What If You Had Animal Hair
by Sandra Markle
What If You Had Animal Hair!? explores how different animals use their hair, fur, and whiskers to survive. Through fun illustrations and facts, children imagine what it would be like to have animal hair of their own.
Reading Tips for Story Explorers
Find a comfortable space to read together
Slow down and enjoy the illustrations
Ask and answer questions together
Make reading part of your routine - bedtime is a great time for reading
Use these prompts to encourage deeper thinking with your children:
"Tell me more, why do you think that?"
"How do you know that?"
"Interesting, did you notice anything else?"
Phonemic Awareness
When introducing the book, share the title and notice these phonemic elements:
When introducing the book, share the title and notice these phonemic elements:
The word “Animal” in the title begins with the letter Aa. This letter says /a/, like ant and apple. Point to the letter and say the sound together: /a/, /a/, /a/. Brainstorm other words that begin with the sound /a/ with your child (adventure, alligator, astronaut).
Ask the children to say the word after you. Show them the cover of the book and have them read the word out loud with you as you point under each word.
Vocabulary
whiskers: Long, stiff hairs that help some animals sense things around them
fur: The thick hair that covers many animals' bodies
camouflage: Colors or patterns that help an animal blend into its surroundings
mane: Long hair that grows around the neck of some animals, like lions
protect: To keep someone or something safe from harm
survive: To stay alive and healthy
Questions to Discuss
Which animal hair in the book would you most like to have? Why?
How does animal hair help animals survive?
What animal in the book surprised you the most?
How is human hair different from animal hair?
If you could invent a new kind of animal hair, what would it do?
What did you learn from the book that you didn't know before?
Let's Play
Invite children to create a picture of themselves with animal hair from the book—or invent a brand-new kind of animal hair. They can draw themselves and then talk about:
- What animal the hair comes from
- How the hair helps them
- Where they would use it
- What special powers it might have
When finished, caregivers can help children write a sentence or two describing their new hairstyle. This activity encourages creativity while reinforcing the science concepts from the book.
