Thursday, March 6, 2014

Perfect Picture Book Friday: Bartholomew and the Oobleck

All week long, my little ones and I have been delving into books written by Dr. Seuss.  Today, I got to introduce them to Bartholomew and the OOBLECK.  It is one that is familiar to most, but it was fun for me to revisit this classic!

Bartholomew and the OOBLECK
by Dr. Seuss
(Random House, 1949, Fiction)
Perfect for 5-9 years old


Opening:  "They still talk about it in the Kingdom of Didd as The-Year-the-King-Got-Angry-with-the-Sky."

 Brief Summary:  King Derwin of Didd is incredibly bored with everything that falls from the sky (rain, snow, sunshine, and fog).  He summons his royal magicians to make something new fall from the sky, and they succeed in their task with the creation of oobleck.  The only problem is that oobleck is a horribly sticky substance that traps anyone and everyone it comes in contact with.  The whole kingdom is being ruined by its effects.   Bartholomew, the king's wise pageboy, is the only one who can help the king stop the disastrous effects of oobleck.

Why I Like It:  Dr. Seuss knows exactly how to create an interesting story while teaching a lesson at the same time.  In Bartholomew and the Oobleck, Seuss teaches the importance of saying "I'm sorry", and admitting when one is wrong. All of the illustrations are in black and white except for the green oobleck, which appears in greater and greater quantities as the story progresses.  Bartholomew is such a wise character and seems to be the only one with sense, even though he is not only a boy, but also a servant.  What child doesn't love a story about green goo?


As a follow-up activity, we made some "oobleck" of our own. It is just something that has to be done after reading a story about sticky green goo.  

Homemade Slime  ("Oobleck")
Recipe from Our Best Bites
For the complete tutorial, head here.

1 teaspoon borax powder
1 1/2 cup water, divided
1/2 cup white Elmer’s glue
green food coloring

Add borax powder to 1 cup of water and stir to dissolve.  Set aside.  Pour glue into a medium mixing bowl and add 1/2 cup water. Add a few drops of food coloring and then stir to mix glue solution until smooth.  Pour the borax mixture into the glue mixture.  Stir for a few moments and then use your hands to gather the mass.  The mixture will be very soft and wet.  Keep kneading until it firms up and feels dry.  Discard excess liquid in bowl. The more you knead and play with the slime the firmer it will become.  Store in a Ziploc bag or air tight container.


Happy reading!

Emily


15 comments:

  1. Haven't read this one. Sounds like a modern day fable. I'm going to have to get the book to find out what the child did.

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    1. It is one of my favorites by Seuss, which says a lot! I had forgotten what a treasure it was! Thanks for stopping by! :)

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  2. 65 years old and STILL wonderful!

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  3. An oldy but a goody. Thanks for the reminder.

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    1. I was so excited when I found it at the library! It is fun to have those reminders. Thanks for stopping by!

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  4. This looks like such a fun book! I love your activities - you're such a fun momma!

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    1. We have spent hours with oobleck! It is a good one, indeed!

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  5. The title has me hooked! I love Seuss!

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    1. I do, as well! So many of my favorites are written by him. He was so talented! I think you'll love it.

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  6. I haven't read it either, is it a sequel to the 500 Hats?

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  7. Making Oobleck is not only great science (thixotropic stuff) but a wonderful way to celebrate Dr. S's birthday. And what better book to read? (except for the 500 hats, the cat in the hat, the....)

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    1. Yes! It fit in perfectly with our little preschool curriculum. He has a lot of good ones!

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  8. This is a great book, a great review, and a great activity. I hope we'll see more on future PPBFridays. Thanks.

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