I Love My Bái Qiú Xié！

     This week at Language Stars, I was introduced to the wonderful book "Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes"by Eric Litwin.  If you haven't read it yet, you need to.  It's like a new "Brown Bear, Brown Bear."  It's very simple, focusing on colors.  Perfect for ages birth to four.

     

     When I found out the theme for this week was based on the book, my first thought was, "Wow, how up-to-date of them!"  I teach preschool and kindergarten and have 3 little ones (HOW have I missed this book?), and I hadn't even read it yet!  Then we went to class and my son LOVED it!  

(That looks just like me in the morning!)

     

  
     We sang a Mandarin version of Pete the Cat's song, substituting different colors just like in the book.  It was catchy and great, one of those can't-get-it-out-of-my-adult-brain tunes.  Then, when it came time for the strawberries and blueberries in the book, the teacher threw red and  blue pom poms around the room.  Needless to say, my son thought that was just the best!

(Insert gleeful preschool laughter here.

       One thing that really struck me this week is that you don't need Chinese books to teach Chinese.  While I'm trying to work on some characters with my daughter, the easier-to-find versions work just as well for reinforcing new vocabulary.  Now, I certainly can't pick up Pete the Cat and "read" it in Mandarin.  But what I can do is point to the fruits and say their names, the names of the colors, AND sing the song in Mandarin that I learned this week.  Thank you, Language Stars!

And thank you for reading,
Teacher Tam

Here's my new freebie in Mandarin, English, and Pinyin to go with "Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes!"  Click on the picture to take a look and download it.