Anansi Helps a Friend: Read It Yourself - Level 1 Early Reader
Read It Yourself Series
What’s inside...
In this enchanting tale, Anansi the spider uses his wit and trickster abilities to help his friend overcome a challenging situation, teaching young readers about the value of friendship and clever problem-solving. This story is based on Anansi the spider folktales from West Africa and the Caribbean and is part of the Read It Yourself series designed for children aged 4+ who are beginning to read beyond phonics. The book includes comprehension puzzles, book band information, and reading tips to help build children's confidence and encourage reading for pleasure.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
4-5
Length
32 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What do you think Anansi learned after helping his friend?
How would you help a friend in a similar situation?
Can you think of a time when someone helped you? How did it make you feel?
What qualities do you think make someone a good friend?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to relate their personal experiences to Anansi's story, enhancing empathy and understanding.
Discuss the importance of helping friends and the impact it can have, reinforcing social and emotional development.
Use examples from the book to highlight the values of kindness and teamwork.
Ask your child to imagine alternative endings or what could happen next, fostering creativity and critical thinking.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Helpfulness
Explanation: Anansi offers to help his friend because he sees that they are in trouble, demonstrating the importance of being considerate and helpful.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this lesson by assisting their peers in school tasks or helping family members at home, fostering a supportive environment.
Example Lesson: Problem-solving
Explanation: Throughout the book, Anansi encounters various challenges but finds ingenious solutions, showing the value of critical thinking.
Real-World Application: This encourages children to think creatively when facing their own challenges, whether in academics or personal interactions.
Example Lesson: Teamwork
Explanation: Anansi collaborates with others to achieve common goals, highlighting the effectiveness of working collectively.
Real-World Application: Kids learn to work collaboratively in group settings such as school projects, sports teams, or family activities.
Example Lesson: Kindness
Explanation: Anansi's actions are driven by a genuine desire to help others, teaching the importance of kindness.
Real-World Application: Children are inspired to show kindness in everyday situations, which can improve social interactions and build strong relationships.