Katherineea

When Grace's school decides to perform Peter Pan, Grace longs to play the lead. Her classmates are quick to tell her that Peter Pan was a boy and also wasn't black. Grace learns that she can be anything she wants through the support of her family. The play is a success, and Grace is a great Peter Pan. 

Students can point out character traits about Grace, Mom, and Nana and find text evidence to support these in the book.

Lexile: 680L

This book teaches a valuable lesson on friendship. It tells about the most beautiful fish in the ocean who refuses to share one of his shining scales. All the fish in the sea leave him alone, and he goes to the wise octopus for advice. She tells him to give away his scales, and he does except for one. He is less beautiful, but he ends up with new friends and is the happiest fish in the sea.

This would be a great activity to do at the beginning of the year and let students decorate a fish with different colored scales that have how they can be a good friend written on them. 

Lexile: AD 610L

Jess and Leslie's friendship did not take long to grow once Jess's initial dislike of Leslie beating him in a race disappeared. They swing over a creek to a magical land they call Terabithia and are the king and queen. Leslie dies in a tragic accident while going to Terabithia alone. Jess reflects back on their friendship and all that he learned from Leslie, especially strength and courage. 

Students can use their imagination to draw and color what they believe Terabithia to look like after reading the book.

Lexile: 810L 

The Giving Tree tells of a special relationship between a boy and an apple tree. The tree loved the small boy, and the boy loved the tree and would come to play with the tree often. As the boy grew older he visited less and less, and each time he did he wanted something from the tree. The tree gave everything she had to the boy until all that was left of her was a stump. When the boy visited as an old man, he needed somewhere to sit, so they both are happy at the end of the story.

I would use this book in my classroom during the month of November to get my students thinking about people they are thankful for and how they can be more giving. They can complete a short writing assignment on paper shaped as leaves to show their explanation. 

Lexile: 530L