Tuesday by David Weisner

Genre: Picture Book
Themes: Fantasy, Mystery, Predictions
Grade Level: K-2
Curricular Connections: Science (frogs), Reading (prediction, inferring)

Tuesday is a wordless book that tells the story entirely through pictures. On Tuesday evening around 8:00, frogs start mysteriously flying on lily pads. Hundreds of frogs fly to town. They have run-ins with birds, a German shepherd, and laundry. They watch TV with a sleeping grandmother. They are witnessed by a midnight snacker. As the sun rises, the magic ceases. All of the frogs and lily pads fall to the ground. Lilly pads litter the town's streets, but the frogs have all hopped back to their pond unnoticed. Police detectives investigate the lily pads, and a TV news reporter and cameraman interview the midnight snacker.

The book ends with a preview of next Tuesday. A curly tail is headed skyward, partially obscured by a barn, but there are noticeably porcine shadows on the shed. The last page shows pigs gliding by a weather vane.

Classroom Suggestions:

1. Write the story. Students can tell the story to match the illustrations or create a story that would stand independently without the illustrations.

2. Try to draw conclusions as to why the frogs mysteriously gained this ability. Does it have to do with the lily pads? The night time? Their pond? Are there clues in the pictures?

3. Predict what will happen next Tuesday as the pigs go flying. Who/what will they encounter? What adventures will they have? What clues will they leave behind?