La Princesa and the Pea by Susan Middleton Elya is a retelling of the famous story "The Princess and the Pea" from the perspective of a different culture. The story is drawn with a massive influence on the culture in Peru, but the text is bilingual. Throughout the story, there are words in both English and Spanish. I believe the book would be excellent for students who are transitioning from speaking Spanish to English as well as for students who are interested in exploring a different language. I would use this in my classroom to help my students learn about different cultures! We would have a week where we read stories with the same storyline from an arrange of different cultures. As a class, we would compare and contrast all the books we've read. I believe teachers play a huge part in making students aware of various ethnicities, cultures, and traditions.  

Lexile: AD530L

The Giving Tree is a story told time and time again and still its meaning holds true. It will always be relevant. This is a long picture book that describes the love a tree has for a boy who only takes advantage of her generosity. As a class I believe we discussed lots of fun activities that could go with this book!

Kat and I wrote a lesson plan where we would get the kids engaged by asking "Have you ever taken anything without being appreciative or saying thank you? Has anyone ever taken advantage of your generosity?" at which point we would probably have a vocabulary lesson. Then at the end of the story, we wanted to use a PROBLEM/SOLUTION chart which is important for children in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade because it teaches the how to solve problems independently.

DRA Level 28-30

Lexile Measure 530LL

I love this book and the meaning behind it. The tree gives everything that it has to a boy who spends a majority of his life unappreciative. There is a big lesson to be learned in this book, even though it’s a short and simple read. This book’s meaning goes deeper than what you see on the pages, and that’s why it is so awesome.

In the classroom, this story would be great for teaching students about lessons, morals, and values.

• Lexile Measure: 530L

Formerly the Twilight fanfic "I Only Want You For Your Body" by Fatalllyobsessed