The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Title: The Three Billy Goats Gruff
Author (retold by):Janet Stevens
Illustrator: Janet Stevens
Genre: Fantasy

The Three Billy Goats Gruff  is a cute story of a family of billy goats, two small children goats, and a big macho dad billy goat. The billy goats were hungry and wanted the yummy sweet greens, but they would have to cross a bridge where a mean troll lived underneath. So, they made a plan and the two little billy goats went first and convinced the troll to wait of the bigger billy goat and told him that the big billy goat would be a ton more meat to eat. The troll does just that, except when the father billy goat comes along, he is moocher mighty than the troll and kicks and scares the troll off of the bridge, which gave the father billy goat a breeze for the rest of the walk across the bridge.

I liked this story because it shows a family that is strong and stays together. Most of all, it shows the biggest billy goat standing up for the smaller two. For that reason, it would be a great read aloud for the students to hear and then be able to say "I am the biggest billy goat" and provide a structure for the class and a safety net for them. I think it is important for my classroom to know that I will always have their back and that is the way it should be.

Imogene's Antlers

Title: Imogene's Antlers
Author: David Small
Genre: Fantasy

This is a fantasy book that is about a girl that wakes up one morning with antlers! Her mom cannot believe it, she keeps fainting at the sight of the antlers on Imogene's head. The rest of the family sort of embraces her overnight-grown antlers and begins to use them for things such as drying clothes, or putting food on the points to walk to another room to provide for others. The next morning she wakes up with no more antlers, but little to the families surprise, she has grown the feathers of a peacock!

This is a story I could do a read aloud in class and show students that it is okay to be, or look differently. Imogene wakes up one random morning with antlers and she does not seem too upset about it, in fact she accepts it. Students need to be more accepting got their looks and less self cautious of their appearance just because of people who might judge them and disagree their looks. I think this could be a great lesson to students.

The Straight Line Wonder

Title: The Straight Line Wonder
Author: Mem Fox
Illustrator: Marc Rosenthal
Genre: Fantasy

This is a cute children's book that talks about three straight lines, and one of them likes to do whatever it wants because it is tired of being straight. The other two lines do not approve of him being anything other than straight. However, with all of the things the individual line wants to be and do, he gets noticed by a famous producer and becomes a big time star in a movie. The other two straight lines are then pleased with his idea to stop being straight and welcomes him back as a friend.

This is an amazing fantasy book to show a class to show them that it is okay to step out of your comfort zone and be different. This book shows proof (even though it is fantasy, kids love it) that stepping out to do what you love can result in amazing, and sometimes life changing things!

Fortunately

Title: Fortunately
Author: Remy Charlip
Illustrator: Remy Charlip
Genre: Fantasy

This is a fun little fantasy book that also shows the ups and downs that happen throughout some peoples days. I think this book could teach a lot about kids not being judgmental and being nice to everybody because you never know what they're going through. In this story there is a little boy that was asked to com to a surprise party, so he goes through the highs and lows to get there, and eventually makes it to the party that was a surprise part for HIM!

This could also teach kids to never give up. The boy in this story went through a plane crash, swam through sharks, ran from lions, and dug himself out of a cave just to make it to the party he was invited to, most people would not go through those measures for a party. I loved this book!

Goldilocks and The Three Bears

Title: Goldilocks and The Three Bears
Author: (story retold by) Grace De La Touche
Illustrator: Pam Storey
Genre: Fantasy

This story is a 19th century fairy tale that tells the story of a girl that does some things she should not do, and finds herself caught in the middle of it! First she goes into the forest and knocks on an unknown door that she finds partially opened, so she makes herself welcome and goes into the empty house of the three bears. There she finds the three bears dinner, and eats the youngest bears dinner, then she finds their resting space in the living groom and sits in the baby bears chair and breaks it, then she fall asleep in the baby bears bed! The three bears come back from a walk and find her in the bed and she wakes frightened and runs away, never to be seen again in that area.
This is a story that I would do as a read aloud to teach my class to keep their things to themselves, and more importantly, not to take other peoples things. This could be a fun way to introduce the manners of not intruding on other peoples spaces.