Apologizing
Frog and Toad are Friends: "A Lost Button"
by Arnold Lobel
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In this lovely little story, Toad makes a mistake. He ends up showing that he's sorry
in a special way.
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Care
Eleanor
Barbara Cooney
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This book gives a picture of the early years of Eleanor Roosevelt's life. Although born into a rich family, Eleanor herself was deprived of love and attention. The book is brief, but would be worthy of discussion for ANY age.
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Care
The Runaway Bunny
by Margaret Wise Brown
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Mother bunny cares SO much about her little bunny, she would follow him anywhere. I've seen
this one used as an image of God!
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Courage
The Story of Ruby Bridges
by Robert Cole
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Simply told, beautifully illustrated, this true story is a MUST!
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Friendship
Let's Be Enemies
by Janice May Udry
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An oldie but goodie. Illustrated by Maurice Sendak, it's not really deep, but a fun discussion book.
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Friendship
Wilfrid GOrdon McDonald Partridge
by Mem Fox
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Contributed by Joanne: "It's about a little boy who befriends an elderly lady and it's just sweet."
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Good Deeds Done Secretly
Frog and Toad All Year: "The Surprise"
by Arnold Lobel
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Tie this story in with Matthew 6:3 (When you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing...)
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Honesty
A Bargain for Frances
by Russell Hoban
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An interesting situation. Frances is saving up to buy a tea set, but her friend convinces her to buy hers. It doesn't end up being a bargain, and the characters must work things out. Good for discussion!
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Obedience
Arthur's Computer Disaster
by Marc Brown
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Arthur learns that it's best to do as MOM says!
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Perseverence
Horton Hatches the Egg
by Dr. Seuss
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The job of sitting on an egg for a wayward mother bird is not easy, but Horton the elephant is faithful one hundred percent.
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Perseverence
Buster Makes the Grade
by Marc Brown
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Buster learns how to STUDY!
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Perseverence
Amazing Grace
by Mary Hoffman
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Thanks to Hannah for this one!
Grace is a young black girl who wants to try out for the part of Peter Pan in a school play. People tell her she can't, because she's a girl and because she's black. But Grace believes she CAN!
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Problem-solving
Henry and the Clubhouse
by Beverly Cleary
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Henry must do plenty of problem-solving.
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Respect
Horton Hears a Who
by Dr. Seuss
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Horton the elephant is the only one who can hear the Who's, but he will
defend them no matter how small they are!
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Respect, for different abilities
Leo the Late Bloomer
by Robert Kraus
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Everyone grows up at their own rate!
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Respect, for different backgrounds
Here Comes the Cat!
by Frank Asch and Vladimir Vagin
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I just love this one! Perhaps because I'd read an article about it before reading it. The book came out shortly after the breakup of the Soviet Union, and was heralded as "the first book in the world produced in collaboration by an American author with an illustrator from the Soviet Union." (quote from Scholastic PreK Today, Nov/Dec 1989. I still have the article in my files. Am I a packrat or what?)
The story has just four words, "Here Comes the Cat," written in both English and Russian. I remember reading it to the preschool class I was teaching at the time, and someone had taught me how to pronounce the Russian, so we read it both ways.
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Respect, for different backgrounds
The Hundred Dresses
by Eleanor Estes
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Contributed by Terrie: How can a poor girl possess 100 dresses? Young girls learn not to judge another by appearances.
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Respect, for different backgrounds
Molly's Pilgrim
by M. Cohen
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I just read Molly's Pilgrim this year. (It was on a Scholastic book order. I didn't realize it was that old. Scholastic has been offering some nice oldies lately.) It is a wonderful short book about a little girl whose mother came to the U.S. from another country. (I forget where.) When Molly has to make a doll of a pilgrim at Thanksgiving, she makes the doll look like her mother! The other kids make fun of her at first, but soon come to realize that Molly's mother IS a pilgrim in the true sense of the word. I really enjoyed the viewpoint of this one and I recommend it!
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Respect, for different backgrounds
People
by Peter Spier
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Not a story, but a beautiful presentation about the human race, in all its diversity! Lovely picture book
for families. A little too long for a classroom read-aloud. (And the pictures are too small to enjoy that way!)
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Respect, for different names
Sabrina
by Martha Alexander
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Sabrina is a nice book about a little girl who doesn't like her name because it is different. (You can tell this is an oldie because "Sabrina" is not unusual nowadays!) Kevin Henkes' Chrysanthemum is a more modern treatment of the topic.
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Responsibility
Henry and the Paper Route
by Beverly Cleary
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The book is a little dated for today's kids, but I still think anything by Beverly Cleary is worth reading! Henry learns a lot about responsibility. (My classes think it's funny when I tell them what things were like "in the old days" -- 50's and 60''s!!!!!--)
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Responsibility
Arthur's New Puppy
and Arthur's Pet Business
by Marc Brown
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Taking care of a pet is a big responsibility!
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Selfishness
Frog and Toad Together: "The Dream"
by Arnold Lobel
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This is actually a very deep story! As Toad dreams bigger and bigger things for himself,
his friend Frog shrinks smaller and smaller. Even older folks could use this one as a discussion
starter!
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Teasing
Big Brother
by Charlotte Zolotow
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A little girl learns that the best way to deal with teasing is to IGNORE her big brother!
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Teasing
Frog and Toad are Friends:"A Swim"
by Arnold Lobel
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Story shows assorted animals making fun of Toad. Does he yell and scream in the end?
No. He handles the situation by simply walking away! Sometimes, that's the best way to
handle teasing!
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