ng A cti v i ty G ui de
2014 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 5
Discussion of Friendship
In what ways are Amos and Boris different from one another? (mouse, whale, big, small, one lives on land and the other on sea etc.)
In what way are they similar? (both love life, are curious, friendly, adventurous, mammals etc.)
What did Amos admire about Boris? (the bulk, grandeur, power, purpose, rich voice, and abounding friendliness)
What did Boris admire about Amos? (the delicacy, the quivering daintiness, the light touch, the small voice, the gemlike radiance)
Think of one of your special friends. How are you alike?
How are you different?
What do you admire about your friend?
What do you like to do with your friend?
Have you ever had a friend who helped you in a time of need?
Have you ever helped a friend in a time of trouble?
“A friend in need is a friend indeed” – discuss.
Are you more like Amos or Boris?
Boris described Amos as “all heart” – what do you think he meant?
Why can’t Amos and Boris be together (one lives on land, the other in the sea)
Have you ever had a friend who had to move to another place?
K athle en P el le y Stor yte l l i ng A cti v i ty G ui de
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Character Comparison
On chart paper, draw two overlapping circles and label them AMOS and
BORIS. Have child/children compare Amos to Boris. Direct them to think
about physical characteristics and personality. Record their answers in the
circles. Explain that descriptions matching both Amos and Boris will be
written in the area where the circles overlap and that the descriptions
matching only one of them will be written in that character’s circle.
Amos
Mouse
Tiny
Gemlike
Natural sailor
Lives on land
Fur coat
Squeaks
Runs
Has legs
Bold
Adventurous
Boris
Whale
Huge
Lives in sea
Spouts
Swims
Has fins
Both
Friendly
Mammal
Curious
Loves the ocean
Kind
Bold
Adventurous
K athle en P el le y Stor yte l l i ng A cti v i ty G ui de
2014 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 7
Character Comparison (for younger children)
Copy the words from the box below onto colored cards. Tell the child that
some of these are AMOS MOUSE words and others are BORIS WHALE
words. Have child/children stick cards onto the correct animal shape from
the next page.
Mouse
Curious
Adventurous
kind
brave
lives on land
lives in the sea
Whale
Squeaks
Boris
Small
Sounds
eats fish
Amos
Big
mammal
eats cheese
Friendly
wonders
Loves life
K athle en P el le y Stor yte l l i ng A cti v i ty G ui de
2014 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 8
K athle en P el le y Stor yte l l i ng A cti v i ty G ui de
2014 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 9
Going on a Journey
Discuss some of the items Amos took on his journey – sextant, compass,
iodine, bandages, acorns, telescope, needle and thread, a yo-yo, and playing
cards. These were his “necessities.”
Encourage child/children to talk about what “necessities” they like to take
on a journey.
Have your child draw a picture of a sailboat – or use the picture on the next
page. Ask your child to give a name to her or his boat (Amos called his boat
Rodent). Now encourage your child to write and/or draw her or his list of
“necessities.”
The name of my boat is: __________________________
My list of “NECESSITIES”
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
K athle en P el le y Stor yte l l i ng A cti v i ty G ui de
2014 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 10
K athle en P el le y Stor yte l l i ng A cti v i ty G ui de
2014 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 11
Word Scramble
Unscramble the words…
1 A mote of a __ _ _ _ _ (emsuo)
2 A mountain of a _ _ _ _ _ (hewla)
3 Ivory coast of _ _ _ _ _ _ (fiacar)
4 Worst storm of the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (cryuten)
5 Two goodhearted _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (lanstehpe)
6 Middle of the _ _ _ _ _ (noeca)
K athle en P el le y Stor yte l l i ng A cti v i ty G ui de
2014 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 12
Crisscross Words
Use the clues below to complete the crossword
K athle en P el le y Stor yte l l i ng A cti v i ty G ui de
2014 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 13
WE LOVE THE WORLD – Activity
E. B. White said, “all I want to say in books, all I ever wanted to say is, I
LOVE THE WORLD.” Discuss.
What did Amos love? (ocean, smell of sea air, he loved to hear the surf
sounds, breakers, the back washes.) Discuss with child/children what they
love to see, smell, touch, hear, do.
Draw heart shapes on card. Have child/children write their name in the
heart. Then fill the heart with all things they love about the world –
encourage them to think of things they love to see, hear, taste, feel, do.
Decorate – wall of room/classroom under heading of We LOVE the World.
You could do a heart for every day of the week and what they loved about
the world that day, or you could do a heart for the week and what they
loved that week.
SEE SAMPLE HEART ACTIVITY BELOW
Today I LOVED…
Hearing baby brother laugh
Crunch of leaves
Jumping in a puddle
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Answer Key
Word Scramble
1. mouse
2. whale
3. Africa
4. Century
5. Elephants
6. Ocean
Crossword Puzzle
1. bandages
2. sail
3. Yetta
4. yo-yo
5. rodent
6. mote
7. mouse
8. ocean
9. mammal
10. Africa