There Is a Bird on Your Head by Mo Willems

Genre: Fanciful Fiction
Theme: Relationships, Friendship, Helping Others
Grade Level: K-2
Curricular Connections: Religion (helping others), Reading (repeated text)

Elephant and Piggie are good friends. One day Elephant discovers a bird on his head. This upsets him greatly, but Piggie is there for him, and he keeps Elephant updated with the developments atop his head. Soon there are two birds (love birds!), they build a nest, there are eggs, and then chicks. Elephant has had enough. In the end the birds leave after Elephant politely asks them. It was a suggestion from Piggie. They birds move...to Piggie's head.

Classroom Suggestions:

1. Elephant and Piggie books should be used to promote the fun of reading. Beginning readers will laugh and laugh and quickly seek out the other books in the series.

2. Partner reads. This book works great with two oral readers. Two students could plan a reader's theater or a teacher could work with one student. The teacher could model good read aloud practices, and the student would have an immediate opportunity to respond using the same practices.