Rubia and the Three Osos

Author:  Susan Middleton Elya
Illustrator:  Melissa Sweet
Published:  2010

This cute and colorful version of Goldilocks and the 3 Bears is perfect for teaching context clues.  I discovered this book at our book fair recently and picked it up for my class.  I love using Spanish to teach context clues because it forces the children to read on in a sentence or go back and reread or even pay attention to the pictures.  Usually, I write sentences on the board in English with Spanish words thrown in and then the children try to figure out the words.  This book does it for me.

"There once were three osos who lived by themselves.

They stored their three platos for soup on the shelves.

But one night at supper - la sopa prepared,
the soup platos ladled,
the chairs derriere'd -

Mama said, 'Let's go for a walk before dinner.'"

The children are convinced they are Spanish speakers by the end of the lesson and they are pretty good at applying context clues too.  This is a great book to learn context clues in this way because students already know the story and are able to follow the patterns in the story.  If the first word is "too hard," then they know automatically that the second is "too soft." 

This story also has a nicer message than the usual Goldilocks books.  Usually Goldilocks makes a run for it and leaves the bears with broken furniture and no food.  This Goldilocks returns to the bears with a bowl of soup, some glue to fix the chairs, and an apology!  Rubia and the osos become friends and share their time together.

Overall, fun book that the kids enjoy reading with me in class.  Quick and easy lesson too!

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Summary from Scholastic