I Need a Hero

Children need role models, and picture books deliver! Here I share just a few of the hundreds of possible books which can be combined to create a fantastic study of both real and fictional heroes. You may also want to check out a previous post about Molly Pitcher if you're looking for a strong, true-life heroine. Tall Tales, Myths, Biblical Heroes, and Biographies are other sources you might consider. I discussed further ideas using Heroes from History in another post.

Universal Themes:
Conflict Resolution, Courage, Heroism, Identity, Integrity, Problem Solving

Before Reading Questions

• What is a hero? What are some adjectives that describe a hero?


• Who are some heroes you can name from history? What did they do that makes them heroic?


• Who are your role models? Are role models the same as heroes?

Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman
by Marc Tyler Nobleman

Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, two Depression-era teens, resemble one another enough to be brothers. Along with their similar physical appearances, they share a shyness around girls, an aversion to athletics, and a love for pulp fiction heroes such as Buck Rogers and Tarzan. Who would ever have thought that this unlikely pair could create the much-copied but never equalled Superman? This book chronicles the friends' determination in bringing this super hero to the page, and the resulting birth of modern comic books as we know them.

Extension Ideas: Social Studies

• Superman appeared as the Depression was drawing to a close and America entered into a World War. Why would audiences so readily welcome such a hero in times like these?

Strong Man: The Story of Charles Atlas
by Meghan McMarthy

How did a poor Italian immigrant boy named Angelo Siciliano become real-life strong man Charles Atlas? In another unlikely story, readers will enjoy hearing how a ninety-pound weakling (who did, in fact, have sand kicked in his face at the beach) became known as "The World Most Perfectly Developed Man." In addition to his famous mail-order bodybuilding course found in the pages of countless comic books, Atlas also became famous as a model for sculptors. His physique, and often his face, appear on seventy-five statues across the country, including those of George Washington in Washington Square Park in New York City, and Thomas Jefferson in Washington, D.C. This real-life hero's exercise and healthy living routines created a fitness craze across America.

Heroes
written by Ken Mochizuki ; illustrated by Dom Lee

Donnie is dismayed because whenever his friends play war, he's forced to be the enemy "Because he looks like them." Donnie hates being the bad guy and wishes he could prove to the other boys that his father and uncle had fought bravely for the United States in two different wars. The ending is both surprising and satisfying, but still left open to discussion.

Extension Ideas: Language Arts

• Students can interview a grandparent or another significant adult in order to tell about "A Hero in my Life." The interview can ask that relative about their heroes as they were growing up.
• Some students may be interested in learning about the treatment of Japanese Americans during World War II. A great place to start is Baseball Saved Us, also by Ken Mochizuki. This book tells how baseball raised the spirits of interred Japanese Americans, while providing just enough historical context for some discussion.

Boys Who Rocked the World: From King Tut to Tiger Woods
by the Editors of Beyond Words Publishing

Girls Who Rocked the World : Heroines from Sacagawea to Sheryl Swoopes
by Amelie Welden

Okay, I'll admit it. These two are not picture books. But I love their short chapters, the informative trivia text boxes which appear on every page, and the diversity of heroes and heroines represented. Perhaps the best features of both books, however, are the real-life boys and girls who appear at the end of each selection to answer the question, "How will you rock the world?"

Extension Ideas: Language Arts

• Many of the people chronicled here have also been captured in picture book. Dragon in the Rocks, for example, details how fossil hunter Mary Anning of England discovered the first full skeletons of an Ichthyosaurus and a Plesiosaurus. Students can search the library for such books, and then compare the interpretations of the picture books with the facts they've collected elsewhere.
• And those heroes who have not yet been immortalized in a picture book? Have your students design such a book. The class as a whole can draft the text, and then pairs of students can be given text pages (containing just one or two paragraphs) for illustrating.

After Reading Questions

• How is this person like other heroes we know?
• Which of our adjectives match her? What other adjectives did this story make you think of?
• Did he try to become a hero? How did it happen? What circumstances forced him to act heroically?

Extension Ideas: Technology, Art, and Language Arts

I thought the boys in my class would go crazy for this site (and they did!) but the girls loved it just as much! The plan: create a hero who would be the main character (and source of motivation) for a tale of action and adventure.

Hero Factory allows visitors to custom build a hero of their choice (male or female), making it truly their own through countless combinations of hair color, eyes, noses, outfits, accessories, color schemes, and more. (I created the bearded, bald, super-handsome hero shown here in less than two minutes).

My one concern is that the site does allow the hero to have a weapon (although they don't have to be holding one in the completed image). We agreed, however, that this weapon could only be used to fight off monsters, aliens, and imaginary creatures of all hideous and horrendous dimensions, and that no humans would be killed in our stories. The weapon might also be used to battle natural disasters. Additionally, the final image (which appears as a comic book cover) features a name for the hero which is based upon the combined attributes chosen. We agreed that these names could be nicknames, but that we reserved the right to christen our own heroes.

After creating their original heroes, some students returned to the application to create allies and enemies as well. (The site is super-easy to navigate, requires no log-ins, and features no ads of any kind. I still can't figure out who even created the site, or for what purpose!) All students found the activity to be exciting, and their written results were just as creative and diverse as the super heroes themselves.

Enemy Pie

Enemy Pie
by Derek Munson
Universal Themes:

Acceptance, Choices, Friendship, Conflict Resolution, Differences, Perspectives, Relationships

Before Reading Questions

• Who here has a best friend? What special qualities make this person a friend?
• What is the opposite of a friend? Is it a stranger, is it an enemy, or is it something else?
• Today's book is Enemy Pie. Before I show you the front cover, I'll tell you what appears there: a large pie with a note that reads, "For My Best Enemy." We talked about a best friend; is there such a thing as a "best enemy?" And why would you want to give something as delicious as a pie to your enemy?
• Let's look at the front cover. Do you think you'd enjoy enemy pie? What might be this character's intentions with this pie?

Summary

One boy's perfect summer seems to be ruined when his worst enemy, Jeremy Ross, moves in down the block. Fortunately, though, Dad has a recipe for enemy pie. But it seems that the pie will only be effective if the recipient is treated kindly before eating it. Reluctantly, the boy agrees to spend time with Jeremy.

As the boys spend the day shooting hoops, jumping on the trampoline, and throwing water balloons at the girls, our protagonist begins to realize that Jeremy isn't a bad kid at all; in fact, he and Jeremy share many traits and interests. So imagine his confusion and consternation when the pie is finally served. He desperately wants to tell Jeremy, "Don't eat it! It's poison!" But then he realizes that Dad, wise old Dad, is eating the pie as well, and enjoying himself immensely. The lesson here is pretty clear, and well delivered.

After Reading Questions

• Why didn't the main character like Jeremy Ross?
• Why did his father suggest enemy pie?
• So, did the pie work? 
• What else might his Dad have suggested? Why was the pie a clever idea?
• At what point did we, the readers, realize what was happening? (You may also wish to tell students that when the reader knows something that a character does not, it is called dramatic irony. Dramatic irony is a terrific way of building suspense in a story. Remember when we heard that music in Jaws? Dramatic irony!).

Extension Ideas: Language Arts

• Before reading Enemy Pie, have students create lists about friends, while practicing parts of speech. For example, the first prompt might be, "Another name for friend is ____" (these would be nouns). Another prompt might be, "Friends are always ____" (adjectives). Then, "Friends always _____ (verbs, along with some other words if needed). And possibly, "Friend never ______" (again, verbs). Later, adverbs can be added to the verb phrases to complete them. Again, I would do this brainstorming before reading the book, and then again after.
• Using the lists from above, have students create a "Friend Poem." Boys, it seems, are especially reluctant to writing poetry, but I've found that they will do so, and with great success, if I 1) ask them to write bulleted lists from their prior experience (and thus tap into their schema), and 2) create a template for the poem, which provides a structure for their thoughts. So the template for a Friend Poem might simply be, "A friend is someone who..." and the lines that follow can be rhyming couplets, or simply verse.
• Taken one step further, the ideas from the first bullet can be used to create a Word Cloud, which is a cool, free form poem. Wordle.net allows you to enter words and phrases, and then transforms them into a variety of configurations which you can later change. 

Extension Ideas: Math

• The subject of pie is a perfect introduction to fractions. Students can solve problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions, as well as equivalent fractions, using visuals as a concrete reference. Suppose, for example, Dad bakes three pies for when the boys invite the girls over. Each pie is sliced into eight slices, and two slices are eaten from each pie. If the remaining slices are placed together into pie plates, how many total pies are there? Do any separate pieces remain? And so on.
• For the older set, how about a lesson on pi? Apart from the pun, pies lend themselves nicely to the study of terms such as radius, diameter, circumference, area, and, of course, pi.

Extension Ideas: Science

• Very simple and quick pudding (creme) pies can be made in class using instant pudding. Many stores sell small graham cracker tart shells which can be used rather than large pie crusts; this allows each student to create their own pie, which can be topped as they like (with sprinkles, whipped cream, mini-marshmallows, etc.).
• Do you have another Science idea for here? I'd love to hear it and will gladly post it!

Extension Ideas: Social Studies

• If your class is presently studying history, what evidence is there of conflict between two groups of people? (European settlers vs. the Native Americans, Colonists vs. the British, North vs. the South, etc.) Do these conflicts originate from a failure to know and understand the perspectives of the opposing side? Are the differences between the two conflicting groups truly irreconcilable, or are the two groups simply refusing to compromise? Students can be asked to write a bulleted list summarizing the view points of both sides, with the intention of arguing one side or the other. The challenge is, they will not know which side they are arguing until seconds before their turn. The "argument" portion can be either a full-class debate or a one-on-one confrontation, where students are paired and must carry on a dialogue in front of their peers. Several peers may be chosen to act strictly as a jury or panel of judges rather than debate.

The Honest to Goodness Truth

The Honest-to-Goodness Truth
written by Patricia C. McKissack
illustrated by Giselle Potter

Universal Themes:
Compassion Honesty Tact

Before Reading Questions

• Who has ever heard the expression, "Honesty is the best policy?" What does that mean?
• Can anyone think of a time when it might be acceptable to not tell the whole truth?
• Why does the book's title appear in that cloud over the girl's head? What does that mean?
• Looking at the back cover, what might be the setting of this story?

Summary

When young Libby is caught in a lie, she feels better admitting the truth, even though she's punished double. It is the first time she has lied to Mama, and as far as she is concerned, it would be the last. "From now on, only the truth," she decides.

But in her commendable attempts to tell "only the truth," she is tactless and cold; as the girls at church admire Ruthie Mae's dress, for example, Libby points out that there's a hole in Ruthie Mae's sock. Before the end of the day she's told the truth about many of her friends: she tattles to the teacher that Willie didn't do his homework, reminds the class how Daisy had forgotten her lines at the Christmas play, and lets everyone know that Thomas doesn't have lunch money and must borrow from Miz Jackson.

Poor Libby can’t understand why her friends are all upset with her. Then Mama explains

“Sometimes the truth is told at the wrong time or in the wrong way, and for the
wrong reasons. And that can be hurtful. But the honest-to-goodness truth is
never wrong.”

As Libby feeds and waters her horse, she struggles with the meaning of Mama’s words. Just then Virginia Washington sashays out of the fields and remarks, “That horse is older than black pepper… I doubt you could get a dollar for that old flea-ridden swayback.”

Stung by Virginia’s words, Libby finally realizes the wisdom of Mama’s words. The remainder of the book sees Libby making it up to her friends through both words and actions.

After Reading Questions

• Do you think Libby was trying to hurt her friends' feelings when she told the truth?
• If what Libby said was true, then why did it create a problem?
• When might it be wrong to keep a secret?
• What happened to Lilly to make her realize that the truth needs to be told in the right way?

Extension Ideas: Language Arts

• Ask students to write a poem about honesty. As a starter, tell students that they can include Mama's words as lines in their poem. Other students may prefer to write a story about a time that they told the truth and hurt someone's feelings, or when someone told them the truth and hurt their feelings.
• Have students create a poem-like prose piece called. "Instead of ___, Say ___." For example: Instead of, "That green dress makes you look like a cabbage," say "I like the blue dress better; it brings out your eyes." This activity not only encourages students to think tactfully, it also provides excellent practice writing proper quotation marks, a skill which will transfer to narrative writing.
• Patricia McKissack uses similes and metaphors beautifully. When Libby lies, for example, she is "surprised how easy the lie slid out of her mouth, like it was greased with warm butter." Have students point out other literary devices in the picture book for discussion. Then, present students with some "boring sentences" in need of "dressing up" with similes.

Extension Ideas: Social Studies

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Douglas E. Younger

• The illustrator's style is very similar to that of William H. Johnson. Show some examples of the artist's work (many are available on Google image search) and ask students to draw conclusions about the lifestyles of Black Americans in the south. How are Johnson's and Potter's styles similar?
• To follow up on the above activity, have students use one of William H. Johnson's pictures (such as Going to Church) as a writing prompt, or ask students to paint in that same style.
• The symmetry and simplicity of Giselle Potter's faces are also reminiscent of African masks. Download some pictures of African masks and have children compare them to the artist's illustrations. Is the resemblance coincidental? What purpose did masks serve in various African cultures?

The Empty Pot

The Empty Pot
by Demi

Universal Themes:
Choices, Consequences, Honesty, Integrity, Virtue

Before Reading Questions

• Who has ever heard the expression that “honesty is the best policy”? What does that mean?
• How many of you have chores that you’re expected to do at home? How many of you complete those chores on your own, without nagging from your parents?
• Today’s tale is from China. Who can locate China on our map? What do you know about China?

Summary

The ancient Chinese emperor has decided that it is time for him to choose a successor to the throne. The flower-loving ruler decides that this shall be accomplished through a contest. Each child will be given a seed and told to do their best.

Ping, a young boy who also loves to grow lovely things, has great hope that he will be successful. Imagine his dismay, then, when he discovers that, despite the success of his friends, his own seed yields not even a single leaf.

Disappointed and ashamed, he approaches his father and asks for advice. His father tells him that he has done the best that he can, and that he has nothing to be ashamed of.

As the emperor examines the beautiful flowers brought before him on the final day, his face expresses nothing but disapproval. Finally, approaching Ping, he asks why the pot is empty. Ping explains that he did his best, but to no avail. The emperor then reveals that the seeds were cooked, and therefore could not grow. The contest was to find not the greatest gardener in the land, but the leader with the greatest integrity.

After Reading Questions

• Did the emperor ask each child to grow a beautiful flower? (He actually asked each child to do his/her best).
• What do you think the word integrity means? (Note: Integrity is often defined as “Doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” How is that definition exemplified in this story?)
• What other stories have we read that show a character acting with integrity?
• What advice did Ping’s Father give him? Has anyone ever given you advice like that?
• Can you think of a time when it would be hard to tell the truth? Why is it still a good idea to tell the truth in these situations?

Extension Ideas: Math

• Tangrams are Chinese puzzle pieces used to create both simple and complex pictures. Grandfather Tang’s Story by Ann Tombert is an excellent picture book which tells a simple story in both tangrams and conventional watercolor illustrations. (Also check out Tangram Magicianby Ernst). After sharing this story together, allow children to create pictures using paper tangram pieces. You may also wish to let them explore online tangrams.

Extension Ideas: Language Arts

• Create a class chart titled “Integrity is…” and allow each student to complete the sentence with a concrete example of integrity in action.
• Older students can make individual posters with that same theme, or write stories or poems which illustrate integrity at work.
• Have students research words that come from the same base word as integrity (integer, integral, integrate). How are all of these words related?

Extension Ideas: Science

• Encourage students to collect seeds from various foods at home and then plant them in class.
• As a class, remove the seeds a bell pepper. Cook half of them and then plant the cooked seeds in one container, and the uncooked seeds in another. Is it true that cooked seeds won’t grow? Older students can research to learn about some special seeds which actually require fire in order to grow.

Extension Ideas: Social Studies

• China has given the world an immense number of innovations including paper, noodles, and gunpowder. Have students research these and other Chinese firsts.
• Why was the Great Wall of China built? Was it effective? What lessons did the Chinese learn from this wall?
• Who are some famous Chinese Americans? How can we learn about others?