Little Loon and Papa
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Little Loon and Papa Reader's Theater
Jacket Art
©2004
by Margaret Spengler
Reader’s Theater adaptation by Toni Buzzeo
Adapted from the book Little Loon and Papa by Toni Buzzeo, illustrated by Margaret Spengler, Dial Books for Young Readers, 2004.
[Instructions:
Read the book aloud to children
first, so that they can enjoy the illustrations and become familiar
with the
story. Then, hand out a set of
photocopied scripts to eight children. Ask
the remaining children to be the audience. Have
performers face the audience and simply
read their parts on
the first run-through. Once all readers
are comfortable with their parts, have a second reading with the
opportunity to
act out the story while reading. Add
costumes and props if desired.]
ROLES
| Narrator 1 |
Little Loon |
| Narrator 2 |
Moose |
| Narrator 3 |
Bear |
| Papa Loon |
Beaver |
THE SCRIPT
NARRATOR
1: Papa Loon calls to his timid Little LoonPAPA
LOON: HOO HOO HOO
HOO HOO
HOOTime for diving lessons.
LITTLE
LOON:
Oh no.
NARRATOR
2: Little Loon backs away.
NARRATOR
3: But Papa dips Little Loon’s head down.
NARRATOR
1: And Papa tips Little Loon’s tail up.
NARRATOR
2: Little Loon wobbles back flat.
NARRATOR 3: Little Loon watches Papa
PAPA LOON: SQUEEZE
air out,TUCK feathers tight,
and—ZIP!—disappear from sight.
NARRATOR
1: Little Loon quivers
NARRATOR
2: and watches and waits
NARRATOR
3: until he spots Papa’s sharp bill.
NARRATOR
1: Again—Papa Loon dips him and tips him.
NARRATOR
2: But Little Loon wobbles back flat.
PAPA LOON: SQUEEZE,TUCK,
ZIP!
NARRATOR
3: Papa disappears from sight.
LITTLE LOON: Quick-quick
NARRATOR
1: Little Loon kick-kicks away from Papa’s diving
lessons.
NARRATOR
2: But at the weedy shore—
MOOSE: SPLASH,
DRIP, HRROOOOO!
NARRATOR
3: Little Loon spots
MOOSE: great,
bony legs and a wide
antler rack with weeds dripping down.
LITTLE
LOON: peep
peepWhere is Papa?
NARRATOR
1: Little Loon zigzags toward the rocks,
NARRATOR
2: but—
BEAR: GRUFFLE,
SNUFFLE, GROWL!
NARRATOR
3: Little Loon spots
BEAR: A
great shaggy face and a wide brown snout with a trout hanging out.
LITTLE LOON: peep
peepWhere is Papa?
NARRATOR 1: Gliding smoother, a little like Papa, he swims as fast
as he can,
NARRATOR
2: until—
BEAVER: WHACK,
WHAP, CRASH!
NARRATOR
3: Little Loon spots
BEAVER: a
great, broad tail and wide
front teeth with bark sprinkling down.
LITTLE
LOON: peep
peep peep peep!Where is Papa?
NARRATOR
1: Then he hears
PAPA
LOON: AHA-OOO-OOOO’OOOO-OOO-AHHH!
NARRATOR
2: Little Loon spins.Little Loon flaps.
Little Loon backs away.
Then, Little Loon tries.
NARRATOR
3: He SQUEEZES air out and TUCKS in his fluff.
NARRATOR
1: He WIGGLES his feet, he WAGGLES his wings,
LITTLE LOON: and—PLUNK!-disappears
from sight.
NARRATOR
2: When his head pops up—There’s Papa!
PAPA
LOON: HOO HOO HOO HOO
HOO
HOO
NARRATOR
3: Papa splash-paddles close to his Little Loon,
NARRATOR
1: offers a treat from his long, sharp bill,
NARRATOR
2:
and tucks
Little Loon snug under his wing.