Independent Reading : Grades 2-4

I love this introduction to Paul Bunyan's family, especially Teeny and Little Jean. ( )

Ever wonder about Paul Bunyan's life? Did he have kids? Does he marry? Do they go on adventures?
Yes. Yes, to all the answers above. Audrey Wood has written a story about Paul Bunyan's personal life. She introduces new facts about him that little people have ever heard about him.

Paul Bunyan met a lady giant named Carrie McIntie. It was love at first sight and then eventually got married. They had two giant children named Little Jean (son) and Teeny (daughter).

The family went on many adventures. One place they went to was the Niagara River. This is located in Canada. They ended up there because Teeny needed a shower with lots of force to get syrup out of her hair. When Little Jean played in Utah, he made canyon into a beautiful artwork. Today this is known as Bryce Canyon. Doing so, Little Jean's shoes were full of sand. He dumped them out. The winds blew strong and made the Great Sand Dunes of Colorado.
They also go on many adventures creating natural wonders in America.

This is a silly book that "explains" the reasons why some natural wonders exist. This is a book that children would laugh at and enjoy. ( )

Paul Bunyan, his wife, and children are an average family despite their enormous size. As they go about their every day life, they unexpectedly create some of America's greatest natural landmarks. The illustrations do a wonderful job of bringing the story to life. David Shannon makes sure to create perspective in each of the pictures, to show just how enormous the Bunyan family was compared to their average sized surroundings. In the very back of the book, there is also a map of the United States that pin points all of the natural landmarks that were mentioned to be created by the Bunyans. ( )

The Bunyans is a great story about Paul Bunyan's family and their travels around the world. They travel to many different states and historical landmarks, and the claims are they are the ones who made the "Great Sand Dunes of Colorado" and the "Big Sur"

I actually read this book for a book share in a small group. They loved the storyline and were especially intrigued with the pictures. I did an extension activity by having them categorize what events were exaggerations and which could actually happen. I did this with a group of 3rd graders, but this is also great for any age of elementary. ( )