Traditional tale accompanied by pretty paintings. Brief biography of Hale. Endnote includes brief information on the controversy regarding authorship of this tale; references. ( )

This book begins with the poem Mary Had a Little Lamb. It follows the verses of the original version of Mary’s Lamb. What makes this different from all other books is the use of real photos of a young girl and a lamb.

I liked this book because of the use of real photos. It gives a different view of an old classic that children will enjoy even if they have heard the story many times before.

This book would be good to use as an example of how to treat others (people or animals). This book can be an example of how the author uses a familiar story and changes it by using real photos. ( )

Mary had a little lamb involves a very loving little girl who has a pet lamb that cannot bear the separation of one another. The lamb follows the little girl to school one day and is very entertaining until the lamb gets put outside. He waits for his keeper to leave school and to go home. She gives the lamb so much love and affection.

This book was very interesting to me. When I was growing up I always just heard the nursery rhyme of this but never a book version. When I finished reading this book, I was looking in the back and read that this version was about a real little girl with a pet lamb. The pictures that are in the book are actual pictures of the girl and the lamb. They are in color and were very vibrant.

As a classroom extension, this would be a good example of illustrations that are actual pictures instead of drawings. This could also be used in a poetry unit because this book is also lyric poetry.

This book had the poem in it with lots of pictures, but it also explained that the lamb loved mary so because she was gentle and kind to him. All children need to understand how important it is to be good to animals. ( )

Title: “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
Author: Sarah Joseph Hale
Publisher/Date: G.P. Putman’s Sons; 2004
ISBN: 0-399-24221-x
Summery: “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” is about a girl, named Mary, who had a lamb that followed her everywhere. One day, the lamb followed Mary to school and the children found it to be funny. The teacher made to lamb go outside where is waited patiently.
Personal Response: This rhythm is a personal favorite. It is a fun and catchy rhythm. I will definitely have this book in my classroom.
Extensions:
1) The students could make a lamb out of cotton balls, Popsicle sticks, and wiggly eyes.
2) The teacher can teach this rhythm as a song. ( )