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why we love (to play with) this book

This book offers a delightful experience as readers embark on an interactive adventure, fostering imagination and prompting playful guesses with each turn of the page. The main character, Rabbit, shows us that children can be transported to a world where anything is possible when they engage in open-ended play. While many books hide a moral message for children, we think this one is for the grown-ups, and comes from the precocious Rabbit himself: children really do invent their own worlds when they play – we just need to listen when they share.

play libRARY

"not a box" by Antoinette Portis

Bring this book to life with any one of the activities from the menu below.
Start from the beginning, or let your curiosity be your guide.

*****
“L•M•N•O•PLAY! IS SO GOOD AT MAKING LEARNING THROUGH PLAY ACCESSIBLE FOR PARENTS & CHILDREN.”
"LᐧMᐧNᐧOᐧPlay! makes it so a book isn’t just a story we put aside. It’s something we can interact with and become a part of. O loves being able to listen to the story but then engage in the related activities. And that's truly the best way to learn."barbara (parent)
*****
“I’m blown away by how thoughtful and delightful these resources are!”
"Since opening the package last night, M and N have each spent time reading it with A. The magic of the story itself is floating all 3 of my kids in different ways. I want every kid I know to have this and it would be a perfect holiday gift from grandparents - truly!"Chelsea (parent)
*****
“IT REALLY FEELS LIKE YOU’RE SIMPLY HANGING OUT AND PLAYING, YET THE KIDS ARE CLEARLY LEARNING.”
"Instead of just sitting down to do a lesson, it’s more like an experience that has learning consequences. It was so cool to see Elliot take what she learned and start recognizing letters in her day-to-day life in the world.”sadie (parent)
*****
“My Kids love it!”
"This has been such a wonderful addition to our bookshelf at home. The kids love that there’s more to the book than just the pages; the activity cards are really entertaining, and I love that teachers developed them."Lindsey (parent)
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READ ALOUD QUESTIONS

spark conversations
and build connections

Literacy

Social Emotional

  • Be sure to read and discuss the wonderful dedication at the beginning: “To children everywhere sitting in cardboard boxes”:
    • “Did you know that the author and illustrator wrote this book just for you because she remembers playing in a cardboard box with her sister when she was little?”
  • After the first page or two, start making predictions:
    • “What do you think Rabbit is imagining?” 
    • “What will the box be next?”
  • Rabbit’s voice becomes more insistent every time he says “it’s not a box.” Draw attention to these changes with the inflection of your voice and ask:
    • “What can we tell about what Rabbit is feeling just by the sound of his voice?”
  • At the end of the book, ask:
    • “Why did Rabbit keep saying, ‘This is not a box’”?
    • “If you had a box, what would you turn it into?”

We're Excited to bring this book to life with you!

We’re Annie & Rachel, the educators, play experts, and founders of L•M•N•O•Play!. We believe that books are treasures, capable of inspiring a genuine love of reading, nurturing essential developmental growth, and, creating lasting memories with loved ones – all through the transformative power of play. 

 

READ WHILE YOU PLAY & PLAY WHILE YOU READ

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Our digital Activity Library is your hang out for easy-peasy play-based learning. Designed by teachers, all activities nurture holistic development while being ridiculously fun.

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