
Krack!
Our family delights in anything written by Mo Willems, and Little G and I were thrilled to discover a title we had not read yet, Nanette’s Baguette. Willems’ expansive rhyming skills are on full display, and your older preschool and early elementary school Littles will benefit from the discussion that one, two, and three syllable words can rhyme (bet, Baguette, clarinet). A fun supplement to this activity is to select another type of bread and see which rhymes you and your Little can think of. We tried “roll” at home and came up with these: bowl, coal, sole.

Another easy way to connect with this text is to discuss the concept of responsibility. In the book, the character Nanette earns the responsibility of walking to the bakery alone to purchase the family’s daily baguette. Ask your little if they have any responsibilities at home or at school. Tell them about your responsibilities at work and and home, and anticipate responsibilities they will have in the future. When Little G didn’t come up with any examples on her own, I supported her by recalling that one of her responsibilities is to take her backpack to and from school, and one of my responsibilities is to do the grocery shopping.

After reading this charming book, we visited our local bakery and Little G had the chance to purchase a baguette by herself. It was a great opportunity for her flex her growing independence by handling money and interacting with a cashier.
Did we eat it in one sitting? You bet!