Meet a Grocer! (In Our Neighborhood)
In Our Neighborhood Series
What’s inside...
This book introduces the role of grocers in their community, highlighting their importance as community helpers. Join Emma and Theo on their adventures as they meet various community helpers in their neighborhood, exploring the different roles each one plays. Along the way, Emma wants to make a birthday dinner for her mom and visits the supermarket with Theo to learn about a grocer’s job. The series combines fiction and nonfiction elements, with engaging narratives from Emma or Theo’s perspective, beautiful illustrations, real-life photos, a map, a Q&A with a community helper, and additional tips and tools. Each installment offers an exciting and educational experience that encourages children to appreciate the crucial roles of community helpers.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
5-7
Length
32 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What do you think a grocer does every day at work?
Why do you think it's important to have grocery stores in our neighborhood?
How do you feel when you visit a grocery store, and what are some of your favorite sections?
If you were a grocer for a day, what would you like to do the most?
Can you name some ways grocers help us keep healthy?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to think about the role of a grocer by relating it to your own grocery shopping experiences together.
Discuss the variety of foods found in a grocery store and their origins to spark interest in geography and cultures.
Pose hypothetical scenarios like 'What if there were no grocery stores?' to help your child appreciate community services.
Use the illustrations in the book to talk about different parts of a grocery store, and perhaps plan a fun educational trip to one.
After reading, encourage your child to draw or list items they would like to stock if they had their own grocery store.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Community Awareness
Explanation: The book follows a grocer in a neighborhood, showcasing their role and the importance of their work.
Real-World Application: Children learn to appreciate various professions and understand how each contributes to community welfare, encouraging respect and awareness from a young age.
Example Lesson: Responsibility
Explanation: The grocer demonstrates daily tasks such as stocking shelves and managing inventory, reflecting the diligence required in maintaining a store.
Real-World Application: Kids can apply this lesson by taking on small responsibilities at home, like organizing their toys or helping in the kitchen, fostering a sense of duty and accountability.
Example Lesson: Healthy Eating
Explanation: The book emphasizes the grocer's role in providing fresh produce and healthy food options to the community.
Real-World Application: This can help encourage children to make healthier food choices and understand the value of nutrition in their daily lives.
Example Lesson: Economic Understanding
Explanation: Through the interaction of the grocer with customers, children learn basic economic concepts like trade, value, and the exchange of goods.
Real-World Application: This lesson can be used to introduce children to simple economic principles through play-shopping games or setting up a small stall.
Example Lesson: Interpersonal Skills
Explanation: The grocer's interactions with customers highlight the importance of social skills and polite communication.
Real-World Application: Children can practice these skills in real life by engaging in polite conversations, practicing gratitude, and learning to express their needs effectively.