How Full Is Your Bucket For Kids (by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer)

3/5 = Liked It

Momma: What did you do today that filled your bucket?
AJ: I don't know...My bucket was kind of empty because I didn't get to play with Priscilla.
Momma: Is there something else that might help fill your bucket?  Doesn't playing with your cousin fill your bucket?
AJ: Little bit.
Momma: How about you, Fox?  Does playing with AJ help fill your bucket?
Fox: Yes.  I have a lot of things.
Momma: Well, did either of you do anything that filled someone else's bucket today?
Fox: Oh, listening!  I listened to [my gym teacher] today.  Listening fills buckets.
Momma: That's right!  You know what you did that filled my bucket today?  You gave me hugs and kisses.  I'm sure AJ gave his momma and daddy hugs and kisses and I bet that helped fill their buckets today!  Do hugs and kisses fill your bucket?
AJ/Fox: Yes.
Momma: Maybe we can think of a way to fill Daddy's bucket when he gets home.  Do you have any ideas of what you can do to fill his bucket?  What does he like?  What would make him happy?
Fox: We can walk on the trail.
Momma: Yes!  I bet he would love that.  How about you, AJ?  What will you do to fill your daddy's bucket today?  How about giving him hugs and kisses?
AJ: Yes.  I do that all the time.
Momma: You know what else fills my bucket?  I love when Fox cuddles with me and reads to me.
Fox: Do you want me to read to you later?
Momma: Yes!  I would love that.  But we could wait until Daddy gets home because I know that will help fill his bucket, too.

Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress (by Christine Baldacchino)

2/5 = OK

Momma: What did Morris Micklewhite like to wear?
Fox: A dress.
Momma: How did his classmates feel about that?
Fox: Funny.  It was funny to them.  They wouldn't let him on the spaceship they made.  And they didn't let him sit by them.
Momma:  Why?
Fox: Because they didn't like that he was wearing a dress.  They didn't like that he was a boy wearing a dress.
Momma: How do you think Morris felt about that?
Fox: Sad.
Momma: Do you think his classmates were behaving well?
Fox: No.  But the next time the boys were [nice] to him.
Momma: That's right.
Fox: But the girl wasn't nice.
Momma: She wanted the dress.
Fox: She said, "Boys don't wear dresses!"  And he said the right thing.  He said she could have it when he was done with it.
Momma: This is a good book because it tells you that you should be kind to people even if they're different than you are.
Fox: And he was.   

Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns About Sportsmanship: Winning Isn't Everything

4/5 = Really Liked 

Little Fox says: "I like [Howard] the bunny and I like that the book was funny."

Momma: In the book, the coach says, "Sometimes there are more importatnt things than winning." What is more important than winning?
Fox: Following directions...making the right choice...
Momma: That's right.  And what else? What do Momma and Daddy say when you play soccer?  Do we say, "Get out there and WIN!"?
Fox:  You say, "Be happy and have fun!"
Momma: That's right.  We like to watch you have fun.  We love to watch you play fair and be respectful and have fun working with your team.

Liam Wins the Game, Sometimes: A Story about Losing with Grace (by Jane Whelen Banks)

2/5 = OK

Little Fox says: "I like this book because they were playing games."

Momma: What makes a person a good sport?
Fox: Being nice.  Right?
Momma: Nice when they win?  Or nice when they lose?
Fox: Both!

Fancy Nancy and the Mean Girl (by Jane O'Connor)

3/5 = Liked It

Little Fox says: "I like races."

Momma: Why didn't Fancy Nancy want to race with Grace on Field Day?
Fox: Because Grace is kind of mean.  She says mean things to her.
Momma: It's definitely not fun to play with kids who say mean things.  Fancy Nancy had a talk with Grace and said she didn't want Grace to say mean things.  What did Grace do?
Fox: Listened.
Momma: Yes!  Fancy Nancy did the right thing by using her words and explaining her feelings and Grace did the right thing by listening and making better choices.
Fox: Yes.  Grace only said after, "Do you want a cookie?"
Momma: Yes!  And that was Good Friend Behavior.  Sometimes people don't realize the choices they make or the words they use hurt other people.  That's why it's important to use our words.
Fox: Yes.  That's what school says, too.
Momma: Exactly.  Grace might not have known that her words were hurting Nancy.  Now that she knows they bother Nancy so much, she makes better choices in order to be a better friend.  

Crankenstein (by Samantha Berger)

3/5 = liked it

Little Fox says:
"It had funny words and [Crankenstein] has a cool name and I liked the guy."

Momma: This book looks kind of scary.  Is it a scary book?
Fox: Kind of...because when he was cranky he yelled monster words.  When he's not cranky he's back to normal!
Momma: Do you ever get cranky?
Fox: (laughing) And turn into Crankenstein?  No.
Momma: But do you ever get cranky?
Fox: Yes.
Momma: And what do you do when you get cranky?
Fox: Take some deep breaths.
Momma: Do I ever turn into Crankenstein when I get cranky?
Fox: No.  You don't turn green!
Momma: But sometimes when I get cranky I get sharp and snippy. What do I say when I get cranky and snippy?
Fox: You say you're sorry.
Momma: That's right.  Because even grown ups can get cranky. And if we make mistakes or get snippy it's important to apologize. Everyone has bad days, right?  We apologize and we learn from our mistakes.