Heroic Reads

What makes a hero?  Courage, ability, honor, strength... These are a just a few words people use to describe their heroes.  Maybe a hero is someone who has stood up for what’s right, or maybe a hero is someone you know who has struggled against the odds. 

Anyone can be a hero, even animals.  The cat in Eileen Spinelli’s Hero Cat shows great courage and selflessness to save her kittens from a fire. This picture book is based on a real cat, but if your animal lovers want more fact than story, give them Snow Search Dogs by Maida Silverman, which is part of Bearport’s Dog Heroes series.  Or for those cat lovers who just aren’t interested in the bravery of dogs, suggest Cats to the Rescue by Marilyn Singer for a collection of stories about cats who have some amazing adventures and find themselves heroes.

         

Inspire your would-be heroes to action with Laura Driscoll’s Real Heroes Don’t Wear Capes.  This easy-to-read story includes facts about heroes of all sorts while emphasizing the idea that anyone can be a hero to someone.  Some people want to be heroes, like Dex in Dex: The Heart of a Hero and others just stumble into it, like the boy in A Strange Day who is oblivious to his heroism as he goes about his day.  Both books make entertaining readalouds for grades 1 to 3.

   

Heroes can be found in history or in our own lives. These are just a few books to help your students define their own heroes. Or become someone else’s.