Aesop's Fables

Last updated September 3, 2004

Author: Aesop
Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney
Date of Publication: 1947
ISBN: 0448060035
Grade Level: 4th
Date(s) Used: September 2004

Synopsis: In this elegantly designed volume, more than sixty of Aesop's timeless fables have been carefully selected, humorously retold, and brought gloriously to life by four-time Caldecott Honor-winner Jerry Pinkney.

*Pick a number of the Fables to read. Some that are more familiar include: the fox and the crow, the crow and the pitcher, the miller and his son, the hare and tortoise, the fox and the lion, mercury and the woodman, the hare and the horse.
*Also, read or summarize the introduction.

Discussion topics for before reading:

• What is a fable? What is a moral?
• Why have a story with a moral?
• When did Aesop live? How long ago is that?

Discussion topics for after reading:

• What was the moral of this story?
• What is the meaning of that in modern life?
• Why do you think people told these stories?

Craft ideas:

• Pick one of the morals from a story not read, and have the children design a story and illustrations to go with it.
• Make a book cover for one of the fables.

Special challenge:

• Divide the group into two teams. Have one person come up from a team, whisper to them a moral and have them act it out for their team to guess.

*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions. You can use them, but you don’t have to use them. You can expand upon them, or add your own twist. Remember, though, that the focus of your time should not be on the development and execution of a craft; the focus should be on the read-aloud and the enjoyment of the book!