Book Talk: My Mouth Is A Volcano

We all think that what we have to say is way more important than what our friends have to share. And sometimes we have a hard time waiting our turn. Well, in this story, by Julia cook, she talks about a little boy named Louis who has that very same problem. So let's take a peek inside and see how Lewis learns how to wait his turn in conversation. My mouth is a volcano. My name is Louis. People say I eat rubbed a lot. I don't think I do. All of my words are very important to me. When other people talk, words just pop into my head, then they slide down my tongue and my tummy starts to rumble, and then it starts to grumble. My words begin to wiggle, and then they do the jiggle. My tongue pushes all of my very important words up against my teeth and then words just explode out of my mouth. My mouth isn't volcano. In class, my T-shirt says that when we want to say something, we're supposed to look at her, raise our hand and wait until she calls on us. I tried that. But after I waited patiently for what seemed like 62 years, my important words slid from my head onto my tongue. Guess what happened? My tummy started to rumble. Then it started to grumble. My words begin to wiggle, and then they did that jiggle. My tongue pushed all of my important words right to my teeth and my volcano we erupted. My teacher was less than pleased with me. She erupted right back. I know what you have to say is very important to you. But Lewis, since it's not an emergency, you'll have to wait until I call on you. It was my volcano's fault, but I don't think she understood that. At day care, we were sitting on the rug, listening to miss Pauline Reed, a story about planning trees. All of a sudden, I thought about the time my grandpa and I planted 6 trees in the yard. My important word slip from my head to my tongue. My tummy started to ramble, then it started to crumble. My words began to wiggle, and then they did the jiggle. My tongue pushed all of my important words onto my teeth. My volcano erupted. I got time out. But it was the volcano's fault. During dinner, mom and dad were talking about paying the bills. Then I thought about my friend Bill. Bill can blow a bubble inside of a bubble when he's chewing bubble gum. Now that is really important, my important words about Bill slid from my head onto my tongue, and you know what's getting ready to happen. My tummy started to rumble, then it started to grumble. My words began to wiggle. Then they did the jiggle. My tongue pushed all of my important words onto my teeth. My volcano we rented. Louis, my mom said, you interrupted again. If somebody else is talking and you don't have an emergency, you have to wait your turn. But mom, my words, they slid from my head onto my tongue and my tummy started to ruin Louis. You did it again. I got sent to my room. She said, I was rude. It was my volcano's fault. She didn't understand that. The next day at school was my very important day. I had been waiting for about 126 weeks to be star student of my class. This was my special moment. I got to share a poster with my class that had pictures of all of my favorite things. I shoot in front of my class and I started to tell them about the time I went fishing. Halfway through my story, Richard started to tell everyone about the time he went fishing in Mexico. His story must have been better than mine because everyone started to look at him. He was stealing my imported words. Richard said my teacher, you just interrupted Louis. Please wait until he's finished talking. And then he might call on you. I couldn't believe how rude Richard was. He erupted me. That really made me angry. After talking about my fishing trip, I started to explain the x-ray of my broken arm. Just as I was getting to the good part, Courtney started to tell the class about the time she broke her leg. Courtney sent my teacher, you just interrupted Lewis. Please wait until he's finished, and then he might call you. I couldn't believe how read that was a Courtney. She started talking right during my 15 minutes. She ruined my important words. She almost stole my moment. When I got home, I told mom about rude Richard and rude Courtney. Now you know how we feel when you interrupt us in my mom? Well, I never thought about that, so Louis. I just got so excited in my words. They just pop into my head. Then they slide down my tongue. My tummy starts to rumble. Then it starts to grumble. My words begin to wiggle. Then they do the jiggle. Then my tongue pushes all of my important words up against my teeth and I rupt. Words just explode. Out of my mouth like a volcano. Maybe Richard and Courtney have volcanos in their mouths too, my mom replied. I never thought of that. Well, son, the next time your important words are pushed into your teeth by your tongue. And they what you need to do is bite down hard and don't let them out. Then take a deep breath, push your words out through your nose. Then when it's your turn to talk, take a deep breath and breathe in back into your mouth. Well, that work, I asked. Only if you make it work, said my mom. And we're going to stop there because I don't want to ruin the rest of the story for you. But I love how the author of this book uses a witty technique to help Lewis and help us realize that we can control our tongue. Sometimes we have to think before we speak and hold those words in so that we don't interrupt. Take in turns is a big deal, especially in kindergarten. So if you want to find out what happens to Louis and see if he can control those words and stop that tummy from rumbling and grumbling in that volcano from erupting, you need to read my mouth is a volcano by Joe Luca.