Hey, Little Ant

Engaging book with outstanding illustrations and text. I use this to facilitate persuasive writing with students. I also use it with college students as an example of an appropriate book for generating opinions.

Really enjoyed reading this book to my daughter. It posed the question of "what if the shoe was on the other foot" type of moral questioning. It gave us the opportunity to talk about ways we should treat people.

This wonderful book gives the reader a great feeling for this poor ant . This little ant has to negotiate for his life!! The only way to make the kid with the big shoe know how it feels to be squished is to turn the tables and make him realize what it feels like to be under an Ants' foot. This book is a must have. It teaches compassion, negotiation, and how to see the world through someonelses eyes.

Kid: "Hey, little ant . . . ./See my shoe, can you see that?/Well, now, it's gonna squish you flat!"This situation opens the book. The story then evolves into a dialogue between ant and kid to decide the ant's fate. The kid feels like he can do what he wants if the ant cannot talk back, but his ant can. The ant begs for his life. Then the kid argues that ants don't feel, and no one will miss him. The ant points out that he will be missed. The kid argues that ants steal from people, and the ant protests that they only take a little. The kid says that his friends expect him to squish the ant, and the ant asks the kid to exchange places in his mind. "If you were me and I were you,/What would you want me to do?" The book ends with "What do you think that kid should do?" This question is a nice set-up for a thoughtful discussion with your child. Unlike many books that proclaim the correct judgment, this one certainly suggests that the ant not be squished but leaves the question open. You can ask how your child's answer might change if other creatures are involved (a mosquito, a worm, a caterpillar, a butterfly, and so forth). The rhyming scheme in the book is also set to music in the back, so you can also play and sing the book together.Phillip Hoose is on the staff of the Nature Conservancy. His daughter and co-author, Hannah, was 9 when they wrote this book together. So another pleasure of changing perspectives here is to realize that parents and children can write books and songs together!The illustrations are very wonderful. In several sequences, the two page spreads are developed vertically rather than horizontally. Ms. Tilley does this very well to portray the giant kid looming over the ant, and later the imaginary giant ant dominating the kid. Each illustration has a sense of movement and presence that makes them seem to come off the page. The details are very rewarding, and will encourages your youngster to look closely. After reading this book, I suggest that you also talk about where parents and children should be more considerate of each other in what they ask and expect. The relative size differences there are important. You may be surprised to find that your children are a little more intimidated by you than you intended. If so, this book can have a wonderful application in your family . . . as well as in nature.By the way, I avoid hurting any living creature . . . so I found this book especially charming. See the world through the eyes of others and other creatures!

As an elementary school teacher (1st grade), I come across many books. I must say that this book is one of the best. The children get very excitied. :)