This was such a cute book! I love the little boy's imagination which in the end turns out not to be his imagination but reality. I also really love the illustrations.

Summary: A boy is late for school and is questioned by his teacher. He concocts quite the story that just keeps getting more and more far fetched. It has great illustrations to depict his wild imagination. The ending leaves the reader open to interpretation of whether or not he was really telling the truth.

Personal Reaction: The illustrations for this book fit perfectly with the story. The pictures add humor to the tall tales. I read this to a first grade class and we enjoyed looking for the dog with each turn of the page and guessing what story he was going to think of next. I really liked this book and have purchased it for my family. I think books that use silliness, keep the child engaged for longer periods of time.

Extension Ideas: In the classroom, give each child a blank piece paper to come up wth their own funny story of why they might be late for school. Have the children trade their work with another student and have them talk about what the story they see from someone else's illustration.

In Pre-K through 1st grade, this would great time to introduce what is make-believe and what can really happen. Make two types of story cards with make-believe and real life pictures. Have the students take turns dividing the events into these two categories. ( )

This is a great read aloud!

In the same style as I Didn’t Do My Homework Because . . . (HERE), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to School . . . contains hilarious excuses why this young boy is late for school. Will the teacher believe these excuses any more than she believed why he did not do his homework? Will you believe?

Would you believe the boy missed breakfast because giant ants stole it from him? Would you believe a huge—and I mean HUGE—ape mistook the school bus for a banana? Would you believe the boy meet a girl wearing a red coat and needing help finding her grandmother’s house in the woods? No?

The illustrations are great. The title page shows the first book lying on the floor, open as if the boy had . . . (continue at Kid Lit Reviews)
http://kid-lit-reviews.com/2015/03/28/662-a-funny-thing-happened-on-the-way-to-s... ( )

PICTURE BOOK #7
Tall Tale format, imaginative, late for school, silly