The author does an excellent job describing each of the different ponytails Stephanie has her mother create. Before reading, distribute dry erase boards and markers to the students. Then, as you are reading Robert Munsch’s description of each of her different ponytails, have the students draw what they thought Stephanie looked like.

This story is very repetitive, but also adds a new component to the copycats with every new hairstyle Stephanie has her mom create. After each new ponytail is described, have the students predict who they think will copy Stephanie this time, and list on chart paper. Then, cross-check their predictions with both the text and the pictures to see if they were correct or not.

There are several places throughout the book where Robert Munsch includes phrases that lend themselves nicely to this strategy. Model reading each phrase listed below in a “flat” or monotone voice. Then ask students if that is how the phrase should be read, and if it is not, how it should be read and why. Also point out the author’s use of italics and capital letters in the story and what that means in relation to expression. Examples of these phrases and their page numbers are listed below.

• “Ugly, ugly, very ugly” (p.1)
• “It’s my ponytail and I like it” (p.1)
• “Stephanie, would you like a ponytail coming out the back?” Stephanie said, “NNNO.” (p.8)
• “When I come tomorrow, I am going to have...SHAVED MY HEAD!” (p.18)

Throughout the story, Robert Munsch uses compound words to help get his meaning across. By pointing out to students that with some compound words you can use the two smaller words within each compound word to determine its meaning, they can apply that strategy with this book using the words listed below. Their corresponding page numbers are also included:

• ponytail (1) 
• copycats (3) 
• brainless (18)