A Box Can Be Many Things

by Dana Meachen Rau, Paige Billin-Frye (Illustrator)

Find out how much fun you can have with one cardboard box! Rookie Readers (Ages 5-7) have provided entertaining, high-quality introductions to reading for more than a generation. Each title features full-color, often hilarious illustrations and engaging stories that always involve a young child figuring out concepts or solving problems on his or her own. A girl and her brother retrieve a large box from the garbage and pretend that it is a cave, car, house, and cage.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Art

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Dana Meachen Rau is an author, editor, and illustrator of children's books. She has written more than 100 books for children, many of them nonfiction in subjects including astronomy, history, and geography, as well as numerous biographies. She lives in Burlington, Connecticut, with her husband and two children.

Reviews

[Mya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story. Many kids can relate to this story without any problem!

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I am more enamored with this book as a potential literary lead-in to some STEAM-based project than the story itself. It's a very simple story, the sort that could be read in a minute or two, and then could segue nicely into creative uses of cardboard for the very young. I liked it for that purpose and would use it thusly, though there are several alternatives that would work as nicely when it comes to reusing cardboard boxes.

[Shauna Ludlow Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, with bright illustrations, shows what imagination can do with a simple box. Even after the little boy thinks the box is finally ready to be recycled, his sister comes up with even more uses for this great toy.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two kids rescue a box from the trash. I liked how this title was a little different - as the kids played and imagined, they modified the box, and those modifications were part of the next iteration. Eventually the box was just shreds, but they found a way to play with those, too.

[Alex Valencic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who grew up playing with boxes and using their imagination will already know what the children in this book knew: that a box can be many things!

[Jami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indeed!
possible hogwarts JE book for 2019

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

My students at school in 2nd grade are obsessed with this book.

[Little Seesaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book to Peter today. He Liked the pictures. It would be fun to read and then give the kids a box to play with.

[Kelly Chester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute book

[Adam Warda · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's really funny book 📖

[Gayle Swift · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Box Can Be Many Things by Dana Meachen Rau and Illustrated by Paige Billin-Frye is part of the Rookie Reader Series which means it uses simple language. (Includes a list or 51 words.) It captures the same exuberant imaginative spirit paired with bright illustrations.

Beginning readers will love the story line and the ability to read it themselves. Not only will this book spark their own flights of fancy, but it will also help build their reading skills. That’s a nice bonus!
Adoption-attuned Lens This book delivers a similar opportunity for adoptive families as the previous one. Parents can also suggest that they imagine the box as a time-traveling machine. Imagine the places and people that children might fantasize about visiting. As always, allow children to take the lead on any conversation that touches on “big stuff.” As parents we must ensure that kids know their questions and thoughts are welcomed but we must not force them into having them on our timeline.. #AAQ http://wp.me/p4vGHg-Eg
#DiverseKidLit #WNDB #ReadYourWorld --Gayle H. Swift, ABC, Adoption & Me

[Jennie Park]

I love this book! It's such a creative story where a boy talks about the many things he can use an empty box for. His mom calls it junk and throws it out, but he and his friend go on crazy adventures by using their imagination as to what they can transform the box into. I would use this book to read to the children to inspire them to think "outside-the-box".

[R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my son's book gift from his pediatrician at last week's wellness appointment. Age wise it probably suits my daughter better, but he can still grow into it. He still enjoys the pictures and listening to the story. This is a cute tale about children playing with their imaginations. I can recall making many things out of boxes in my youth. Someday, our kids will as well.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great little book to remind/encourage imagination and creativity in play. My kids have asked for it every day since I picked it up at the Library for Joy School.

Few words on a page. Great for super small listeners.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book on the versatility of a box.

[Mandy Robek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple text shows creative ideas for many things a box can be.

[Danette · Rating 2 out of 5]

11/5/17 Read with Julia.
6/27/18 Read with Julia.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A neat book which shows what fun a box can be with a little imagination.

[Alicia Supple]

This is a great book to promote the cognitive skill of symbolic play. This book shows fun ways to pretend with just a box. In the story, the children imagine a simple box their mother brought them as many things including a car and a cave. At the end of reading this book with a child, I would give them a box and see what they could pretend it to be.