Ruby’s Picture Message

Reading together

Reading age 3–4 describes the audience for this adult-led Shared Reading book, not an independent reading-level assessment. This is a read-aloud story for ages 3–4, not an independent reading-level text. Read at the child’s pace. Children can listen, point, gesture, sign or join in with familiar words. Joining in is optional.

Before reading

Look at the title and cover. Introduce the characters and setting. Explore these five words with pictures, actions and familiar examples: picnic, message, picture, tree, path. Invite a prediction about what might happen.

During reading

Use Talk Together for a prompt on each page. Talk about the problem, the tools or materials, the idea they try and what happens when they test it. Compare what the characters expected with what they noticed. Invite children to join in with repeated words or gestures.

After reading

Make a picture message for a familiar place in the room. An adult looks at the picture and follows it with the child. Talk about which details help. Describe what the characters noticed and how their ideas changed. Invite different experiences and respect a child’s choice not to share.

Explore and play

Technology idea

Make a picture message that helps someone find a place.

Notice together

Notice the problem, the material or tool, and what happens when the child tries an idea. Children can point, gesture, sign or talk.

Try together

Make a picture message for a familiar place in the room. An adult looks at the picture and follows it with the child. Talk about which details help.

Adult support

Keep the route familiar, clear and supervised. This is a pretend message game with a trusted adult, not a way to send a child off alone.

Activities with an adult

The eleven separate question cards include recall, word meaning, observation, “why”, inference and evidence questions and discussion. Read the questions and choices aloud and offer picture support. Explore five vocabulary words, build them from movable letters and order three story pictures. Model a vocabulary word for the child to copy; letter recognition and independent decoding are not required. Mouse dragging, finger dragging, tap controls and keyboard controls are available. Use the light green and red feedback as a chance to look at the story again.

Choose a few activities that suit the child’s interest. Offer pictures, drawings, gestures or spoken answers, and model word building when useful. Activities are optional.