Kids recognize the signal phrase, “Once upon a time” & will intuitively prepare for a magical story. Iillustrations capture a dreamy, time-traveling mood, expand the spare text to invite further expansion of the thematic ideas.
Simple rhymes lilt softly on the ear, enhance the mood & encourage readers to explore their own personal experiences. Colored font highlights key words to spotlight connection between the item in its current state back through time to a former state. For example:”Does a feather remember it once was …a bird?” Each page offers a chance to delve deeper & discuss how change occurs in people/places/things. One could simply enjoy this wonderful chance to ride the magic carpet of imagination and fantasy. Or one could use it as a path to some simple STEM activities—science, technology, engineering and mathematics. AQ Lens: For adopted children this book can offer a path to conversations about their past. For example, the final pairing, “Will you remember you once were … a child?” could naturally evolve into discussing their thoughts about their life story before they were adopted. Older children might wish to express any what if thoughts about how their lives might have been different had they never been adopted, or if they’d been adopted by other parents.
