Oh the giggles we get when we read about Frankie, a mischievous cat who lives in hardware store, in Frankie Works the Night Shift, (find at your local library or purchase from Amazon) written by Lisa Westburg Peters and illustrated by Jennifer Taylor.

As the title indicates, Frankie works the “the night shift,” meaning he’s up when his owners are sleeping. In this sweet 1-10 counting tale, Frankie wreaks havoc all night long, knocking over wastebaskets (in the name of emptying trash), and turning loose the garden hose in the backyard (he’s watering the geraniums, of course!).

Halfway through the night, he discovers a tiny four-legged “intruder,” and the chaos that follows provides even more hilarity.

We like this story as part of lesson plans in counting, animals and construction for 3s and Pre-K (4s and 5s)

Watch Angel Gantnier read Frankie Works the Nightshift on Youtube.

(Below please find a list of reading comprehension questions and vocabulary words. This list is not exhaustive, and it may spark additional questions from your kiddos. As always, we recommend that you scaffold based on your age group and the wigglies of your kiddos.)

Reading comprehension questions:

Before reading: Looking at the cover, what is Frankie wearing? What do you see the title letters are made out of? Where might you find these items? What do you think the tools that make up the letters have to do with the story?

After reading title: What is the “night shift”? What do you think Frankie’s job is at night?

As you read: After Frankie discovers the mouse, challenge children to find it on each page.

After reading: Do you think Frankie was really working? What was he actually doing all night (creating more work and waking up his owners). Why do you think Frankie is so tired in the daytime? Do you think he ever caught the mouse?

Vocabulary:

• wastebasket
• geraniums
• inspects
• intruder
• ignores
• duct tape