The Incredible Book-Eating Boy



Last updated Friday, July 13, 2012

Author: Oliver Jeffers
Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers
Date of Publication: 2007
ISBN: 0399247491
Grade Level: Kindergarten    (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Jul. 2012

Synopsis: From Booklist
Henry loves books--eating them, that is. The more books he eats, the smarter he becomes, prompting him to devour them at an alarming rate. Henry imagines that if he keeps eating at his current pace, he could eventually become the smartest person on earth. Unfortunately, he starts to get sick from eating so many books, and everything he has learned becomes all jumbled up. Eventually Henry gives up eating books and finds that it can also be satisfying to read them.

Discussion topics for before reading:
•  Are you supposed to eat books? What are books for?
•  What kind of different types of books have you or your parents/teachers read to you? (fiction, math book, comic books) What type is your favorite?

Vocabulary
•  Incredible: not credible; hard to believe; unbelievable
•  Fierce: violent in force; intensity
•  Fussy: picky
•  Digest: to obtain information, ideas; to promote digestion of food in the body

Discussion topics for during/after reading:
•  Why do you think Henry ate books?
•  Do you read a lot of books? How many books have you read?
•  When you read books, do you feel yourself getting smarter?
•  Have you ever had too much of something that it made you sick?
•  What is your favorite book to read?

Craft ideas:
•  Book Eater - Volunteers should make the "book eater" (same as a "fortune teller" you probably made in grade school) before the reading clubs. Instructions are included with the craft materials. Have the kids glue eyes and a tongue on the eater, then partially unfold the paper eater to draw the contents of its stomach.

*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions. You can use them, but you don't have to use them. You can expand upon them, or add your own twist. Remember, though, that the focus of your time should not be on the development and execution of a craft; the focus should be on the read-aloud and the enjoyment of the book!