The Patch That Grew
The idea: a square grows into a bigger square by two strips and a corner.
Read it
Five nights, one book
Little children love the same story again. Read this one five nights running, with a different job each night.
- listen.
- say the last words.
- join in the refrains.
- stop and ask what comes next.
- tell it to a toy.
Who is in this book
-
Bà Tư The grandmother who sews and lets the children count from VầnTots -
Miro & Moro Matching strips are the same size and lie side by side from PatchPals -
Tí a child of the Green Notices small things; says "again" -
Broody A square grows bigger by a strip along two sides and one tiny corner from PatchPals
Every recurring character has a short tune, so you can tell who is on stage before a word is said. The tunes play only when you tap, and the Reading Access sound switch turns them off.
The Honest Page
Which parts of this story are true, stretched or made up?
True
- A 2 by 2 square of 4 patches grows into a 3 by 3 square of 9 by adding 5: two along one side, two along the other, and one in the corner.
- Square numbers go 1, 4, 9, 16, and the gaps between them are the odd numbers 3, 5, 7. Each gap is two sides and a corner. Source
Stretched
- The cushion fits the cat perfectly. What we simplified: Cats curl up to fit almost anything; the new cushion is just big enough for this one.
Made up
- The cushion and the cat are made up. Miro and Moro and Broody come from PatchPals, and Bà Tư from VanTots.
Tell it back
Tell the story to a toy, or to a grown-up. When you have, the grown-up taps the button, and a paper square of four, and the five pieces that make it nine goes on your belt.
On your belt: a paper square of four, and the five pieces that make it nine.
Your belt lives on this device. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Ring the hammer for someone
Pick this book for someone younger. The link carries only the book, and it will wait for them on the Green.