The Tale of Three Trees

Author: Angela Elwell Hunt Title: The Tale of Three Trees
Book Genre: Traditional Folktale Publisher: Lion Publishing

Summary: This is a folktale about three trees that live on a mountaintop. Each one dreams about what they want to be when they grow up. Their wishes end up coming true but not in the way they expected. Children will understand the significance of Jesus’ life and suffering.




Personal rating: *****

Pages: 25

Rationale: Loved it, it let’s children know that they have a purpose and why, easy text


Reading level: 2.6 Interest level: pre K-4

Thematic Areas: suffering, forgiveness, strengths, weaknesses, sacrifice

Content Areas: science, religion, Easter, Christmas

Potential Problems or Difficulties: there might be students of other faiths in the classroom, so introduce it as a legend about trees or encourage children to understand other faiths

Possible use in classroom:
· Use to help teach the meaning of Easter
· Use to help teach the meaning of Christmas
· Have a lesson on different kinds of trees
· Have them to journal and illustrate, if they were a tree what type would they be

Lon Po Po

Information for students
Author: Ed Young Title: Lon Po Po
Book Genre: Traditional Publishing Info: Philomel Books, 28

Summary: This is a Red-Riding Hood story from China. Three sisters are staying home alone overnight when a wolf that is disguised as their grandmother comes to the house. Shang, the oldest of the children, realizes that it is a wolf, and decides to trick him. She climbs up a gingko tree with her sisters, and while trying to lift the wolf up in a basket, they let the rope go, killing the wolf.

Personal rating: ****

Rationale: entertaining story, stereotypical characters, unique illustrations, helps children to realize that children from another part of the world have wisdom and courage

Information for teachers
Reading level: 2.6 Interest level: k-3rd

Thematic Areas: trickery, wisdom, good wins over evil, small outwitting big, survival, courage

Content Areas: geography, Asian history and culture

Potential Problems or Difficulties: Character names may be confusing for young readers. Parts of story may seem frightening to young children.

Possible use in classroom: Students write their own version of a Red-Riding Hood tale; compare details and themes of Lon Po Po and Little Red-Riding Hood; invite an Asian storyteller to talk to the class; use in geography unit to include information on China; allow students to experiment with different art media to create their own illustrations of the story