Amy Hest has created a fun and imaginative world on Plum Street about a bear named Sam and his mother, Mrs. Bear. The series of three books that follows the homey activities of Sam and his mother are Kiss Good Night, Don't You Feel Well, Sam? and You Can Do It, Sam. The themes are ones young children will easily relate to such as bedtime routines, taking medicine that tastes bad when sick, and doing brave things for the first time. The books also provide a great start for simple activities that will work well for kindergarten and first grade students.
Books About Sam and Mrs. Bear
Kiss Good Night [Candlewick Press, 2001, ISBN 0763621145] is the first book of the series. It chronicles the evening routine of Sam and his mother. Like most parents and children, Sam and Mrs. Bear have their own little routine at bedtime. Mrs. Bear playfully teases Sam regarding what they have missed on this particular night.
Don't You Feel Well, Sam? [Candlewick Press, 2002, ISBN 9780763624088] is the second adventure on Plum Street. In this story, Sam has a cough and has to work up the courage to take his cough medicine. In the end, Mrs. Bear finds the perfect reward for swallowing the medicine. Mrs. Bear and Sam go downstairs, make tea, tell stories and snuggle while waiting for snow.
You Can Do It, Sam [Candlewick Press, 2007, ISBN 0763636886] is the third story of Sam and his mother. They bake cakes to share with all of their friends on a snowy winter day on Plum Street. When they take the green truck to deliver them, Mrs. Bear tells Sam he can deliver them all by himself.
Activities for Sam Books by Amy Hest
Create a bedtime routine chronological order. Have students illustrate four steps in their bedtime routine. If they are able, have them write a brief statement or sentence about each step. If they need help, have them dictate a caption for each step before illustrating. This can also develop into a graphing activity by tallying some of the most popular parts of bedtime routines.
Choose two of the books and compare the differences and similarities using a Venn diagram. Prepare a large Venn diagram on the board or large piece of paper. As students suggest facts about the books, have the class decide where they should be placed on the diagram.
Have students write about their favorite of the three books by describing the beginning, the middle and the end. They should write and illustrate one fact about the beginning, the middle and the end. This can be easily done by folding a rectangular piece of paper into four sections and using one section for each part. The additional space (either first or last) can be used for the title and a picture of a favorite character or part of the story.
Kindergarten and first grade students enjoy stories such as those by Amy Hest which feature Sam and his mother, Mrs. Bear. Their adventures on Plum Street in Kiss Good Night, Don't You Feel Well, Sam? and You Can Do It, Sam are heartwarming and provide a great springboard for simple learning activities such as comparing and contrasting using a Venn diagram. Primary students will also enjoy books and activities with themes such as scarecrows, winter, snow, and pumpkins.
Sallie Schaaf Borrink - Sallie Borrink is a professional writer with extensive experience with business clients, the consumer market, and online destinations.
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