Children's Books
The Three Little Pigs
"The first little pig was very lazy. He didn't want to work at all and he built his house out of straw. The second little pig worked a little bit harder but he was somewhat lazy too and he built his house out of sticks. Then, they sang and danced and played together the rest of the day. The third little pig worked hard all day and built his house with bricks. It was a sturdy house complete with a fine fireplace and chimney. It looked like it could withstand the strongest winds."
What is...
Topic: Hardworking, Dedication
Possible Themes:
-Putting in the hard work & dedication pays off
-Short cuts can cost you a lot
For the Birds
What is . . .
Topic: Acceptance, Kindness
Possible Themes:
- Be accepting of those who are different than you.
-Treat others how you want to be treated.
Shoot Your Shot
"After virtually every NBA game, media personnel interview the coaches and players from both the winning and the losing teams. When coaches or players from the losing are interviewed, more often than not, they will attribute the loss to missteps made by the team as a whole, or proceed to place the full responsibility of the loss on themselves. Nevertheless, in rare instances we see players and coaches place the blame for a loss on bad calls made by referees, an opposing player, their teammates, the fans, the court, the arena, the rim, or the ball."
What is...
Topic: Responsibility
Possible Themes:
- Take responsibility for your actions
- Do not blame others
Never Too Far Down
What is . . .
Topic: Perseverance, Motivation, Setback
Possible Themes:
-Find the motivation even when things seem impossible.
-Perseverance is key.
-It's never too late to come back from a setback.
The Boy Who Cried Wolf
"A Shepherd Boy tended his master's Sheep near a dark forest not far from the village. Soon he found life in the pasture very dull. All he could do to amuse himself was to talk to his dog or play on his shepherd's pipe. One day as he sat watching the Sheep and the quiet forest, and thinking what he would do should he see a Wolf, he thought of a plan to amuse himself. His Master had told him to call for help should a Wolf attack the flock, and the Villagers would drive it away. So now, though he had not seen anything that even looked like a Wolf, he ran toward the village shouting at the top of his voice, "Wolf! Wolf!" As he expected, the Villagers who heard the cry dropped their work and ran in great excitement to the pasture. But when they got there they found the Boy doubled up with laughter at the trick he had played on them. A few days later the Shepherd Boy again shouted, "Wolf! Wolf!" Again the Villagers ran to help him, only to be laughed at again. Then one evening as the sun was setting behind the forest and the shadows were creeping out over the pasture, a Wolf really did spring from the underbrush and fall upon the Sheep. In terror the Boy ran toward the village shouting "Wolf! Wolf!" But though the Villagers heard the cry, they did not run to help him as they had before. "He cannot fool us again," they said. The Wolf killed a great many of the Boy's sheep and then slipped away into the forest."
What is...
Topic: Lying, Being Truthful
Possible Themes:
- Liars are not believed even when they speak the truth
- Always tell the truth
Traditional Cheese Soup
What is . . .
Topic: Perseverance, Dream
Possible Themes:
-Never give up on your dreams.
-Keep persevering even when things get tough.
Wonder
"'Come on, Auggie, please try to understand,' he continued, putting his hand under his chin and tilting my face toward him. 'You were wearing that helmet all the time. And the real, real, real, real truth is: I missed seeing your face, Auggie. I know you don't always love it, but you have to understand...I love it"
What is...
Topic: Love, Understanding, Self-love
Possible Themes:
- Love yourself
- Be proud of who you are
- Show the world your true self
What will they say about you?
What is . . .
Topic: Believe, Perseverance
Possible Themes:
-Keep believing in yourself
-Persevere no matter what others may say
The Tortoise and The Hare
"A Hare was making fun of the Tortoise one day for being so slow.
"Do you ever get anywhere?" he asked with a mocking laugh.
"Yes," replied the Tortoise, "and I get there sooner than you think. I'll run you a race and prove it."
The Hare was much amused at the idea of running a race with the Tortoise, but for the fun of the thing he agreed. So the Fox, who had consented to act as judge, marked the distance and started the runners off. The Hare was soon far out of sight, and to make the Tortoise feel very deeply how ridiculous it was for him to try a race with a Hare, he lay down beside the course to take a nap until the Tortoise should catch up. The Tortoise meanwhile kept going slowly but steadily, and, after a time, passed the place where the Hare was sleeping. But the Hare slept on very peacefully; and when at last he did wake up, the Tortoise was near the goal. The Hare now ran his swiftest, but he could not overtake the Tortoise in time."
What is...
Topic: Speed, Over-confidence, Success
Possible Themes:
- You can be more successful by doing things slowly and steadily than by acting quickly and carelessly
- Take your time
What is . . .
Topic: Fear, Innovation
Possible Themes:
- Don't let fear hold you back from trying new things.
-Innovation is the key to success
Charlotte's Web
“Why did you do all this for me?' he asked. 'I don't deserve it. I've never done anything for you.' 'You have been my friend,' replied Charlotte. 'That in itself is a tremendous thing.”
What is...
Topic: Friendship, Love
Possible Themes:
- Friendship can impact a person
- Being a friend to someone can go a long way
Best Day Ever
What is . . .
Topic: Tomorrow, Future
Possible Themes:
-You never know what tomorrow will hold
-Work hard today for a better future
Little Red Riding Hood
One day her mother said to her: “Go my dear, and see how your grandmother is doing, for I hear she has been very ill.” Little Red Riding Hood set out immediately. As she was going through the wood, she met with a wolf. He asked her where she was going. “I am going to see my grandmother.” “Does she live far off?” said the wolf. “It is beyond that mill you see there”. It was not long before the wolf arrived at the old woman’s house. He knocked at the door. Tap, tap, tap. “Who’s there?” “Your grandchild, Little Red Riding Hood,” replied the wolf, faking her voice. The good grandmother called out, “Pull the string, and the latch will go up.” The wolf pulled the string and the door opened, and then he immediately fell upon the good woman and ate her up in a moment. He then shut the door and got into the grandmother’s bed, expecting Little Red Riding Hood, who came some time afterwards and knocked at the door. Tap, tap, tap. “Who’s there?” “It is your grandchild, Little Red Riding Hood.” The wolf cried out, “Pull the string, and the latch will go up.” Little Red Riding Hood pulled the string, and the door opened. “Grandmother, what big arms you have!” “All the better to hug you with, my dear.” “Grandmother, what big ears you have!” “All the better to hear you with, my child.” “Grandmother, what big eyes you have!” “All the better to see you with, my child.” “Grandmother, what big teeth you have got!” “All the better to eat you up with.” Fortunately, a hunter was passing near by the hut. He heard the wolf, and recognized him right away. He ran over to the window. He took a good aim, and that was the end of the wolf."
What is..
Topic: Stranger, Trust
Possible Themes:
- We must be careful of strangers
- Do not trust everyone
Mike's New Car
What is . . .
Topic: Popular, New
Possible Themes:
-Just because something is new doesn't mean it's better.
-Having what's popular isn't always best.
Harry Potter
“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” —Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
What is...
Topic: Living, Being in the moment
Possible Themes:
- Live in the moment
- Be present with your thoughts and actions
Maybe It's My Fault
What is . . .
Topic: Greatness, Success, Hardwork
Possible Themes:
- It takes a lot of hard work to be successfull
-Greatness takes dedication
The Proud Rose
"Once upon a time, in a desert far away, there was a rose who was so proud of her beautiful looks. Her only complaint was growing next to an ugly cactus. Every day, the beautiful rose would insult and mock the cactus on his looks, all while the cactus remained quiet. All the other plants nearby tried to make the rose see sense, but she was too swayed by her own looks. One scorching summer, the desert became dry, and there was no water left for the plants. The rose quickly began to wilt. Her beautiful petals dried up, losing their lush color. Looking to the cactus, she saw a sparrow dip his beak into the cactus to drink some water. Though ashamed, the rose asked the cactus if she could have some water. The kind cactus readily agreed, helping them both through the tough summer, as friends."
What is...
Topic: Judgmental, Friendship
Possible Themes:
- Do not judge someone based on how they look
- Always be nice to others
Minions Competition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1ePtRdQRT0&list=PLSb-5At_Qc1B1eb1X3ZIlu_jxmN2LXPa8&index=3
What is . . .
Topic: Competition, Competing
Possible Themes:
-Being too competitive can do more harm than good.
-Competition can hurt others.
The Poet X
Ms. Galiano
"Is not what I expected.
Everyone talks about her
like she's super strict
and always assigning
the toughest homework.
So I expected someone older,
a buttoned-up, floppy-haired,
suit-wearing teacher,
with glasses sliding down her nose.
Ms. Galiano is young, has on bright colors,
and wears her hair naturally curly."
What is...
Topic: Judgement, Stereotypes
Possible Themes:
- Don't judge a book by it's cover
- Do not made judgements before you meet someone
Dream With Us
What is . . .
Topic: Dream, Inspire
Possible Themes:
- Follow your dreams
-You can be an inspiration for those who are like you.