Ralph Tell a Story by Abby Hanlon

How many times have you heard this?  "I don't know what to write. I don't know what to write. I don't know what to write. " If you're a teacher, its possible you may even hear this line echo in your sleep.   Writers, young and old, so often find themselves unable to finish a story or many times even to begin one.  Abby Hanlon, a former first grade teacher quite familiar with this woe, decided to write this graphic novel entitled Ralph Tells a Story.  Ralph has writer's block.  He cannot think of anything to write.  Around him, his classmates are buzzing with ideas; filling pages and pages.  Ralph stares at the ceiling.  Ralph goes to the bathroom.  Ralph lays on the floor.  (And every teacher in the house says, "seen that!")  With a little encouragement from his teacher and his friend Daisy, Ralph finally learns that stories can be found everywhere.

The writing is excellent!  Hanlon weaves humor into this all-too-real story.  This story would be a perfect introduction to writers workshop for students of any age.  My kindergarteners loved the story. Hanlon leads the reader through the process of idea generation.  You may want to pair this book with a heart map lesson.  The idea for this lesson is that everyone carries ideas in their heart.  We all have people and things that are important to us and there are stories behind each. I have found this be encourage my writers and support them when they find themselves stuck.  I highly recommend that you buy this book--today!

Vocabulary: kidding, aquarium, squinting

Close Reading Questions:
How do we know Ralph is avoiding writing?
Does Daisy see Ralph differently than he sees himself?
How did Ralph's classmates help him develop his story further?

The Three Little Pigs retold by Lisa Trumbauer, Illustrated by Aaron Blecha

The Three Little Pigs is probably one of the first stories you heard.  This folk tale has been told and retold for generations.  The story teaches young listeners the value of hard work.  Personally, I remember watching the old Disney cartoon version of the singing little pigs.  As a kindergarten teacher, I typically read aloud several versions of this story because of its easy sequence of events and role playing potential.  This classic story has now been adapted into graphic novel form.

This graphic novel retelling by Lisa Trumbauer, illustrated by Aaron Blecha appeals to those reluctant boy readers in your classroom.  The depictions of the pigs are a far cry from the sweet little curly-tailed piglets typically seen in children's literature.  Instead Blecha's pigs are slightly grotesque--a little boy's dream.  The writing is excellent.  Trumbauer retells the story in a simple, yet interesting fashion.  Humor is found throughout.  The ending leaves you wondering.  I would highly recommend adding this graphic novel to your fairy tale/ folk tale collection.  The readability of the text is appropriate for the end of first grade.

As with Airplane Adventure, the creators decided to include resources at the back of the book.  There is a glossary and a history of the tale.  There are discussion questions.  There are even writing prompts.