Over the years I have gathered several plush book characters to introduce when reading some of my favorite picture books with kids. They naturally extend the language lesson as kids become endeared with The Pout Pout Fish, Max and Ruby, Fancy Nancy or Maisy. The simplest step past the book is to re-tell and enact the story using the plush character. Kids can take on the role of their character and “talk” for her, practicing dialogue and conversation within the plot that has now become familiar.
I love when kids take off in a new story direction with their plush as the leading character. After setting out a Lego Duplo grocery store set, I watched my two little friends take on their Max and 
Ruby characters and suddenly one said, “Phone call,” to which Ruby put her Play-Doh phone up to her ear, and Max used a rounded brick for his. What creativity! We were working on talking for our character so they had a chance to practice their conversation. Max arrived at the grocery store manned by Ruby and made some selections before being jammed into the Lego car to drive home. Eventually he just rode on top which was much easier to manage!
Finally, Max headed home to get a good night’s sleep. The flat green Lego piece had been a
“bumpy road” but now became his bed softened by his Play-Doh pillow and blanket. These beloved characters have literally cracked the language of a little boy I have been working with who is on the autism spectrum. He loved the books, especially “Max Cleans Up” and “Max’s Chocolate Chicken” as well as the short videos which have just enough plot, lots of silliness, and the right mix of Max getting in trouble to make them appealing. He has taken off in his story re-telling and generation of new plots with the books’ characters–just what we want him to do as he builds his language skills and enjoys typical play with his peers.
