Fortunately, Unfortunately with Grade 2

Thanks to https://ideafm.org/ for the idea and the image.

In second grade, we read Fortunately by Remy Charlip, a story that follows Ned through a series of problems and resolutions, and talked about plot structure. 

Then we wrote our own version as a class ... the kids much preferred coming up with the "unfortunately" parts!

Mrs. Cipalone's Class 

One day, a mouse with bird wings got into a car accident. 

Unfortunately, he lost all of his memories. 

Fortunately, there was a doctor nearby. 

Unfortunately, he had a pet cat. 

Fortunately, the cat was in a different room. 

Unfortunately, he had another cat who ran into the room where the mouse was. 

Fortunately, the cat was nice. 

Unfortunately, he suddenly turned bad. 

Fortunately, the cat was too fat to move. 

Unfortunately, in that very moment, the cat started doing pushups to get jacked. 

Fortunately, the other cat came running in to protect the mouse. 

Unfortunately, the mean cat ate the mouse. 

Fortunately, he tasted awful and got spit out. 

Unfortunately, when the nice cat tried to help the mouse escape, the now-jacked cat hit him. 

Fortunately, the cat wasn't hurt and the mouse flew away with his wings. 

Unfortunately, he flew into a bird in the sky. 

Fortunately, a truck caught the mouse as he fell, and the driver heard. 

Unfortunately, the cats also grew wings and went after the mouse in the truck. 

Fortunately, the mouse farted himself to Mars. 

THE END 

Mrs. Clifford’s Class 

One day, an alligator got hit by a boat and flew to Mars. 

Unfortunately, he needed a space suit or he would die. 

Fortunately, he found one left by an astronaut. 

Unfortunately, there was a tiger that had also flown to Mars. 

Fortunately, the tiger was a baby. 

Unfortunately, a spaceship came out of nowhere and crashed into the baby tiger. 

Fortunately, the tiger was invincible. 

Unfortunately, the tiger then went after the alligator. 

Fortunately, the tiger started doing pushups and then ran and tripped and fell off Mars. 

Unfortunately, the alligator's space suit didn't have enough air. 

Fortunately, he found another space suit. 

Unfortunately, the mouse from Mrs. Cipalone's class story came up to him and started fighting because it turned out the alligator was the doctor from that story, who had given the mouse bad medicine that made him fart to Mars. 

Fortunately, the alligator dodged the mouse. 

Unfortunately, the mouse farted all the way to Saturn. 

Fortunately, the alligator still had some farting medicine and went back to Earth. 

Unfortunately, the mouse farted his way back to Earth to find the alligator doctor. 

Fortunately, he got distracted by landing on a cheese store and he happily ate all the cheese. 

THE END 

Mrs. Ricci’s Class 

One day, Steve - a feisty guy - went to the mall. 

Unfortunately, the mall burned down. 

Fortunately, the firefighters came. 

Unfortunately, they forgot their tools. 

Fortunately, two people did remember their tools. 

Unfortunately, they farted to space. 

Fortunately, they were friends. 

Unfortunately, they couldn’t breathe. 

Fortunately, there was a rocket ship and it took them in. 

Unfortunately, the rocket ship didn’t have any fuel. 

Fortunately, it landed back on Earth. 

Unfortunately, the rocket ship landed in the water, and they still couldn’t breathe. 

Fortunately, a ship saved them. 

Unfortunately, it was the Titanic. 

Fortunately, they had a flare and shot it up. Unfortunately, the flare misfired and sank the ship. 

Fortunately, a whale rescued them. Unfortunately, a shark found them. 

Fortunately, the shark was friendly. 

Unfortunately, another whale came, and it was NOT friendly. It was a killer whale! 

Fortunately, the whale did not bite them. 

Unfortunately, the friendly whale accidentally swallowed them. 

Fortunately, another boat saw what happened and called the Army. A helicopter came and was about to cut the whale open when the whale spit everyone out, and they got on the boat and sailed home. 

THE END 

Mrs. Chittim’s Class 

One day, Bob dove into a pool in Florida. 

Unfortunately, there were alligators in the pool. 

Fortunately, he could swim really fast. 

Unfortunately, when he got out, there were wild animals. 

Fortunately, he could run faster than them. 

Unfortunately, there was a big stick on the ground and he tripped and crashed to the ground. 

Fortunately, he had wings and was able to get up and fly. 

Unfortunately, the wings broke. 

Fortunately, he found a cuddly cat and a nice soft bed. 

Unfortunately, the cat bit him. 

Fortunately, this cat bestowed upon him cat-like superpowers: reflexes, night vision, jumping.

Unfortunately, there was a scorpion. 

Fortunately, he tamed it, and the scorpion rode him like a horse. 

Unfortunately, the scorpion accidentally stung the cat. 

Fortunately, the cat became a ghost. 

Unfortunately, Bob got a heatstroke from the sun. 

Fortunately, he was still alive. 

Unfortunately, they encountered a wild Pikachu. 

Fortunately, he got caught and put into a Pokeball by Bob. 

Unfortunately, Pikachu got out and electrocuted Bob with a thunderbolt. 

Fortunately, he did a backflip out of the way. 

Unfortunately, he bumped his head doing it. 

Fortunately, the cat came back to life and also did a backflip. 

THE END 

Best Reads of T2 2025-2026

Here are my favorite books I read during trimester 2. All images and summaries from Goodreads.

Picture Books

With a minimal tableau of familiar objects and a gentle rhythm suited for reading aloud, a forest and all its items—a cabin, some rocks, a (nice) forest ghost, a stream, a bridge—are assembled, ending with bedtime as the sun goes down. This is a forest for a young child to have whenever they want to go there. 

Four ducks are tired of their small pond and set out for an adventure in the big lake. Walking at the back, Eric isn't sure. He’s heard there’s a monster in the lake, but his friends don’t believe a word of that old story! Eric reluctantly tags along, only to make a startling discovery and find himself in a wonderful underwater adventure.

Art is for everyone! From found objects to sidewalk chalk, from homemade instruments to breakdancing, from building with blocks to molding clay, art is natural and healing. Readers will be encouraged by the invitation to create anything, anywhere, with any materials. Inclusive and expansive, Ejaita portrays a wide cast of characters exploring their own feelings and ideas, accompanied by a poignant, yet easily understood, text. 

Early Readers

Kids love to eat snow! It looks a lot like ice cream… hey, maybe it really IS ice cream! Johnny Boo and Squiggle are excited to find out, unless the Ice Cream Monster eats it all first. Armed with his gigantic and mighty Ice Cream Fork, he seems unstoppable… until all that cold snow in his tummy knocks him down for the count. Can Johnny Boo and Squiggle warm up their frozen frenemy with mittens from their secret mitten box? Or will they get lost in the silly blizzard forever?

Chapter Books

Oscar Aberdeen is a bit of an oddball. He's an ace at playing bridge, loves Frank Sinatra, and attends a whole lot of funerals. He's also the youngest resident of Sunny Days retirement home by more than a half-century—and he wouldn't have it any other way. So when his grandpa's suddenly served an eviction notice that threatens their place at Sunny Days, he needs to find some cash. Fast.

Enter Jimmy Deluca, a shady elderly man with a reputation for being bad news, who makes Oscar an offer he can't refuse. He's got the drop on riches hidden away on the "outside" and he'll share the loot with Oscar on one he busts him out of Sunny Days.

Nonfiction

Author and illustrator James Marshall let kids in on the joke. He knew little kids were smart, and he didn't talk down to them in his stories. He was right—kids loved his picture books. Decades after his death, the characters he illustrated—Miss Nelson, Viola Swamp, George and Martha, Goldilocks, Fox and His Friends—are still beloved. James Marshall should be at least as famous as his characters, and now he is, in his own picture book biography.

This book really pops, full as it is of fascinating bubbles—useful and entertaining, noisy and silencing, lifesaving and dangerous, microscopic and bigger than a sports stadium. Filled with fascinating and unusual examples from diverse STEM fields—including physics, biology, geology, food science, and medicine—this book bubbles over with fun facts about our world.

Would you be lonely living atop a steep, snowbound mountain or bored in a tiny island village? Could you find your way home through a dense jungle or a blinding desert sandstorm? Master of cut-paper collage artwork Giles Laroche transports readers to the world’s most extreme places through his exquisite illustrations and succinct explorations of what it takes to survive and thrive there.

Designed for children who can’t yet read, this introduction to cooking for kids ages 4 to 8 has an easy-to-read visual layout. This cookbook features delicious and wholesome sweet treats and desserts for the whole family to enjoy—chocolate chip cookies, apple hand pies and more!

Mock Caldecott Winner - 2026

The American Library Association awards the Caldecott Medal to the artist of "the most distinguished American picture book for children." This year, I read 9 picture books with Caldecott buzz to kindergartners and first graders, and we narrowed the list down to 2 finalists. 

With 56% of the votes, the Garden City Mock Caldecott winner is This Book is Dangerous, illustrated and written by Ben Clanton.

Students shared their reasons for their choice, and explanations included: 

• It was funny.
  
  
• I liked when the jellyfish got scared.
  
  
• Because it goes BOOM!
  
  
• I liked when the jellyfish got chased by the snakes.
  
  
• Because of all the monsters.
  
  
• I like when the jellyfish was eaten by the whale.
  
  
• It is cool.
  
  
• I liked when the shark got spicy and his eyes turned fire.
  
  
• I liked when the shark was red.
  
  
• He got away because of the hot sauce.
  
  
• The jellyfish pops out of the shark's mouth.
  
  
• I liked when they ate waffles at the end.
  
  
• There was a narwhal in it.
  

Here are some of their illustration interpretations: 

New Year's Fireworks

Happy New Year! 

Our Mock Caldecott reading of Fireworks, illustrated by Catia Chien and written by Matthew Burgess, coincided with the first week back to school after vacation. After the readaloud, we

watched the London fireworks and 

listened to Katy Perry sing. 

Here are some paper "fireworks" created by first-graders: 

Best Reads of T1 2025-2026

Of the 43 kids' books I actually finished, these were my favorites. All images and summaries from Goodreads.

Picture Books

Meet Bean, a very tiny hedgehog. She loves ghosts, swings and a stuffie called Clem.

Meet Bean’s grandma. She loves strawberries, sweaters and tiny Bean burritos.

And they both love stories.

In ten tiny stories we follow Bean and her grandmother through adventures of the everyday.

Aggie is very excited to live on her own—until she finds out her new house is haunted. But no fear, the situation is nothing that can’t be fixed with a carefully considered list of No haunting after dark. No stealing socks. No eating all the food.

But the ghost doesn’t like playing by the rules and challenges Aggie to an epic game of tic-tac-toe—winner gets the house.

Evergreen Forest is a very nice forest, with very nice trees and very nice animals. It’s a rather dull place, but no one says a word about it. In fact, no one says very many words at all! And therein lies the problem.

Until the word-loving wandering wombats arrive.

They use words like enthusiastic and splendiferous, ready to turn ordinary into EXTRAordinary! With twinkles in their eyes and words on their minds, the word wombats come to transform Evergreen Forest. 

In a world where the pressure to speed ahead seems relentless, now is the time to take a trip to the rainforest and cheer for the slowest mammal on Earth—a hungry sloth—who takes her time moving through thicket and vine in search of the tastiest leaves.

Early Readers

Fall is here, and it brings a slew of exciting autumnal adventures for best friends Bat, Cat, and Rat, from leaf-raking romps to peculiar pumpkin picking to the trials of trick-or-treating.

In “Raking,” falling leaves make for extra chores—and extra pranks.

In “Picking,” each member of the trio has their own unique idea about what makes the perfect pumpkin.

In “Costuming,” the roommates each work on their costume creations in secret, and the big reveal brings a big surprise!

Kat and Mouse are Kat is spontaneous and creative, and Mouse likes routine-and cheese. While Kat's lunchtime is always an adventure, Mouse, on the other hand, has cheese every day. Kat doesn't Mouse ever get bored of cheese?! Mouse does Kat ever get bored of me?! Can this duo find a lunch that fits their friendship?

Chapter Books

Jasper the Rabbit is back! A little older and wiser, he collects creepy stories to share as cautionary tales. If you’re ready for some chills and chuckles alike, tune in as Jasper weaves the yarn of Charlie Marmot and the particular pickle he found himself in.

See, Charlie''s tonsils have become infected and have to come out. No biggie, right? But when he decides he wants to keep them in a jar for show and tell, things get creepy… First, strange slurping sounds in his room keep Charlie awake the night before his surgery. Then, he goes to the doctor only to be told his tonsils are already gone! Could it be they’re out for revenge?

Nonfiction

This delightfully fun exploration of trees both informs and entertains, and helps young readers make sense of the world around them. The charming protagonist, Tree, sparsely narrates her story in ten short chapters with text bubbles and vignettes sprinkled in to provide wit, style, and humor.

When Kathleen Friel was young, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and a doctor told her parents all the things she'd never be able to do. They left his office for good and found a new doctor.

As Kathleen grew up, she found her own methods to tackle tricky tasks and make her way through the world. After becoming fascinated by science, she went on to earn a PhD, investigating how injured brains can build new connections. She now runs her own lab, developing new techniques to help others with cerebral palsy.