Groundhog Day Read Alouds

This post is from the archives, but I thought I’d post it again, just in case anyone is making a quick trip to the library today.  We’ve picked up a few new Groundhog Day reads this year, but I still think Gregory’s Shadow is the best.   Enjoy!

I serendepitously happened upon a few fun books about Groundhog Day last week at the library, and I thought I’d share them here at Hope Is the Word.  February 2nd usually comes comes and goes without much thought from me about these furry little mammals, but it is a fun tradition, and I was happy to share these books with my girls.  The Secret of the First One Up by Iris Hiskey Arno is my favorite.  In this sweet book, a little girl groundhog named Lila learns about Groundhog Day after her Uncle Wilbur challenges her to be the first one to go Above Ground after a winter’s nap.  Renee Graef of My First Little House Books fame is the  illustrator of this sweet and gentle story.

Gregory’s Shadow, written and illustrated by Don Freeman (whom you will recognize as the author and illustrator of  Corduroy), is the fun story of Gregory the Groundhog who loses his shadow when he goes outside the day before Groundhog Day.  What follows is a fun and suspenseful adventure at the end of which Gregory and his shadow are reunited just in time for Groundhog Day.  Please note that this story contains a reference to a ghost.

These books provide great introductions to the tradition of Groundhog Day.  What a great way to spend time together while waiting to learn whether or not we’ll have six more weeks of winter–reading!!

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