I need a snake

The boy asks questions throughout the book to his mom that could potentially encourage some inquiry from the students. Other process skills like inferencing and prediction could also be illicted from the book with the realm  of literature arts.

• Author: Lynee Jonell
• Illustrator: Petra Mathers
• Year Published: 1998
• ISBN: 0399231765

Science Topics

• Life Science

Minimum Suggested Grade Level

• Prekindergarten

Maximum Suggested Grade Level

• 1st Grade

Summary

A young boy really wants a snake of his own, and after his mother reads a book about snakes and takes him to a museum and a pet store to see some, he finds his own pet "snakes" around the house.

Evaluation

• Appropriateness: Medium
• Authority: Low
• Accuracy: Medium
• Liteary Artistry: Medium
• Appearance: Medium

Questions

Does the book foster development of processes?

The boy asks questions throughout the book to his mom that could potentially encourage some inquiry from the students. Other process skills like inferencing and prediction could also be illicted from the book with the realm  of literature arts.

Does the book provide an opportunity for children to ask and answer their own questions?

At some points, the book doesn't explicitly ask any questions but students could answer the ones the student makes. While these are not student generated questions, they could ask questions about the different snakes the main characters is attempting to make.

Does the book encourage children to think for themselves?

Not really. It's not written in a non-fiction, academic type of genre. It's a very elementary narrative that gives the answers after the young boy asks them. The book isn't encouraging scientific thinking, necessarily.

Is the science topic addressed in ways that are appropriate to the lesson?

It could be a book to introduce a topic, younger kids may have the perception that snakes are gross and dangerous, like them mom does in the book, but the young boy provides a counter perception to that. It also mentions the young boy reading first about snakes before seeing them in a museum, which students could realistically do in school.

Is the content based on sound scientific principles? Is it accurate?

It's somewhat accurate in that it state that snakes eat mice head first. However the mom constantly is making comments about how un-behaved snakes are and how dangerous and scary they are. It also shows a small picture in a book of a bullsnake and gives it's latin name.

Does the book distinguish between fact and fiction?

At one point it does, when the boy sees some snakes at the museum and inquires why they are not moving the mom says they are fake. Besides this, the boy is making snakes out of household items, which are obviously household items. The boy pretends these snakes are real but they are obviously not.

Are the illustrations clear and accurate?

There are no realistic type of drawings in the book. The llustrations are very cartoonish with stick figure people and snakes that with very generic detail. The stuffed snakes at the museum are also in very odd positions that snakes would not be in naturally.

Is the book written at the level of your students?

Yes the book is written at the level of my students, it might actaully be better suited for students who are below the second grade level. The dialogue is very understandable and has a good context for a student who may be very familiar with a lot of the english adjectives like, slimy and wiggle and stuffed.

Is there a multicultural component? Is it free from stereotyping?

There is not a multicultural component to the book. However the main character is a boy and he is very adamant on having a snake. I feel like this is kind of stereotypical, and again it's a anglo mom and son who take a trip to the museum.

Is the book free from gender bias?

It might be subtle, but i feel like the fact the protaganist is a boy who really wants a snake is a very stereotypical narrative of young boys. The mother is also portrayed as over protective and easily grossed out by snakes.

Does the book show the close association between science and other disciplines?

Not necessarily, the mother at first recommends the child read about snakes first which encourages literacy and inquiry for students who may interested in a certain animal. It also closely connects pet stores to museum to finding out if having a snake is what you really want, I wouldn't necessarily consider it making close association with other disciplines though.

Does the book present a positive attitude toward science and technology?

Yes somewhat, the mom encourages the child to explore different resources to find out if he really likes snakes but at the same times she shows a strong distaste towards snakes and in the end doesn't get the child a snake. It showed scientific books in a positive light, in the way that they are good sources of information and can cause inquiry.