Beth Anderson, Children's Writer

It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday!  Time to return to your childhood and remember the forts you built – of blankets and blocks and chairs and cushions and boards and snow and …

My siblings and I had some great forts. The best was more of a maze that wound through an entire room. But when Mom (who was generally up for anything) came with a basket of laundry…well…it was time to dismantle our engineering marvel.

[Please share your favorite fort memory in the comments.]

Title: The Little Red Fort

Written by: Brenda Maier
Illustrated by: Sonia Sanchez
Scholastic 2018, folk tale, fable
Suitable for ages: 4-8

Themes/topics:  building, siblings, being capable

Opening:
Ruby’s mind was always full of ideas.

Brief synopsis (from barnesandnoble.com)
Ruby’s mind is always full of ideas.
One day, she finds some old boards and decides to build something. She invites her brothers to help, but they just laugh and tell her she doesn’t know how to build.
“Then I’ll learn,” she says.
And she does!
When she creates a dazzling fort that they all want to play in, it is Ruby who has the last laugh.

Activities and Resources:
Educator’s Guide from Scholastic 
Interactive read-aloud with repeated responses

Why I like this book:
This excellent update to a classic fable features diverse characters, capable females, and real-world children. Spunky and entertaining, this STEM/STEAM version will inspire kids to take their ideas from the planning stages through the final touches.
The rhythmic text, closely reflecting the original, invites kids to participate, making the read-aloud interactive and fun. The illustrations, the text, even the font are interesting, engaging, and joyful.

A Spanish version will be available 6/26/18.

Visit author Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Books for a plethora of picture books listed by title and topic/theme, each with teacher/parent activities and resources.

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