Anne Sellers Leaf

This book has great illustrations that will capture children's imaginations and make them want to keep reading. It is suitable for younger children and includes a story about realizing that sometimes the best place to be is the place you are from. Though the gingerbread man gets eaten in the end of the story, children can see that everyone has a purpose in life and this can help the to enjoy the story as well as have sympathy for others while enjoying a goofy story about a cookie running away.

This story is about three little pigs who are being bullied by a hungry wolf. They each build a house to keep them safe from him. After two attempts by the wolf to eat them, they come up with a witty plan of their own to scare the wolf off for good.

I love this story because it is one that my mother and grandmother read to me as a child. I also like it because it is full of action, which children seem to enjoy. One reason I think children will love this story is because it has predictable show more lines which allow children to participate in the telling of the story. (i.e. “I will huff and puff and blow your house down” is said several times throughout the story.)

In the classroom I might use this story to teach a lesson about bullying. Bullying seems to be a common problem in schools today and I think this story teaches an important lesson, that the bully does not always win. I might also have the children do a writing exercise to write their own ending to the story. I would have them answer the question: How would you handle this situation? show less

Jack and the Beanstalk is a fairytale that has been retold for generations. I like this story because of its illustrations and main idea. The illustrations were in black and white with only the color red showing for most of the book. Whenever Jack was doing something courageous, such as taking back his father’s money, the illustrations were in full color. The main idea of having courage is also very important. It took courage for Jack to continue to go back to the giant’s house and help show more his family. show less