Anne McKie

This book holds two classic, well-loved tales that I believe all children should hear. Not only do they teach us about the world around us, but they make us feel like we are being hugged by someone we love. In the first classic tale, The Ugly Duckling, the illustrations are something that students will admire and squeal, "Aww, but he's so cute!" to. The story, of course, is of a duckling that does not look like the rest of the ducklings, and is constantly berated for his looks. However, through perseverance, the duckling ultimately turns into a graceful and beautiful white swan. I love this story because it shows children that while someone may not be the best looking, the most talented at something, or look like the rest of them, they are still capable of becoming something beautiful--on both the inside and the out. While also being a classic, this story could pair well with lessons on diversity and inclusion as everyone must be included no matter what they look like. Peter Pan is the story of the boy who never wants to grow up. There is a conflict of wanting to remain a child, but also knowing that one has to become an adult. Peter Pan is the embodiment of this conflict, leading other children to a world that is free of responsibilities and cares. This would be a great story for around the fourth grade level, especially if students are moving to an intermediate school, because it shows them that they are growing up and cannot remain children forever. However, this shouldn't be scary, so this story would be a comfort to children who are afraid of moving schools or growing up. Overall, these tales are such well-loved stories that people carry with them for their entire lives, so I would like to be able to share with my students the beauty of these original stories and how literature has come to be.… (more)