You can discuss and explore fables at any time of the year with your students. This post shares Fable Children’s Books that you can use for this purpose. All of the picture books on this list lend themselves to this topic really well. Take a peek below to learn more about these Fable Children’s Books!
5 Fable Children’s Books
Below is a list of some of our favorite Fable Children’s Books to share with elementary students. Check them out!
1. The Boy Who Cried Wolf by B.G. Hennessy
B.G. Hennessy’s fable, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, is about a young shepherd boy. The boy spends his days alone in the pasture with his sheep and is starting to get bored. While he tries to teach the sheep new tricks, they aren’t interested. The boy decides he needs some excitement out on the pasture. He decides to run into town shouting, “Wolf!”
To the shepherd boy’s delight, all the townsfolk come running to help him and to protect the sheep. However, when they get there, the townsfolk find there is no wolf to be found. The boy is pleased that one of his friends spends the rest of the day in the pasture with him, just in case the wolf returns.
The next day, the boy is feeling bored again and decides to run back into town crying, “Wolf!” Just like the day before, everyone comes running, but there is no wolf. This time his friend stays but to see if there actually was a wolf.
On the third day, the shepherd boy is alone in the pasture when he hears growling. He finds that there are three large wolves standing at the edge of the pasture. He runs into town crying, “Wolf!”, but no one comes to help and is left to spend the afternoon looking for his sheep all alone.
This classic fable teaches the importance of honesty and the implications of lying and playing tricks. Check out these The Boy Who Cried Wolf teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!
2. Town Mouse Country Mouse by Jan Brett
Jan Brett’s book, Town Mouse, Country Mouse, tells the story about two mice that decide to switch places. The town mouse dreams of taking a vacation in the country where he and his wife can eat wild blackberries and the sun shines everyday. They decide to leave the town and head into the country for a picnic. Meanwhile, the country mouse and his wife are tired from searching for food and avoiding the wild animals.
When two sets of mice meet out in the country, they decide to switch homes! Each set of mice looks forward to life in their new home, thinking things will be much better for them. However, they quickly realize the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. The town mouse struggles with wild animals and unpredictable weather out in country while the country mice learn finding food in the town is not as easy as they imagined.
One night, both the country mouse and town mouse find themselves faced with danger. The country mouse and his wife run home after being chased by a cat. The town mouse and his wife run home after being chased by an owl. Both sets of mice are relieved to be back home where they know what to expect.
Check out these Town Mouse Country Mouse teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!
3. The Tortoise and The Hare by Janet Stevens
Janet Steven’s rendition of the classic fable, The Tortoise and the Hare, makes a great mentor text for students. Hare is constantly teasing Tortoise for being slow at everything he does: eating breakfast, gardening, and going to the store. When Hare challenges Tortoise to a race, Tortoise agrees that he could never win. However, thanks to some support and encouragement from his friends, Tortoise agrees to the race.
Tortoise’s friends Rooster, Racoon and Frog help Tortoise to prepare for the race. When it is finally the day of the race, Hare is off and running before Tortoise can even get started. Shortly into the race, Hare is feeling confident and decides to take a break at Bear’s house for a drink. They are both surprised when they see Tortoise pass by the house. Hare is able to quickly pass Tortoise again and takes another break, this time for snacks at Mouse’s house. When Tortoise passes again, Hare brags that he isn’t worried. He is able to pass Tortoise again in no time.
Feeling tired from all the snacks, Hare decides to take a nap by the pond. However, he wakes up the the sounds of cheering! Tortoise is almost at the finish line. Before Hare can get there, Tortoise crosses the finish line and wins the race!
Tortoise learns that it’s not always about being the fastest. Sometimes, hard work and perseverance pay off. Check out these The Tortoise and The Hare teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!
4. Grasshopper and The Ants by Jerry Pinkney
Jerry Pinkey’s version of the fable The Grasshopper and the Ants is beautifully illustrated. It tells the story of a Grasshopper and a group of Ants. During the spring and summer, Grasshopper wants to relax and have fun. The Ants, however are busy working and Grasshopper doesn’t understand why they work so hard.
When fall comes, Grasshopper enjoys playing in the falling leaves while the Ants continue to work. Things change when the first snow falls. Grasshopper enjoys the snow at first, but soon grows cold and lonely. He goes to visit the Ants and looks in the window at them. When no one answers the door he starts to walk away. However, the Queen Ant then comes to the door to offer Grasshopper tea and invites him inside. The Grasshopper and Ants enjoy dancing and playing music together.
Check out these Grasshopper and The Ants teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!
5. The Lion and The Mouse by Gerald Rose and Jerry Pinkney
The fable,The Lion and the Mouse, teaches the lesson that no creature is too small to help another.
At the beginning of the story, the Mouse runs across the nose of the sleeping Lion. When the Lion wakes up, he catches the Mouse and is about to kill her. The Mouse promises that if the Lion lets her go, she will someday repay the favor. The Lion laughs, thinking there is no way a small mouse could ever help him, but lets her go anyway.
Days later, the Lion finds himself caught in a hunter’s net. When the Mouse hears the Lion’s roars in the forest, she runs to help. She is able to gnaw through the rope and free the Lion. The Mouse points out it is true that a creature as small as she can help a lion.
Check out these The Lion and The Mouse teaching resources and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging read aloud lessons!
Grab the Free Reading Resources!
In closing, we hope you found this list of Fable Children’s Books helpful! They are part of our Starts With a Story collection. If you want to get more book ideas to read aloud to your elementary students, then grab this reading freebie. It includes read aloud books lists, reading logs, and reading challenges for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classroom teachers. It will have you covered for the entire school year, as well as the summer months! Grab this free elementary reading packet now!
