Milly and Tilly by Kate Summers

Milly and Tilly by Kate Summers

Milly lives in the country and Tilly lives in the city. Each mouse is curious to see where the other lives. But when Tilly visits Milly, she longs for the bustle of the city. And when Milly visits Tilly, she misses the simple pleasures of the country, along with being terrified by the cat who lives in the house with Tilly. They agree to stay friends, but at their own houses.

• Read the title and the subtitle of the book from the cover, pointing to each word as you say it. Have children repeat the title as you point to each word.
• Explain that this is a story about two mice who live in different places and who both want to see where the other one lives.

Reading the Story for the First Time

• Read the story, moving your finger under the words as you read.
• After reading the story, ask: Do you live in a town or in the country?

Recalling the Story

• After you have finished reading, ask children the recall questions below. Continue to ask these questions when you reread the book, until he or she knows the answers.

Reading the Story Again and Again

• Give open-ended prompts on each page. For example, ask: What is happening in this picture? What is Milly doing? Do less reading of the words to the story each time you read, leaving more and more of the "reading" or retelling to the child.
• Give prompts about objects or activities in the pictures. Ask what, where, when, why, and how questions. For example, ask: What is this? (It is the big tree where Milly lives.) What does Milly have on her bed? (She has a quilt, which she made herself.) Use your finger to point to what you are asking about. Evaluate the child's response. Expand it by giving more information. Ask children to repeat the answer. If he or she needs help in answering a question, ask that question again the next time you read the book.
• You may wish to discuss the prompts shown below.

Extra Activities

• Have children name all the things they think Milly would see in town and all the things they think Tilly would see in the country.
• Have children use simple props and dramatize the story while you read it aloud.
• Children can write letters inviting a friend to visit.
• Children can draw simple cross-sections or maps that show the rooms in their homes. Help them label the rooms if they wish.

Recall Questions
Ask the following questions to check children's understanding of the story.

1. What is the name of this book? (The book is called Milly and Tilly.)
2. Who are the main characters in the story? (The main characters are Milly, a mouse who lives in the country, and Tilly, a mouse who lives in town.)
3. Where does Milly get her food? (She picks grains from the fields, cherries from the orchards, and nuts from the hedges. She stores the food in her pantry for winter.)
4. How does Milly know that Tilly is coming to visit? (She gets a letter.)
5. Why does Tilly go home after just a short visit? (She misses the town and wants Milly to see where she lives.)
6. What happens when Milly visits Tilly? (She is terrified when the cat comes after them in the kitchen.)
7. What do the two friends decide to do? (They decide to write letters and stay friends.)