Published by Julian Publishing. Gideon & Milo storybooks are written by Lester C. Lacey.
Reading Together
Start a friendship conversation after reading by drawing two speech bubbles, choosing one picture and imagining what each companion might notice. In Gideon & Milo, the companions are Gideon, a boy, and Milo, his Yorkshire terrier. Their first book, Gideon, Milo, and the Great Shadow, is by Lester C. Lacey.
At a glance: For a simple friendship conversation, ask what each character noticed, what they might want to ask, and how they could listen to one another. A two-speech-bubble drawing gives children another way to join in.
Draw two points of view
Draw two speech bubbles on a sheet of paper. Put one observation or question in each. A child can draw, dictate to an adult or write their own words. The aim is to imagine two perspectives, not to discover a single correct answer.
Ask three friendship questions
What did each companion notice? What could they ask each other? What might a helpful response sound like? Leave time between questions. You may choose to use only one.
Return to the pictures
After reading The Great Shadow, choose a picture together and discuss what each companion might notice. Make clear that dialogue you invent is your own response to the story, not a quotation from the book.
Make room for different ideas
If readers disagree, ask what detail led to each idea. You can draw a second pair of speech bubbles rather than settle the question. The read-aloud guide offers another way to continue.
Topics: Friendship · The Great Shadow
A two-bubble example to try
One bubble might say, “I noticed a dark shape.” The other might ask, “Shall we look again together?” These are invented activity prompts, not lines from the book. Invite your reader to change either sentence and point to the picture that inspired the idea.
What if my child prefers drawing to talking?
Use two pictures instead of speech bubbles. An adult can write a few words if the child wants them recorded. Listening, pointing and choosing a page also count as taking part.
Do both readers need the same answer?
No. Ask each person which detail led to their idea. Keep the conversation open, and return to the story to distinguish what is shown from what you imagined.