Full, Full, Full of Love

Written by Trish Cooke

Illustrated by Paul Howard

Awards: 2x2 Reading List 2004

Summary:

It's Sunday which means family dinner at Jay Jay's grandmother's house. Jay Jay is especially hungry today and is anxious for dinner to be ready and for the family to arrive. While they wait, Jay Jay and his Grannie spend a bit of quality time together. They set the table, feed the fish, and Jay Jay tries to sneak some candy. Jay Jay also comments on how full his Grannie's house is: full of hugs, kisses, cuddles, fish, and great food. For Jay Jay, this is what makes his Grannie's house special to him. The rest of the family finally arrives, and they enjoy each other's company over their meal. Jay Jay goes home feeling full of love and happiness (and a lot of food).  

Grade Level and Unit:

This book would be best for kindergarten and first-grade classrooms. I think this could be an anchor text for an "All About Me" unit. Family and tradition are clear themes in this book, and students can use this to share about themselves. This book also uses some onomatopoeia and repetition; I would use these examples to teach figurative language skills in fourth or fifth-grade classes. I would have students point out each occurrence and explain why it fits that type of figurative language.