Comparing and Contrasting Two Stories

We're working retelling stories that we've read during our read aloud or shared reading time.  After we've retold the story, we're able to compare the story to another story we've read.  I've been impressed with how well this is going as a whole group!  Yea!

One of the stories we read was Sofia and the Sunflower.

It's about a girl who plants some magic seeds which turn out to be giant sunflowers.  She decides to climb up the sunflower and finds a castle in the clouds.  What does this story remind you of?  That's right!  Jack and the Beanstalk.  We read that story next, and we were able to come up with many story elements that were the same or similar in the two texts.  We made a thinking map to show our thinking:

Recently we read two gingerbread men stories:  The Gingerbread Man retold by Jim Aylesworth and The Gingerbread Cowboy by Janet Squires.  Here's our thinking map for those two tales:

Comparing books helps us develop as readers in many ways.  First, we get to practice retelling a story with the characters, the setting, and the main events in order.  Also, we get to practice making connections between stories.  Making connections helps us remember what happened in the text and consider the text in new ways.  Lastly, we as readers get to respond to the texts and discuss them with each other.  It's always great when readers can see the book through another's point-of-view.

We'll be connecting between texts often in our class.  When reading at home, ask your child if he or she can think of a book that is similar to the one you are currently reading.  Discuss the similarities at home!  Happy reading!