Hey, Little Ant

Hey, Little Ant  

Author: Phillip and Hannah Hoose

Genre: Fiction

Grade Level: Pre-K- Grade 4

Year Published: 1998

Summary

Hey, Little Ant is a book about a little ant and a giant (to the ant) kid who is about to stomp on him and end his life! While this may sound slightly terrifying, the book is all about the ant making a captivating  argument for his survival at the hands of the kid. The boy presents many reasons for squishing the ant, and the ant counters everything with his own reasons for being able to stay alive. The ant talks to the kid for a while, and the kids also shares that his friends are watching and encouraging him to squish the ant. The story ends with the line: "What do you think that kid should do?" 

About the Author

Philip Hoose and his then 9-year-old daughter wrote Hey, Little Ant as a children's song, and it was later made into a children's book. Phillip is an award winning author of essays, stories, songs, and articles. He graduated from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, and is also a member of The Nature Conservancy, since 1977. He is a founding member of the Children's Music Network and he lives in Portland, Oregon. 

Source: http://philliphoose.com/

How to Use it

Pre-Reading: Have a class discussion about ants. What do kids do when they see them? What do they know about them? Keep it simple. Save the real lesson for after the book. 

Post-Reading: Discuss: What can we learn from this book? What do YOU think the kid should do? Students can engage in a writing activity that answers the last line of the story: "What do you think that kid should do?" There can be so many character education themes from this story. The main one that you can discuss with younger children is respecting differences. Yes, the ant and the kid look extremely different, but just because the kid is bigger and stronger, does that give him the right to squish the ant?

What do I Think?

This book was given to my a few days before my first year teaching, and it has been something that I have used in my classroom ever since. For me, it embodies everything that kids need to know about bullying: looking at things from someone else's perspective, understanding differences, and how to treat people. I have to say, my favorite part of the book is the last line. Ending with that question automatically prompts students to think about what they would do, and facilitates a huge discussion about the book. This is definitely a book that needs to be included in every classroom, K-4.