In the library -- Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears by Verna Aardema with illustrations by Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon / Tree of Birds by Susan Meddaugh / Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young

Teaching Pre K-8, Oct 1994 by Hurst, Carol Otis

As long as we're working with books that have good problem solving involved, let's keep going. Here are some books that have been around a while, but fit neatly into this category.

The current thinking is math and science is that problem-solving activities have great carry over, and zeroing in on a problem within a story, making predictions, isolating the problem and drawing conclusions about the solution are worthwhile and productive activities.

Take another look at Verna Aardema's Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears with those glorious illustrations by Leo and Diane Dillon (Dial, 1975 ISBN 0-0837-6089). The problem here is that the sun doesn't come up any more. It's the lion who solves the problem. When he finds that the owlets--is not calling to awaken the sun, the lion works through the testimony was a misunderstanding caused by the mosquito.

In Susan Meddaugh's Tree of Birds (Sandpiper, 1990 ISBN 0-395-68978-3), we also have a bird-related problem, but in a much funnier context. When Harry finds a hurt bird, he brings it inside to heal it and keep it. He names it Sally (get it? Harry and Sally?) and finds that it's a "green-tufted" tropical. When Sally is healed, she spends much time looking out of Harry's bedroom window. Harry finds that a tree outside this window is filled with birds like Sally, all looking in at her. He knows they, like his mother, want him to release Sally, but he refuses. He warns the birds in the tree that winter is coming and they must fly south. He isn't going to let Sally out to join them. When the snow begins to fall and the birds remain, freezing in the tree, Harry relents. He opens the window and all the birds fly in.

So, here the problem is one of misperception. Harry thinks the birds are waiting for Sally to join them. What they need is to get warm, so they fly in. What's Harry going to do with all those birds?