Reading Champion: The Mice and the Elephants: Independent Reading Purple 8
Reading champion Series
on Goodreads (2)
What’s inside...
A delightful tale about how the cunning mice save the mighty elephants from a dangerous situation, highlighting the themes of teamwork and friendship. This story is part of Reading Champion, a series carefully linked to book bands to encourage independent reading skills, developed with Dr Sue Bodman and Glen Franklin of UCL Institute of Education (IOE). Reading Champion offers independent reading books for children to practise and reinforce their developing reading skills. Fantastic, original stories are accompanied by engaging artwork and a reading activity. Each book has been carefully graded so that it can be matched to a child's reading ability, encouraging reading for pleasure.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
5-7
Length
24 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What do you think the mice learned from their encounter with the elephants?
How did the elephants' perspective on the mice change throughout the story?
Why is it important to help someone, even if they are very different from us?
How do you think the story would have ended if the mice hadn’t helped the elephants?
What would you have done if you were one of the mice?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to express their thoughts and feelings about the story, relating the themes of friendship and cooperation to their own experiences. Ask them to imagine alternative endings or what they would do in similar situations to deepen their understanding and personal connection to the story.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Empathy and Helping Others
Explanation: The story showcases how the tiny mice help the large elephants when they are in need, demonstrating that size does not define one's ability to assist others.
Real-World Application: Children learn the importance of helping others regardless of their differences, fostering a sense of community and support.
Example Lesson: Ingenuity Solves Problems
Explanation: The mice use their quick thinking and unique small size to free the trapped elephants, illustrating how thinking outside the box can lead to solutions.
Real-World Application: Encourages children to use their imagination and resourcefulness to solve problems they encounter.
Example Lesson: Gratitude and Reciprocity
Explanation: The elephants express their gratitude towards the mice by offering them protection in return, highlighting the value of expressing thanks and returning kindness.
Real-World Application: Teaches children the importance of being grateful and returning favors, strengthening social bonds and interpersonal relationships.