Our Library → Backbone Themes → Empowerment
Yertle the Turtle
By Dr. Seuss
8 min. without interruption
16 min. with discussion prompts throughout.
ALL AGES
Yertle the Turtle (the king) stacks all the turtles up – because he is “king of all that he sees” but not king of enough. Mack, the bottom turtle, is ignored. Mack crashes the tower – the throne. Fun story about leadership, being wise, listening. (And in another sense, worker’s rights...)
8 min. without interruption
16 min. with discussion prompts throughout.
ALL AGES
Yertle the Turtle (the king) stacks all the turtles up – because he is “king of all that he sees” but not king of enough. Mack, the bottom turtle, is ignored. Mack crashes the tower – the throne. Fun story about leadership, being wise, listening. (And in another sense, worker’s rights...)
Leo the Late Bloomer
By Robert Kraus
5-6 min. without interruption
8-12 min. with prompts/interruptions
Ideal for grades PreK-2,
**AVAILABLE IN SNELL**
Leo’s father is worried – all the other children are succeeding where Leo cannot. But Leo’s mother says Leo is just a Late Bloomer – he’ll get there, in his time.
5-6 min. without interruption
8-12 min. with prompts/interruptions
Ideal for grades PreK-2,
**AVAILABLE IN SNELL**
Leo’s father is worried – all the other children are succeeding where Leo cannot. But Leo’s mother says Leo is just a Late Bloomer – he’ll get there, in his time.
Thank you, Mr. Falker
By Patricia Polacco
Embracing Potential, Leadership, Peacemakers for Life, Growth Mindset, Knowledge is Power,
15 min. without interruption
30 min. with prompts throughout.
Ideal for grades fourth and up...But VERY ideal.
The book is long, but because of the story may not require as much discussion throughout...an important book, with a real life example of how a leader can change things. In this way, the book connects to "Peacemaker for Life."
Patricia Polacco...reknowned children’s author and illustrator...could not read when she was 14. Eventually she was diagnosed with dsylexia...this book is about her struggles with reading, and school, and the teacher who believed in her. The teacher is a leader in the community...because he believed in Patricia, she became a leader in the community as well, and reached millions of students with her books.(#KnowledgeisPower)
Embracing Potential, Leadership, Peacemakers for Life, Growth Mindset, Knowledge is Power,
15 min. without interruption
30 min. with prompts throughout.
Ideal for grades fourth and up...But VERY ideal.
The book is long, but because of the story may not require as much discussion throughout...an important book, with a real life example of how a leader can change things. In this way, the book connects to "Peacemaker for Life."
Patricia Polacco...reknowned children’s author and illustrator...could not read when she was 14. Eventually she was diagnosed with dsylexia...this book is about her struggles with reading, and school, and the teacher who believed in her. The teacher is a leader in the community...because he believed in Patricia, she became a leader in the community as well, and reached millions of students with her books.(#KnowledgeisPower)
A Perfectly Messed-Up Story
By Patrick McDonnell
5 min. without interruption
7-12 min. with discussion prompts throughout/after.
For all ages, though 4th and up might get the most out of it.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
5 min. without interruption
7-12 min. with discussion prompts throughout/after.
For all ages, though 4th and up might get the most out of it.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Ish
By Peter H. Reynolds
5 min. without interruption
12 min. with discussion prompts.
ALL AGES
Back to Fall Themes.
Back to Spring Themes.
5 min. without interruption
12 min. with discussion prompts.
ALL AGES
Back to Fall Themes.
Back to Spring Themes.
Hooray for Diffendoofer Day
By Dr. Seuss, Jack Prelutsky, Lane Smith
10 min. without interruption
12-17 min. with discussion/interruptions.
All ages, but 2nd to 5th might be best
Available in Snell Library
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
10 min. without interruption
12-17 min. with discussion/interruptions.
All ages, but 2nd to 5th might be best
Available in Snell Library
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Gertrude McFuzz
By Dr. Seuss
5 min. without interruption
10ish min. with discussion prompts throughout.
Good for ALL AGES.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
5 min. without interruption
10ish min. with discussion prompts throughout.
Good for ALL AGES.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
A Bad Case of Stripes
By David Shannon
Celebrating Differences, Speaking-Up,
11 min. without interruption
15 min. with discussion throughout.
Kindergarten and up – beware of the length.
Camilla Cream loves lima beans – but won’t eat them because nobody else likes them. Soon after…Camilla begins to have a strange ailment.
Classic book about accepting your identity – no matter what anyone else thinks. Engaging pictures – Camilla becomes whatever is around her. Eating lima beans – and thus accepting herself – turns out to be the cure.
Celebrating Differences, Speaking-Up,
11 min. without interruption
15 min. with discussion throughout.
Kindergarten and up – beware of the length.
Camilla Cream loves lima beans – but won’t eat them because nobody else likes them. Soon after…Camilla begins to have a strange ailment.
Classic book about accepting your identity – no matter what anyone else thinks. Engaging pictures – Camilla becomes whatever is around her. Eating lima beans – and thus accepting herself – turns out to be the cure.
Amazing Grace
By Mary Hoffman
7 min. without interruption
8-12 min. with discussion throughout.
Grades K-3…Older kids may understand the implications and societal problems touched upon a little too well.
(K is on the fence of being too young. Use your judgement)
When Grace plays pretend – she ALWAYS plays the most exciting part. So, naturally, when her teacher announces that her class will be performing Peter Pan – Grace knows exactly who she wants to be. But her friends say that she can’t play the role – because she’s a girl and because she isn’t white. What will Grace do?
This book touches on identity – and how others might see your race and gender as a limit to what you can do. Grace’s friends aren’t mean – they just cannot conceive of a break from the stereotype. Grace’s grandmother takes her to see a black ballerina in the starring role of Juliet, and explains that civil rights have come a long way – and that Grace can be whatever she wants to be. Grace does an amazing job, and her friends agree.
Some Debriefing Questions –
7 min. without interruption
8-12 min. with discussion throughout.
Grades K-3…Older kids may understand the implications and societal problems touched upon a little too well.
(K is on the fence of being too young. Use your judgement)
When Grace plays pretend – she ALWAYS plays the most exciting part. So, naturally, when her teacher announces that her class will be performing Peter Pan – Grace knows exactly who she wants to be. But her friends say that she can’t play the role – because she’s a girl and because she isn’t white. What will Grace do?
This book touches on identity – and how others might see your race and gender as a limit to what you can do. Grace’s friends aren’t mean – they just cannot conceive of a break from the stereotype. Grace’s grandmother takes her to see a black ballerina in the starring role of Juliet, and explains that civil rights have come a long way – and that Grace can be whatever she wants to be. Grace does an amazing job, and her friends agree.
Some Debriefing Questions –
- Why did her friends think she couldn’t be Peter Pan? Do you agree with them?
- If they do, um, maybe speed up the debrief and emphatically explain the intrinsic potential of each person…using different words, of course.
- Why was Grace a good Peter Pan?
- Does being Peter Pan have anything to do with being white and a boy?
- Would you support Grace if she was your friend? Why is it important to give everyone a chance?
- Obviously, the world is kinder to Grace than it might be in reality…another reason to aim for younger students with this one.
Finding Winnie
By Lindsay Mattick
12 min without interruptions
16 min with discussion throughout
Kindergarten through Third Grade
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
12 min without interruptions
16 min with discussion throughout
Kindergarten through Third Grade
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Chrysanthemum
By Kevin Henkes
Celebrating Differences, Respect, Introduction, Speaking-Up,
8 min without interruption
10-12 min with discussion prompts throughout/after
Pre-Kay through Third grade.
*AVAILABLE IN SNELL*
This book follows a mouse with a very unique name to her first days of school. Chrysanthemum used to love her name, but the students in her class make fun of her for it. Will Chrysanthemum end up hating her name forever, or will she learn the importance and value of being unique? (Spoiler alert - she does the latter.)
Celebrating Differences, Respect, Introduction, Speaking-Up,
8 min without interruption
10-12 min with discussion prompts throughout/after
Pre-Kay through Third grade.
*AVAILABLE IN SNELL*
This book follows a mouse with a very unique name to her first days of school. Chrysanthemum used to love her name, but the students in her class make fun of her for it. Will Chrysanthemum end up hating her name forever, or will she learn the importance and value of being unique? (Spoiler alert - she does the latter.)