Kids
Book
Club
Reading Tips
and Activities
Reading with children can improve their language, literacy, and social-emotional
skills, increasing their knowledge of the world around them. With the right book
choices, reading can introduce children to healthy eating habits too!
An Orange in January
by Dianna Hutts Aston
What It’s All About
This story follows the journey of an orange from its origin as a
flower bud in an orange grove to a local grocery store and finally
to the mouths of friends sharing a delicious treat. The story shows
how the orange grows, relying on water and sunshine. Next the orange is
picked by a worker and shipped to a grocery store where a young boy imagines all the uses
for an orange. At last the young boy shares the orange when it is time to eat.
Discover a World of Words
Dig into the Story
Throughout the story introduce new vocabulary
words using gestures, tone of voice, pointing
to illustrations, or providing brief explanations.
Examples include:
Develop children’s comprehension of the story by discussing higherlevel information (e.g., link characters’ feelings to their actions and/
or events in the story, predict what might happen, summarize chunks
of text). Use prompts throughout the story, such as:
• Drenched: thoroughly and
totally soaked or wet
• Aglow: glowing
• Segments: parts of
something larger, pieces
• Why did the farmers ship the orange across the country?
• The little boy saw many things in the grocery store. Why did he
choose to buy the orange?
• In January, can oranges grow in places where it is cold and
snowing? What do oranges need to grow?
• What did the boy decide to do with the orange?
Make Connections Beyond the Book
After reading the story, make connections to an aspect of the child’s real-life by:
• Discussing that some fruits and vegetables only grow in certain
conditions. Most fruits and vegetables only grow in places where it is
warm, sunny, and sometimes rains.
• Visiting the grocery store. Talk about where different fruits and vegetables
came from by reading notes on the packaging or grocery store displays.
Share information about how these fruits and vegetables grow.
©2013 Jumpstart for Young Children
Some definitions taken from Biemiller, A. (2010). Words worth teaching: Closing the vocabulary gap.
Jumpstart is a national early
education organization working
toward the day every child in America
enters kindergarten prepared to
succeed. Learn more at jstart.org.
This guide was created in partnership with Whole Kids Foundation, a charitable organization that
provides children with access to healthy food choices through partnerships with schools, educators
and organizations. Learn more at WholeKidsFoundation.org.
Kids
Book
Reading Tips and Activities
Club
Together Time Activity
Talking Points
Citrus Experiment: Find Your Main Squeeze: There are so many
citrus fruits with different flavors ranging from sweet to sour and mild to
bold. Find your favorite with this taste test!
• Discuss the many ways
of enjoying citrus fruits:
as a snack, on salads, as a
flavoring for all kinds of
recipes, including salad
dressings, marinades, even
desserts.
• Citrus fruits can be used
to add flavor or enhance a
food’s natural flavor, without
adding fat or salt.
• Discuss the nutritional value
of citrus fruits, which can be
a great source of vitamin C
and potassium, along with
other nutrients. They can
also provide dietary fiber, but
you must eat the segments
(not just the juice) for this
benefit.
• For more tips on enjoying
citrus fruits, read Better Bites
“Add a Healthy Squeeze with
Oranges” available at www.
wholekidsfoundation.org.
TIP: This can be an individual or group activity. For mediumlarge groups, set up a station for each step and have kids
work in pairs or small groups to discuss their findings.
1
Buy a variety of different citrus fruits when they are
in season. Look for oranges, mandarins, tangerines,
grapefruits, lemons, limes, etc. Ideally choose at least
3-5 different ones for your experiment.
2
Examine each citrus fruit carefully before
peeling or cutting. Smell it, feel it and notice the
color, size, weight, and texture of the peel. Make
notes or a chart to record your observations for
each one.
3
4
Peel/cut each fruit (with adult
supervision). Notice the thickness of
the skin and the presence of a white
membrane, called the pith, inside each
fruit. Which ones are easiest to peel?
Which ones have thinner or thicker
skins? Which have seeds? Which
have more or less pith? Add all of this
information to your notes or chart.
Taste the fruit. Try whole segments
and the juice. Chart and take notes
about the different flavors and
sensations. Which ones are more
sweet/sour/acidic/juicy/tangy/
mild?
5
Make your conclusions. Which ones
do you like best? What do your
favorites have in common? When and
how would you like to enjoy these
fruits in the future? Do some taste
better whole, while others are better
as juice? Which ones would be best
for the lunchbox or snack time.