Bibliographic Information: Aroner, Miriam. (2006). Clink clank clunk!. Honesdale, Pennsylvania: Boyds Mills Press.
Plot Description: As Rabbit drives to town one day, he sees many friends along the way. First there is Mole, who pops up from his hole to ask for a ride. Then they see Squirrel who trades a berry for a ride. Next it is Porcupine who is going into town for a quill trim. As each animal joins the car pool, Rabbit’s old car makes different noises that show there may be trouble. Next they pick up Possum as the car hisses and fizzles. Followed by Beaver, Crow and Skunk, who is warned he will be kicked out if he sprays. The car countinues to make more noises: tucka, tucka, thunk! The final two passengers are Fox and Cow. Clankity, clunk, boom! The car breaks down and the friends must work together to get it to town. Rabbit’s car is a wreck. How will they get home?
Quantitative Reading Level: Lexile Measure: N/A Interest Level: Lower Grades ATOS Book Level: 2
Qualitative Reading Analysis: The story features figurative language. Each time a new animal gets in for a ride, the car makes new noises, which are onomatopoeia. Organization is chronological, sequential and conventional. Transitions lead the reader through the story. There is a pattern young readers will be able to follow and use to predict the sequence of events. The majority of the pages start with an animal being spotted along the road to town and asking for a ride. The opposite page features figurative language (onomatopoeia) of the sounds the car is making as it slowly breaks down. Text features organize the information and guide the reader. For example, all the sounds the car makes are in a different font than the rest of the text, as well as being a larger font size and bolded. The last sound on each page is in a different color than the rest of the story, with the exception of the first letter of the text on the opposite page, which is also large and the same color. So the first letter and the last word of the two page layout are matching in color. Counting is also reinforced in the story each time a new animal gets in the car the number of passengers is stated.
Content Area: Reading, Literature
Content Area Standard:
English Language Arts Standards for Reading: Literature: Craft and Structure: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2.6 Acknowledge differences in the points of view of characters, including by speaking in a different voice for each character when reading dialogue aloud.
English Language Arts Standards for Reading: Literature: Craft and Structure: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2.4 Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.
English Language Arts Standards for Reading: Foundational Skills: Fluency: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.2.4.b Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.
Curriculum Suggestions: After the teacher has read the story aloud have students take turns reading the lines of the different animals using expression, tone and rhythm. Teach students about figurative language and in particular onomatopoeia and have them find as many examples as they can from the text. Ask students how the author uses rhythm and figurative language to convey meaning. Have students write their own short story or sentences using onomatopoeia.
Supporting Digital Content:
Character names/descriptions: Rabbit is a friendly animal, whose old car is a means of transport for all the animals he meets on his way to town.
Personal Thoughts: I think kids will enjoy the onomatopoeia sounds and there is a message of generosity, as Rabbit gives everyone a ride and working together as the animals team up to get Rabbit’s car to town.
High interest annotation: Rabbit drives his clunker car to town and picks up all his animal friends along the way, but as they drive along the car makes mysterious noises: clink, clank, clunk!