Fly Free

Written by Rosanne Thon and Illustrated by Enjin Kim Neilan. Rosanne was born in California but has lived in Asia for over 15 years.  She is a journals, educator, and children's book author.   For more information about Thon click here. Neilan was born and raised in South Korea.  She has always loved art. She now lives in Massachusetts with her family and dog.  For more information about Enjin click here.

Genre: Fiction
Theme: Multicultural/ Diversity Education
Ages: 5-9

Summary: This is a story about a young girl who wishes to free caged birds in a Buddhist temple in Vietnam however she can only afford to feed them.  She generously gives away her red velvet shoes as a simple act of kindness which finally returns full circle back to the caged birds.
It includes information about the ideas of karma.   


Link for Picture of Fly Free

Pre-Reading Activity:  Show a picture of 2 or 3 children of varying heights, clothing styles, glasses, hair color, and skin color.  Ask class to volunteer things that are similar and different about the children.  Once skin color comes up open the discussion for names for different shades of skin color.

Post-Reading Activity: Have students write a poem about their perceived skin color. Teacher may scaffold the process by using sentence starters on a chart or an outline of the poem with blanks for students to fill in and draw a picture of themselves.

Reflection: This was a very touching a warm story.  It helps shed light on lesser known cultural beliefs in a way that is easy for young ones to comprehend.

Not a Box

Written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis. Portis is an award winning author and illustrator who has been honored by many different organizations.  She studied at UCLA school of fine arts. Check out her website.

Genre: Fiction
Theme: Animals/Imagination
Ages: 3-8

Summary: This is a book about how a simple box can be much more given imagination. There is a simple pattern of repetition to help increase fluency in young readers.







Link to Picture of Not a Box

Pre-Reading Activity:  Bring in a cardboard box and ask students what it is.  Ask them what it can be used for.  Then challenge them to come up with more creative responses.  If students are limited, or very imaginative, tell them that this book may give some ideas as well.

Post-Reading Activity: Have students write about their imaginative idea for what a box may be.  If they feel that all of the options for a box have been used, have them tell to choose another everyday object, like a blanket or a stick.  Students should draw first the regular object, then a transformed version of the object in their imagination.

Reflection:  I love this book.  The texture of the outside is that of a box, it is inviting.  It makes me remember my childhood of playing with blankets and furniture to create forts.  Imagination is a wonderful tool, we should remind our students to continue to foster their imaginations, rather than have them stomped out.