My pre-K-ers and I settled in for our read-aloud. I told them I brought seven books with me because I wasn’t sure which one I wanted to read. “I like them all … hmmm … which one shall I read?” “Read them all!” they replied. To which I responded, “We probably only have time for one or two. Let me think. (pause, look, think). OK! I got it.”

I started with My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann.

The illustrations provided us many opportunities to notice, think, and wonder. We made predictions, chuckled at some ideas, and questioned how some of rabbit and mouses ideas were possible. One of my learners exclaimed vehemently “That’s impossible. There is no way he could do that.” This gave me the opportunity to remind her, and everyone else, that when we tell stories, we are creating new worlds. As the author and the illustrator, we can decide what will and will not work in our story world. We talked about ways mouse’s and rabbit’s ideas might work out — even in real life. Our ideas were a bit fantastical but they were not impossible!

Mouse and Rabbit have many ideas, but they don’t all work. Some seem to reinforce the author’s idea that trouble follows Rabbit wherever he goes. I edited that word when I read it to my kiddos. Instead I said. “Wherever Rabbit goes there are problems to solve.” I made sure to notice and be excited by the ideas Rabbit and Mouse had and tried. I commented “Rabbit and Mouse have a great deal of ideas just like you! They’re great problem solvers just like you are!” My pre-K-ers looked at me without comment, so I asked. “Who has great ideas?” Nothing. “Who solves problems?” Again, silence. I continued. “Oh my! You should all have your hands up. You all have great ideas and solve problems all day long. I see you on the playground as you create new games. You figure out ways to include your friends. When your castle falls down in the block center you work to figure out how to fix it. If it doesn’t work the first time you try again with a new idea. You solve problems all day long!” I asked again. “Who has ideas? Who solves problems all day long?” Nearly all hands raised.

After reading that book, I excitedly told them. “Oh, yay! We have time for one more book!” I pulled Bronterina by James Howe from my pile.

As I read Brontorina, I made similar connections to ideas and problem-solving. I suggested that the two less-than-kind children should be in our pre-K class so they can learn how to be kind and how to problem-solve with their fantabulous ideas.

As I finished the story, they all sat — in, it seemed, rapt silence, and with wide eyes still on the book, they clapped! I was in awe of their awe, so I didn’t ask why they clapped. I just let us all experience it. But I’ve been thinking about it since then, wondering what it was that brought them to that moment of awe.

I am an awe-seeking enthusiast. The other day at school, I happened to notice some roses blooming. I left the path to smell them. They had such a beautiful fragrance, and it’s been a long time since I found a fragrant rose. I exclaimed, “Wow! They smell like roses!” I’m the same when I read. I’m always on the hunt, or at least open to, funny, unusual, wondrous images, joy-filled, extraordinary words, and ideas. When I read aloud to my preKinders, I try to model being an awe-seeking reader. I laugh out loud at the images, ask questions, share my wonderings, and make connections between the story and us.

Still wondering about the moment of awe with my kiddos, I Googled Deborah Farmer Kris, author of “Raising Awe Seekers” — a great book, by the way. I hoped that she would share a nugget that might help to explain my kids’ awe. She had several. Here’s the one that resonated most deeply:

“One of the main sources of awe is actually the kindness of other people.” – Deborah Farmer Kris, August 4, 2025 CBS Mornings

Both books are stories about kindness. I’m so glad my pre-Kinders and I took the time to slow down, and talk about ideas, kindness, and each other — and experience awe together. It was a stellar moment.