Amelia Bedelia 4 Mayor

Amelia takes everything literally. For example, when the mayor is with the press because he has to iron some things out, Amelia promises to bring him some actual shirts to iron. This discussion of literal language against figurative language would be useful in older, high school, classrooms. While middle schoolers often are unentertained by a teacher who whips out a picture book, oftentimes high schoolsrs are very entertained by them.

Amelia makes a cake in a pan when she is asked to make "pancakes" and sticks a French flag in toast when asked to make French toast. When a citizen says it is time for change, Amelia offers him the 43 cents in her pocket.

Most or some of these jokes might go over picture book reader's heads, but these books with all the plays on words, is a great or different way to engage reluctant readers in a discussion that they hear from an English teacher every year. This is an opportunity to get reluctant readers to sit up an pay attention in class.

Parish, Herman. Amelia Bedelia 4 Mayor. Pictures by Lynn Sweat. Greenwillow Books, New York; 1999. ISBN 0-688-16722-5.