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Maribeth Boelts provides us with tips for creating authentic, unforgettable characters in stories.

Maribeth Boelts provides us with tips for creating authentic, unforgettable characters in stories.

Stories can help children to develop into responsible, caring and contributing citizens.

Use the activities for each book below to teach good character traits like kindness, self-control and perseverance to your students.

To view all the books chosen and to see all the tips and activities suggested for each book, visit the Reading Into Character Section on the First Book Marketplace.

Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes

This story models self-control: being able to deny your short-term impulses in order to stay focused and pursue what is really important

Lilly loved school, until her teacher took away her fabulous movie star sunglasses, her three shiny quarters and her brand new purple plastic purse.

Ask these questions after reading the story:

• Lilly wants to show off her new things, even though she knows it’s not the right time. Why do you think is it so hard to wait when you’re excited?
• Even though Lilly loves Mr. Slinger, she is furious with him for taking away her things. Why is she so angry? Should she be angry?

Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman written by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by David Diaz

This story models resilience and perseverance: honoring your word and your intentions by working hard toward an important goal, despite setbacks and challenges

A small and sickly child, Wilma Rudolph wore a heavy brace on her leg when she was a little girl, but she grew up to win three Olympic gold medals for running.

Try this activity to learn more about resilient athletes:

Who are today’s women’s sports stars? Ask your students to choose their favorite female champions in track, basketball, tennis, soccer, and more. Research their lives. Create a Women’s Sports Hall of Fame for your classroom.

Those Shoes written by Maribeth Boelts, illustrated by Noah Z. Jones

This story models kindness and compassion: valuing others so much that you show them respect and offer help to them as a way of honoring their value

Like all the other boys in school, Jeremy wants black high tops with two white stripes. But when he finally gets a pair, he realizes that he needs to give them away.

Try this activity to practice kindness and compassion:

Investigate local charities that welcome donations of good-as-new clothing, toys, books, or other useful items. Be sure to play close attention to their donation guidelines. If feasible, organize a class- or school-wide donation drive.

Developed as a joint project with Character.org and with generous support from Disney, each hand-picked book in the Reading Into Character section is paired with a FREE downloadable tip sheet.

The post Teaching Good Character with Books appeared first on First Book Blog.

   10 Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston & illustrated by Rich Deas “Looky!” says a silly turkey swinging from a vine. Gobble gobble wibble wobble. Whoops! Now there are nine.” Girls and boys will gobble up this hilarious counting story about ten goofy turkeys roller-skating on a fence, doing a noodle dance, and more! Give …

I was thrilled to find out that HAPPY LIKE SOCCER has been selected for The New York Public Library's 100 Titles for Reading & Sharing 2012 list!

This week I’m sharing the Happy Like Soccer craft table my graduate students created.  My students worked in partnerships to flesh out explanations for craft moves they identified in Maribeth Boelts’s book on… Read More →

Maribeth Boelts gave an engaging and thought-provoking talk to my students and I last week.  She talked about so much more than just her books and her process — though she did that… Read More →

Maribeth Boelts will be the visiting author for the graduate course I’m teaching about children’s literature and the teaching of writing this summer.  I’m SO EXCITED to meet her in person since I’ve… Read More →

Maribeth Boelts will be the visiting author for the graduate course I’m teaching about children’s literature and the teaching of writing this summer.  I’m SO EXCITED to meet her in person since I’ve… Read More →

By Nicki Richesin, The Children’s Book Review
Published: September 7, 2011

Sleeping Bootsie

by Maribeth Boelts (Author), Patricia Cantor (Illustrator)

Reading level: Ages 5 and up

Paperback: 48 pages

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (June 28, 2011)

Source: Publisher

Sleeping Bootsie by Maribeth Boelts with illustrations by Patricia Cantor is a delightful spin-off of the Sleeping Beauty fairytale. Meg the castle maid wishes for a friend and soon discovers a sweet stray kitten stowed away in her laundry basket. Christened “Bootsie” by Meg, she is granted three wishes by the good fairies at the royal ball: playfulness, a beautiful meow, and a kind heart. When the silver fairy casts her wicked spell, Bootsie must never touch water with her paw or she will fall into a deep sleep. Bathes are banned at the castle, but the silver fairy disguised as a servant sneaks in a goldfish bowl. Poor innocent Bootsie tries to catch the fish and falls fast asleep. What will save Bootsie from her endless slumber? You’ll have to read Sleeping Bootsie to discover what happens to the beloved but cursed kitty. This is a Step Into Reading book, perfectly suited for children reading on their own in grades 1-3. Cantor’s lovely soft pastel illustrations lend this book an enchanting wonder. Spoiler alert: this heartwarming tale ends happily ever after.

Add this book to your collection: Sleeping Bootsie (Step into Reading)

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Nicki Richesin is the editor of four anthologies,What I Would Tell Her: 28 Devoted Dads on Bringing Up, Holding On To, and Letting Go of Their Daughters; Because I Love Her: 34 Women Writers Reflect on the Mother-Daughter Bond; Crush: 26 Real-Life Tales of First Love; and The May Queen: Women on Life, Work, and Pulling it all Together in your Thirties. Her anthologies have been excerpted and praised in The New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, The Boston Globe, Redb