Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters
This is the story of Mufaro, who is proud of his two beautiful daughters. Nyasha is kind and considerate, but Manyara is selfish and bad-tempered. When the king decides to take a wife and invites the most worthy daughters in the land to appear before him, Mufaro brings both of his daughters—but only one can be queen. Who will the king choose?
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters English
A Guide to Reading Aloud to Your Child
- 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 first word in the title starts with the letter Mm. The letter Mm says /m/, like in muffin, milk, and monkey. Point to the sound and say the sound together: /m/, /m/, /m/. Brainstorm other words that begin with the sound /m/ with your child (mom, money, mud).
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
Transfix : to cause one to stand/sit without movement due to surprise or shock
Chamber : a person's bedroom
Millet : a type of grass whose seeds are used for food
Considerate : thinking about the feelings; showing kindness towards others
Proclaim : to say or state something boldly
Silhouette : a dark shape against a light background
Garment : an item of clothing
Commotion : a noisy excitement or disturbance
Let's Play
In the story, the King is disguised as a snake named Nyoka. Make and decorate a snake and give it a name. Hide the snake around your home. Give your adult clues to find the snake. Play Hot or Cold: As the adult gets closer to the snake, say “warmer” or “hot!” If the adult moves further away from the snake, say “colder” or “freezing!” Continue until the snake is found.
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ID: mufaros-beautiful-daughters