Just So Stories

Last updated Monday, June 7, 2004

Author: Rudyard Kipling
Illustrator: Rudyard Kipling
Date of Publication: 1992
ISBN: 0679417974
Grade Level: 5th
Date(s) Used: June 2004

Synopsis: Drawn from the wondrous tales told to the author as a child, Just So Stories creates the magical enchantment of the dawn of the world when animals could talk and think like people.

*note to readers: you don’t have to read the entire book; pick your favorite chapters instead.

Discussion topics for before reading:

• How do you think that whales got their throats, camels got their humps, leopards got their spots, etc, etc.?
• What is a tall tale? Examples? Why do we tell tall tales? Is it just for the entertainment?

Discussion topics for after reading:

• What’s the lesson from this story?
• Can you think of a better reason for why it is that way?

Craft ideas:

• Make a frame with animals from the book.
• Pick your favorite tall tale (does not have to be from the book - Paul Bunyan? ), and write a newspaper article, complete with pictures, about what happened.

Special challenge:

• For the chapters you haven’t read, pick one (or come up with your own - How did the monkey get its tail? How birds came to fly? etc., etc.) , and have the children either stand up and tell the others what the story is based on the title, or write their own story.

*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!