Recommended Picture Book: Water Hole Waiting

• Title: Water Hole Waiting
• Author: Jane Kurtz and Christopher Kurtz
• Illustrator: Lee Christiansen
• Publisher: Harper Collins (Greenwillow Books), March 2002
• Theme: Animals, Places: African Savanna, Water Holes, 
• Age: 4-8
• Opening: 
• Morning slinks onto the savanna and licks up the night shadows one by one. Crickets stop chirping. A frog plops softly into the water hole.
• Summary:
• Monkey has to wait till evening to drink at the water hole because during the day, big and dangerous animals visit the water hole to drink, splash and get relief from the savanna heat.  But waiting is very hard for a little monkey.
• Resources:
• Check out the curriculum connections on Jane Kurtz' website
• Information about water holes
• Learn about the value of water in Africa
• Watch African animals live on the internet at Africam.com
• Vocabulary – Great sound words are used in this book, as well as interesting moving words. Create a chart with all the wonderful words.
• Why I like this book:
• I absolutely loved the illustrations in this story. The pastel colors lent a warm and rich feel to the pages. Children will learn about a variety of animals that live on the savanna and they share the water hole together. I fell in love with the little vervet monkey and felt so sorry for him. I honestly could not wait for him to be able to get his turn at the water hole. Children will learn a valuable lesson in this story, waiting is hard but it pays to be patient and take turns. :)